Our team and trustees

Our team

First Touch employs 3 part time charity coordinators, who oversee the running of the charity.

Louise Williams works 20 hours per week. She is a mother of two and has a background in finance and marketing as well as having worked voluntarily for several child-related charities. Louise joined First Touch in 2012 and has been a vocal and active champion for our welfare projects during this time.

Laura De Rooy works 12-16 hours per week. She worked for many years on the NNU as a much-loved consultant and, after retiring, joined the First Touch team in May 2024. We are reliant on Laura’s clinical expertise, as well as her excellent knowledge of hospital processes. Laura is enjoying discovering new-found skills as well!

Sonja Timpson works 8-10 hours per week. She worked for First Touch from 2008-2012 and was delighted to return to the charity in August 2023. Sonja is also a Paediatric Nurse with over 30 years of experience in this field. Sonja loves communicating with our brilliant supporters and oversees the financial comings and goings of the charity.

As a team, Sonja, Laura and Louise are the first point of contact for all enquiries to the charity. They lead all fundraising campaigns and organise events, and help our supporters, both individual and corporate, to raise money. They also manage social networking strategies and the First Touch website, with the help of Dusted Design Partners Ltd. They oversee the financial management of the charity. They liaise with the neonatal unit's equipment committee and medical physics department to order equipment and with the Family Centred Care Co-ordinator on welfare projects. Sonja, Laura and Louise work closely with the trustees to ensure all monies raised are spent in the most appropriate way.

Our trustees

First Touch currently has 14 trustees. Dr Sijo Francis is a Consultant and Laura DeRooy is a recently-retired Consultant. Sijo’s work on the Neonatal Unit ensures the charity is always up to date with clinical developments and needs. Paula Abramson is a psychotherapist and training facilitator, specialising in baby and child bereavement support for families and training for professionals, and was previously our unit’s counsellor. Senior nurses Rob Nestor and Natalie Daly are the current staff representatives.

Most of our other trustees are parents of Neonatal Unit graduates, and bring technical and industrial excellence to the board; Achim Vogt works at a high level in City banking. Nicola Eastwood brings financial expertise. Kim Caddy has worked as an accountant for large corporate clients. Nicola O'Connor has a background in media relations and web strategy at a senior level.  Helen Edwards is a partner in a law firm. Benedict Shaw is a Civil Servant. Clare O'Grady is Head of Strategy for a global retailer.  Louise Hunter has a background in law and is also a member of our Peer Supporter Team. All our parent trustees have also spent time volunteering in charity and community projects. We are delighted that one of our newest trustees, Adam Norgett, an IT professional,  is himself a graduate of St George's nnu.