We appoint three new Trustees to bolster drive towards 2028 equality goals

We're pleased to announce the appointment of three outstanding new Trustees – Bea Forrester, Katrina Fletcher and Sherree Schaefer – whose varied experience, qualifications and commitment to social justice and equality will strengthen our leadership as we intensify our final stretch towards 2028 gender-equality targets.

These new additions to our Board come at a pivotal moment. As we enter the concluding years of our ten-year mission to build a fairer, safer and more inclusive Greater Manchester, the involvement of the three Trustees brings renewed focus, energy and strategic breadth to our campaign.

Bea Forrester possesses proven skills in policy change and community outreach – an asset for advancing our advocacy work and ensuring our strategies remain grounded in lived realities.

Katrina Fletcher is recognised for her strengths in social enterprise and partnership working, supporting our collaboration ambitions and widening our reach across the region’s diverse communities.

Sherree Schaefer offers significant expertise in corporate social responsibility and voluntary sector leadership, contributing key insight as we aim for systemic change in multiple sectors.

Together, Bea, Katrina and Sherree expand our Board’s capacity – enhancing governance, strengthening community ties and deepening our ability to influence policy, public institutions and local organisations – all while following the principles of the Charities Act and reporting transparently to the Charity Commission.

In the words of Convenor, Helen Pankhurst CBE: “The arrival of Bea, Katrina and Sherree marks a bold step forward for GM4Women2028. Their combined skillsets and knowledge in social enterprise, community activism, policy and inclusion brings fresh clarity to our mission. Together, we’re better equipped than ever to realise our 2028 equality goals.”

Chair, Sofia Higgins, echoes Helen’s sentiments, “We’re delighted to welcome Bea, Sherree and Katrina to our Board. Each brings exceptional expertise and passion for driving change for women and girls. Their amalgamated competences in and devotion to the fields of policy, organisational leadership and community empowerment will bolster our mission immeasurably, especially at this defining period.”

Bea, Katrina and Sherree expressed their enthusiasm about joining the charity at this critical stage: “We’re honoured to support GM4Women2028’s commitment to equality, safety and opportunity for all women and girls in Greater Manchester. We strive to ensure this last phase creates real, measurable change.”

These recruitments underscore our ongoing pledge for strong, diverse and effective leadership. Our Board believes that a broad mix of professional backgrounds, academic achievements, lived experience, community insight and strategic capability will serve our mission optimally.

As part of our induction and onboarding process, the new Trustees will begin working immediately in a shadowing capacity to devise strategy, shape forthcoming campaigns, deepen stakeholder engagement and plan innovative projects to close the gap on inequality by 2028.

For more information on our staff and volunteers, please visit our people web page.