Action for Carers Oxfordshire says farewell to its longest serving trustee
This month we say goodbye to our longest serving trustee.
Judith Wardle, one of the trustees who founded Action for Carers Oxfordshire in 2012, has now left the charity having volunteered in the role for 12 years.
Judith’s lived experience as an unpaid carer led her to support Action for Carers Oxfordshire. She unexpectantly found herself experiencing different aspects of being a family carer: in her teens, she did what she could to support her parents when her older sister had a breakdown. Years later, in 1984, her 5-year-old son (who had already survived a kidney tumour) ran into the path of a car, surviving with an “acquired” brain injury. She found support services for them both were sparse and difficult to find – information about what was available largely came from other carers.
In 1991, Oxfordshire received a grant to set up carers’ centres and to enable carers to set up their own charity which was when Oxfordshire Carers’ Forum was formed. Carers leading the charity suffered the usual pressures of their caring roles, and Judith, who had a new career as a charity CEO, offered to become the Treasurer of the forum. Shortly after, the trustees voted to join the Age UK Oxfordshire family of charities, and she took over as Chair of the Forum.
Judith had a key role in the creation of Action for Carers Oxfordshire and became one of the three founding trustees for the new charity.
Judith also served as a trustee for Age UK Oxfordshire, the sister charity of Action for Carers Oxfordshire, for eight years, from 2012 to 2020.
Her extensive knowledge of structures of the NHS and social care, experience in charity legislation and parliamentary lobbying, along with her lived experience as an unpaid carer has been invaluable for the charities.
Judith is now offering her skills to the Parish of North Leigh, where she lives, in the process of creating a Neighbourhood Plan. She remains a campaigner trying to fight not only for carers but against privatisation of the NHS and is involved in local and national environmental organisations.
Of Judith’s considerable commitment, Andrew Lane, Chair of Trustees, said: “We are so very grateful to Judith for her commitment to Action for Carers Oxfordshire. During her many years of dedicated service as trustee, she has played a significant part in improving the lives of older people and unpaid carers in Oxfordshire”.
Action for Carers Oxfordshire exists to improve the lives of unpaid carers of people living in Oxfordshire. We are currently looking for new trustees to join our board who share our commitment to and passion for making a difference to carers’ lives. You can find our more about this opportunity on our website or by emailing vickysteaman@carersoxfordshire.org.uk or calling 01235 424 715.