Our trustees

Carers’ Support East Kent is governed by a board of trustees.

Charity trustees are the people who share ultimate responsibility for governing a charity and directing how it is managed and run.

Are you interested in becoming a Trustee? This is an exciting time to join Carers’ Support East Kent. As a trustee, you would contribute additional skills to our collaborative and committed Board. If you would like to know more about being one of our Trustees, please email chair@carersek.org.uk.

Charles Traylen – Chair of Trustees

Charles is the Chair of Carers Support East Kent and also of South Kent Mind, a local mental health charity.

Before being appointed as Chair in March 2022, Charles was a Director of a Global charity who’s fundamental mission was to show kindness to people in need. Before entering the NGO world, Charles was a senior leader for a Global retailer specialising in HR and Organisational Development and spent 20 years in Belgium. Before becoming responsible for HR , Charles spent time in the commercial area, working for the board and setting up Organisational Development. Charles currently lives in Deal and spends his time when not volunteering trying to play football.

Antony Blackman

Anthony joined the Trustee Board in December 2021

He brings with him his experience and expertise from sitting on various other charity boards and membership organisations, where he led various projects, including fundraising, business development, stakeholder engagement, and governance.

His background is as an Optician, but he has spent much of his career in education, working as a senior lecturer/prorgamme director at Canterbury Christ Church University, as well as sitting on Qualification committees with the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers, and the Chartered Insurance Institute.

He now spends most of his time running his training business which he founded in 2017, offering training to high street practices, private hospitals, and the NHS.

Anthony lives in Gillingham and is a keen explorer of single malt whisky.

Cheryl Ramsay, Trustee Lead – Compliance

Cheryl joined the trustee board in June 2020. She is passionate about supporting Carers to get the assistance they need after being a Carer to several members of her family.

A barrister since 1997, Cheryl has civil and criminal litigation experience and is a Senior Consultant supporting the NHS with compliance, quality improvement & assurance, corporate governance, culture change and transformation and CQC inspections.

Cheryl is committed to ensuring we provide quality Carer-centred services and that our policies, systems and processes are rigorous.

Cheryl lives in Ashford where she volunteers in her local community.

Helen Stanley

Helen joined the Trustee Board in 2024. She trained as a social worker and has worked in both the statutory and charitable sectors, with a particular interest in and experience of working with carers and individuals with mental health needs. She currently manages the Welfare Team at a national charity that supports a professional group and their families.

As someone who has personal experience of caring for a family member, Helen appreciates the impact that the caring role and responsibilities can have on individual wellbeing and opportunities. She feels passionately about the importance of understanding the needs and valuing the experience of carers themselves.

Helen is a keen cyclist, occasional runner and lover of nature. Care for the environment is increasingly central to her life.

Kaye Draper – Treasurer

Kaye joined the trustee board in the summer of 2022, taking on the Treasurer role in October. She previously supported another charity in Thanet for a few years after she retired. Kaye is the main carer for a member of her family who has had dementia for a long time so is keen to support a charity helping other carers.

Kaye retired early in late 2018, having worked as a Finance and IT Director within a multinational organisation. A Chartered Accountant, Kaye has worked for over 36 years, working in Ireland (her home country), UK and internationally. She trained and completed her Articles with Price Waterhouse in Dublin. She has worked in both financial and manufacturing organisations.

Kaye is married, and is a very keen embroiderer. During the covid pandemic, Kaye rekindled her interest in art, especially botanical art. She and her husband enjoy spending time outdoors especially visiting the Lake District and wildlife reserves in the UK, Ireland, and overseas.

Malcolm Frier

Malcolm joined the Trustee Board in December 2021.

He is a retired HR Director whose career of some 42 years was across various industries including health, engineering, food, music and chemicals, all of which contributed to his wide experience of people and organisations, both in the UK and internationally.

He continues to work as an Executive Coach and is also a volunteer employability mentor to young people for The Princes Trust.

Malcolm is married and lives near Canterbury where he regularly runs around local country lanes…slowly.

Tony Ullman

Tony joined the Board in July 2022. As well as being a Trustee for Carers Support East Kent, he is also a Trustee and Vice-Chair at Age UK Canterbury, and Chair of Trustees for a local organisation in Whitstable, the CT5 People’s Forum, which promotes and encourages local democracy, community engagement, and environmental improvements in the town.

Tony has over 25 years experience in senior leadership positions in commissioning organisations in Health and Social Care, and before that in the voluntary sector and community organisations. He has served as a Non-Executive Director of an NHS Hospital Trust in Kent, where he chaired its Quality Assurance Committee. He also has 23 years previous experience as a Councillor, on both City and County Councils, for most of that time in positions of responsibility and leadership.

Outside public service and previous work roles Tony enjoys dancing, yoga, and skiing; and in his spare time until the Covid pandemic he was a Salsa teacher.