Staff

 

Maureen Harrison

My role as the Director of the Sick Kids Friends Foundation is to ensure that we raise sufficient funds for our purposes, spend them on the best possible projects according to our priorities and to be responsible for the day to day running of the organisation. 

My duties include

• Working with the Council and Trustees to define the organisational mission and strategy
• Working with our fundraising team to ensure that we raise the much needed funds by attending events, applying for funds from Trusts and encouraging our fantastic fundraising volunteers
• Developing new projects and managing the running of existing provision which we make at the hospital and in the Community
• Preparing all marketing and communication materials to ensure that current and potential donors are well informed of our activities over all media.
• Working with our financial and administration staff to ensure compliance with all financial and legal obligations in running a modern charity

 

Working with staff at the hospital to plan for future provision, which will ensure that our children receive the best possible health care here and in the Community.

One of the most important aspects of my work is to listen to what others feel we need….consequently, I spend some time every week in the wards, at outpatients, in the Drop In Centre, in the shop or in the Parents’ Accommodation hearing what patients, parents, siblings and staff would like us to provide either here or in other centres, where their health care is delivered.  I’d like to know what you think too, so please feel free to email me at maureen.harrison@luht.scot.nhs.uk and thank you for helping to make the Sick Kids even better.

 

Graham Brock

My role as Financial Controller is to ensure that all funds are correctly processed and accounted for.  I work part-time alongside Eleanor and Andrew, marrying up what we have received through the post etc with our bank accounts.  It is also my responsibility to report to the Trustees Management Board and Council on all matters relating to finance, to help donors who wish to make gifts of shares and property, to monitor the Investments Portfolio, to keep an eye on interest rates to ensure that we are taking advantage of the best deals available and to ensure that Trustee Management Board and Council papers are sent out timeously.

Each year I prepare the Annual Report and Accounts, in accordance with the required current practices, which prevail at the time…currently SORP 2005, and work with the auditors to ensure that a true and fair picture of our activities on your behalf is presented.  I always want to ensure that we are meeting the needs of children and families in the best way possible and, if I can produce financial information which helps others to be ever more effective in their role, then I feel that I really have helped to make the Sick Kids even better.

 

Frances Brown, Shop Manager

I have been involved with the Royal Hospital for Sick Children for many years, as I am a former member of the nursing staff. As my family grew a little older, I got involved with the Association of Friends of the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, which was formed in the 1970s. Through that organisation I became a volunteer in the hospital shop in its many locations throughout the hospital over the past 30 years.  In 1998 we moved into a brand new self service shop on the main corridor of the hospital and since then I have been the Manager of the shop, supporting a wonderful group of around 30 volunteers, who man the shop, both during the week and at the weekends. Each year we hand on around £20,000 profit to the Sick Kids Friends Foundation. One of my main challenges is to find stock, which will constantly interest children and young people of all ages and interests…I would be pleased to hear from anyone who can help us source new items!! And of course we always look for more volunteers to help us extend our opening hours for the shop.  Currently we sell newspapers, books, sandwiches, drinks, snacks, toys, games, branded items, essential toiletries for those who have come to hospital unexpectedly and gift paper and cards.  We also attend outside events organising raffles, tombolas and selling lots of our own branded range.  The shop raises a substantial amount for the charity, but it is also about serving the patients and their families….we even run a trolley service round the hospital once a week!! Our small shop plays a big part in helping make the Sick Kids even better!!

 

Eleanor Docherty

Administration never seems as exciting as fundraising, but the fundraisers tell the three of us in the admin office that they could not do without us!

The main responsibility of my job is as Personal Assistant to the Director, but there are also many varied tasks, which I carry out regularly as well.   I deal with all the main correspondence for Maureen, including applications to major Grant Making Trusts and Foundations, letters regarding legacies…we are fortunate that a few people every year leave us a gift in their Will….. all the papers for the Council and Trustees Management Board, Minutes of lots of meetings and it’s usually myself or Andrew who answer the phone when you call!  I love being creative too, so I design quite a lot of the posters and programmes for our events and I look after this website!

I also look after all the purchases, which we make on behalf of wards and departments at the hospital, as well as administering the Grants system, so that we always have clear records of applications, decisions and reports from those receiving the money detailing how it helped. 

We have a small but popular range of Virtual Gifts, which you can buy from us to give to your friends and this is another of my responsibilities…so if you would like to purchase one of these instead of a birthday or Christmas present, please contact me at eleanor.docherty@luht.scot.nhs.uk

 

Andrew Innes

My responsibility is to record all the donations, which come in to us…from whatever source.  I count cash, log credit card donations, track direct banking gifts, administer Charity Aid Foundation vouchers and cheques, process bank cheques, debit card donations, matched giving from companies and gifts of shares!  The very important added value bit…I process our Gift Aid claims and make sure that we receive every possible penny from HMRC that we can!!  You might be surprised to know that we raise a lot of funds from recycling….we have schemes, where old clothes are picked up regularly, clothing banks are available to customers at supermarkets and car parks, and even your old phone or printer cartridge is money for us!! 

But my other main job is to make sure that we have your details recorded properly, so that we can keep in touch with you.  At present this is usually done through our newsletter, but we are just beginning to get Email addresses on file, so that we can send out the newsletter to you that way…..so, if you would like to be an E-supporter, please mail your name and details stating ‘Please send E Newsletter’ to me at andrew.innes@luht.scot.nhs.uk

 

Susan Veitch

As Fundraising Development Officer, I joined the Sick Kids Friends Foundation some years ago as Community Fundraising Co-ordinator, but when I came back from having my young son Archie, I chose to work part time and now I develop different methods of fundraising and so far have promoted Payroll Giving, Direct Debit Giving and research on funding from Trusts.  I am also spending some time looking at Gift Aid…it is such an invaluable source of funding, since as long as you are a taxpayer, we can claim back the tax, which you have already paid on your gift.   If you would like any further information on any of these types of giving, please email me at
susan.veitch@luht.scot.nhs.uk. I am in the office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and I am always keen to hear of your new ideas on fundraising too!