For Trustees’ Week (4–8 November 2024), we are sharing the voices of two of Life’s trustees as they talk about their personal experiences with Life and parenthood.
Life trustee Martin Foley
My introduction to Life happened when I was just a few years old.
My mum was volunteering with one of the Life Houses in Birmingham. I have a distinct recollection of several clients coming round to our house (it was a very different time – no chance this would happen today!).
And this made a deep and lasting impression on me – that Life was a practical, hands-on, caring-focused charity.
Life is a practical, hands-on, caring-focused charity.
When I was in Sixth Form, some friends and I helped decorate Edgbaston Life House. Again, I felt deeply that Life was practical and alongside those who need help and support, but had no clue how much my life would change because of Life.
After leaving university, I worked for David Alton MP (now Lord), who was a strong supporter of Life, and several Catholic parliamentarians. It was a great privilege, and through these connections I got to know Professor Jack Scarisbrick MBE and his wife Nuala, Life co-founders, and the work of Life more deeply. Life was always in the background of my life.
Then, in 2004, out of the blue, Jack asked me to become Chief Executive Officer for Life. I felt humbled to be offered such a wonderful role.
I served from 2005 to 2009, and after leaving I remained a strong supporter of Life, its practical approach, and particularly had enormous respect for those working on the Helpline and in Housing. I still didn’t know how much of a part Life would play in the rest of my life.
So imagine my pleasant surprise a few years ago when I was asked to consider becoming a trustee. I jumped at the opportunity! I’d gained a lot of experience as CEO of other charities, and now I had a chance to contribute more deeply by matching up my expertise with helping women in unexpected pregnancy.
What I loved discovering was how Life has become ever more professional and able to respond to the way the world is (not the way we might like it to be) while keeping the same Values. Serving as is a humbling and wonderful opportunity to be a part of serving women in unexpected pregnancy and breaking down the barriers to parenting or adoption for those women.
Life trustee Ria Neep
My love for volunteering started at a previous employer. They let us have up to ten volunteering days a year. Sometimes I would be going to a church, or sorting out baby things for people in need, or helping at a summer party.
I did a bit more research and realised that there were lots of other ways to help and give back as a volunteer. One of these ways was to be a trustee. I thought that would be really cool! I could learn a lot. And, although I hadn’t become a parent, I yearned for an opportunity to help pregnant women and children in particular.
After doing a search, I found Life. I was impressed it had been around since the 1970s, and I loved its approach – I am a Greek Orthodox Christian. And, even though I’d never been a trustee before, everyone was so friendly, helpful, and valued my input. I asked loads of questions!
And, most importantly, I’m now in a role where I’m helping pregnant women and children in a very real and practical way. I serve them by making sure the charity is running smoothly – from finance to management, from policies to services. It’s so satisfying to see the charity change and grow, all while keeping the same aims and Values.
And I love those aims and Values. Through Life, I’m gaining tremendous satisfaction and happiness helping people struggling with pregnancy or pregnancy loss. These are very personal and complex situations, but they don’t need to face them alone.
Being a parent now, I understand even more the value of the work of Life. Parenting is valuable, crucial – and tough. I have my husband to help, but some people don’t even have that. It is so hard to go through all this by yourself. But I can be here for women facing that situation. I just feel so happy I can do something to help.
Imagine the pressure if people are considering termination. It’s nice they can go to Life and have a pressure-free place where they can decide what they really want. It can be a lot of pressure to have a baby, particularly if there is no help or support. And our current social climate can be unsupportive of the unexpected. But there is always an ‘after’ the abortion, and clients who have experienced that can find that very difficult. And being a trustee for Life helps me to walk alongside women who may be facing crisis in their pregnancy.
How we care for women and children shapes all of our futures.
We bring children into the world and I always feel like, even if I’m not the one bringing it into the world, caring for children is a responsibility we all share. Mothers always need support. And if the mother is in a good place, then she can be good for her baby. If she has support, she can be the best for her baby.
How we care for women and children shapes all of ours. And it all starts from the parent. If the mother isn’t doing well, it’s harder for her to be there for her child. That’s what supporters of Life are helping with.
Join the team
Being a Trustee of Life can be so rewarding. Please get in touch for a no-obligation chat if you’d be interested in becoming a trustee for Life, the charity for women facing the unexpected.
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