Introducing our new Chief Executive Officer Paul Ringer

Carers Oxfordshire and our sister charity Age UK Oxfordshire are delighted to announce the appointment of Paul Ringer as our new Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Paul Ringer joins us from a role as Interim CEO of Riding for the Disabled UK and brings a background in social care and a decade of senior management experience in the charity sector. With his proven track record of leadership in high-quality regulated health and social care services, alongside influencing, campaigning and profile-raising work, he is poised to lead the charities in their missions to support people to live life to the full.

Paul Ringer replaces Penny Thewlis who has been instrumental in the development and growth of the organisations over the past 23 years, including 7 years as CEO. After a considerable tenure, Penny Thewlis has stepped down with a plan to put the charities’ missions of living life to the full into practice.

Of her time with the charities, and the appointment of Paul Ringer, she said, “It has been a real pleasure and a privilege to work alongside older people and carers and a wonderful team of staff and volunteers, as well as some excellent partners in both the statutory and voluntary sectors over the last 23 years – a period of enormous change and development. I am delighted to be passing the baton into Paul’s safe and very capable hands – he has all the qualities and the values to lead Age UK Oxfordshire and Carers Oxfordshire to the next stage, at a time when the two organisations have never been more needed. I wish him very well and hope he enjoys the role half as much as I have.”

Chair of the Boards of Trustees for both organisations, Andrew Lane, added, “We are delighted to welcome Paul Ringer as our new CEO. His proven leadership skills, engaging communication style, strategic insights, and deep sector knowledge make him the ideal choice to lead Age UK Oxfordshire and Carers Oxfordshire.

“During the rigorous recruitment process, Paul’s focus on the importance of older people and carers, harnessing the value of volunteers alongside staff, and collaborating with other organisations for the common good shone through. We are confident that his beliefs align perfectly with the core values of the organisations, making him an excellent cultural fit. We have great confidence in Paul’s ability to steer the organisations towards even greater achievements for the people of Oxfordshire in the future.

“I would also like to offer my sincere thanks to Penny Thewlis who has been an inspirational leader over the past 23 years, striving for person-centred growth and development, always keeping older people and carers at the heart of everything our two organisations do.”

Of his appointment, Paul Ringer said, “I feel incredibly privileged to have been appointed to lead these very special organisations. I am humbled by the dedication, good spirit, and many achievements of Penny up to this point and have been impressed and inspired by the people I have met so far – staff, volunteers, commissioners, and importantly those whom the organisations support – that make such a positive difference for the cause.

“The great work of Age UK Oxfordshire and Action for Carers (Oxfordshire) across the county has never been more needed. With the demand and challenges already present set to grow significantly over the next decade (given the changing shape of our population), we will need a continuing sharp focus. More support of all kinds will be required to keep pace and further develop how we enable older people and carers across the county to live their lives to the full.”