Exciting news blossoms for Jessie May, the at home nursing charity for terminally ill children. Tiggy Robinson, Partner at Bath-based management consultancy Nine Feet Tall has been announced as the new chair of board, hoping to continue steering the wonderful work the organisation performs.

Tiggy first discovered Jessie May in 2019 when Nine Feet Tall were seeking local charities to support as their Charity of the Year. Jessie May was shortlisted and after a touching presentation from Corporate Partnerships Officer, Lindsey Horton, Jessie May was chosen.

“Lindsey had a massive impact on the choice we made – there wasn’t a dry eye in the house that day! The message of Jessie May and the purpose of the charity is incredibly hard-hitting, so we immediately said yes, there was no debate about it.”

The charity particularly touched Tiggy, and she got in contact with current chair at the time Linda Parker, desperate to offer more support to Jessie May.

“I discussed becoming a Trustee with Linda, as she felt my experience as a consultant, helping organisations define and deliver their strategy and programmes could be a valuable skill set to bring to the Board.“

This then led to some strategy work that was occurring in Jessie May at the time. Beginning to work closely with Linda and Chris Roys, the CEO, Tiggy led her own board meeting.

Still wanting more involvement with the charity, Tiggy was nominated to be a Trustee. She was accepted as a Trustee in September 2020, this is where Tiggy’s involvement with Jessie May kicked off.

Becoming a member of Jessie May in the middle of the pandemic proved difficult, having to wait until July 2021 to actually meet the team face-to-face. The social restrictions in place caused her to miss many opportunities, such as the annual Tree of Light service, the Family Christmas party, and being able to speak with families involved with the charity.

However, this didn’t stop Tiggy’s determination to become an important part of Jessie May. Going to considerable efforts to get to know the organisation inside out, she managed to keep on top of each department's goings on.

“It’s been lovely to meet everyone, even virtually, and put the faces to names, as you become part of the Jessie May family by doing so.”

Tiggy joined the team with plenty of experience, both on a personal and professional level. As a partner at Nine Feet Tall, she helps businesses implement change programmes, working with board members and executive teams, and with plenty of experience in the non-profit sector - she proved a perfect fit.

Not only this, Tiggy holds a more personal level of understanding too. Mother of three, her oldest child, is diagnosed with Autism and Dyspraxia. Through this, Tiggy understands that families struggle to receive support for their children in one way or another. The sympathy she holds shines in her work, which is hugely important for a charity such as Jessie May.

“Our experience of struggling to access certain services to provide additional support means that I feel I have some sort of understanding of the challenges that presents for our parents. A service like Jessie May is so vital, not simply for the physical support, but also for the emotional and mental support that as a parent or carer you really crave, and when you have that access, it can make a colossal difference to your own life as well as your child’s.”

To those considering becoming a Trustee of Jessie May in the future, Tiggy urges you to consider it. Jessie May for her has opened her eyes to different skill sets and has become a valuable learning curve. Not only this, it has been a fun experience for her, working not only with the Board, but also the entire Jessie May team, who have fresh and replenishing ideas for the charity's years to come.

“It’s a fantastic way for anyone to expand their volunteering experience and for personal development, but what I would say is that you need to make a proper commitment to it because the work is so important. I would say the more you put in, the more you get out.”

To follow all of Jessie May’s stories this Trustees Week visit www.jessiemay.org.uk/news or to find out about how you can get involved with the charity visit www.jessiemay.org.uk