Trustees
Trustees play an essential role at Coventry, Warwickshire and Worcestershire Mind. Our staff and volunteers handle the day-to-day running of the charity, whereas trustees focus on our overall strategy and goals. They ensure we’re using our resources effectively and sustainably and supporting people’s mental health in the local area to the greatest possible degree.
Terry Plant – Chair
Terry joined the board in 2015. Terry is an architect who is passionate about mental health design/services. He has worked closely with the NHS to design and build numerous facilities up and down the country having run his own architectural services for over 25 years. Terry has worked across the UK and internationally as a specialist advisor for the World Health Organisation. Running his own company means he has a broad range of knowledge about company accounts, business case writing and business management including marketing and human resources.
Annette Dix – Vice-Chair
Annette joined the board in January 2021. In her early years she worked at NHS UHCW and for the past 40 years has worked at Coventry University. Annette recently retired from her last role working in the Mental Health and Wellbeing Zone team at Coventry University. Annette is keen to bring her experience to the organisation. She is also a MHFA trainer.
Ian Carson – Treasurer
Sukhdeep Dhesi
Mattie Heaven
Mattie is a Wainbody Councillor. She has lived in Coventry almost all her life, she was born in Iran and moved to Coventry at the age of 11. She studied BA (Hons) in Crime, Deviance and Society and researched with Staffordshire Mind on the stigmatisation of Mental Health and how institutionalisation has an impact on the recovery of an individual’s mental health.
Mattie is passionate about education on human rights and human dignity. She is a Policy and Advocacy Advisor for the International Organisation to Preserve Human Rights (IOPHR), where her work focuses on women’s rights, freedom of religion & belief and countering extremism & radicalisation. Finally, Mattie is part of a music ensemble, called the Soveida Ensemble, in which musicians of various cultures and backgrounds perform to bring people together through the language of music.
Deborah Lakin
Deborah joined the board in 2024, having worked for almost 34 years as an employed barrister in the criminal justice system, within the Magistrates’ Courts’ Service. She now sits as a Deputy District Judge in the County Court on the Midlands Circuit and as an Assistant Coroner in Coventry, Warwickshire and Worcestershire.
Rachel Lawley
Rachel joined the board in 2023. She is a BACP accredited counsellor with experience across the NHS, charity, education and private sectors. Rachel has a specialist interest in working with trauma. She has experience in developing and managing therapy services including specialised services for the LGBTQ+ community, and survivors of domestic abuse.
Rosie Pettifor
Rosie joined the Board in 2023. She recently retired from the NHS, where she worked for 41 years, leading an acute and community eye service. As Chairman of the British and Irish Orthoptic Society, she represented the profession on national and European committees, advising NHS England, NHS Education for Scotland and the UK National Screening Committee. She has been active in Orthoptists’ undergraduate and post-graduate education, including external examiner roles for three universities.
She has experience working with Government representatives, health and social care professionals, service users and the voluntary sector, including RNIB and Guide Dogs for the Blind. She was actively involved in the development of the UK Vision Strategy, a unified plan for action on all issues relating to eye health and sight loss across the four countries of the UK to eliminate preventable sight loss and to improve services to people, including children, with sight loss, and increase inclusion in society for blind and partially sighted people.
In 2011 she was awarded a CBE for services to Healthcare.
Rosie brings various skills, focusing on quality, safety and governance.
Pratibha Reddy
Pratibha Reddy is an IT professional who has lived in Coventry for over 15 years and is a mother of two.
Beyond her professional role, she is actively involved in community initiatives and is passionate about raising awareness of mental health. Having been introduced to the work of Coventry, Warwickshire and Worcestershire Mind over 12 years ago, she is committed to contributing her experience and skills to support positive outcomes for individuals and communities. She has also completed Mental Health First Aider training and has actively participated in Coventry, Warwickshire and Worcestershire Mind fundraising activities.
Parmjit Sanghera
Parmjit joined the board in 2021. He has spent over 30 years working in various financeroles. Parmjit brings a broad range of business-related skills and experiences to the organisation. Parmjit is a chartered Certified accountant and a fellow member of The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.