Annette is an ex-academic – a sociologist – and an activist feminist who, for many years, has held leading positions in women’s organisations seeking gender equality and women’s access to their human rights. She has worked at UK, European and UN levels and brings expertise in relation to and lobbying government. She has written on mental illness and disability and is deeply conscious of the difficulties faced both by those with these issues and also by their families and carers.

Annette was the awarded the OBE for services to diversity in 2004.

Peter was pleased to support the foundation of the Trust by giving his time and experience. As Judith’s brother, Peter was aware of the difficulty his parents had in locating the best advice on diagnosis of her problems, which now are recognised as learning disability coupled with mental illness, and he wanted to cast light on the problems faced by those in a similar situation today. It seemed obvious that more research was needed into the best methods of encouraging early recognition of the symptoms, finding suitable treatment, training staff in delivering the right care and blazing a trail towards a life in the community for people with these difficulties. It is necessary to help find the best mode of life for those who must be sheltered to some extent from the stresses of modern society but are still capable of a useful life. The Judith Trust has helped, and can continue to help fulfill these aims by sponsoring research, advocating inclusion in the community and agitating for their problems to be addressed.

Colin studied sociology and medical anthropology in the United States and Britain. His more recent interests have been in questions of intercultural contact. Colin currently teaches at the University of Essex on a variety of undergraduate courses including ‘Visions of American Society’ and ‘Social and Political Conflicts in Health.’ He also teaches on a number of MA courses including the course Colonialism and Human Rights that examines contemporary human rights conflicts through history, film and art. Colin has been working with the Innu peoples of the Labrador-Quebec peninsula since 1994.His book on the effects of forced assimilation, A Way of Life that Does Not Exist: Canada and the Extinguishment of the Innu published in 2003 was honoured with the Pierre Savard Award by the International Council for Canadian Studies in 2006.

Among Colin’s other interests are health and mental health, and interdisciplinary engagement with the arts and humanities.

Originally from Glasgow, Linda began her career as a primary school teacher. For 10 years, she was Chief Executive of Cosgrove Care, which in 2001 gained a National Charity Award for excellence in change management. On moving to London in 2005, she was engaged in research for Interlink and consultancy for the charity Ezer Leyoldos. She is a director of Learning Disabilities Resources Limited, a charity which has produced a website for the Jewish learning disability community in the UK, www.jweb.org.uk.

Since 2007 she has served on the Operations Committee of Norwood and in May 2010 was appointed as a Trustee. She joined the Judith Trust in 2007, with the particular remit of inclusion for Jewish people with learning disabilities within the Jewish religious and communal world.

Judy has a background in NHS commissioning and provision and now specialises, as an independent consultant, in undertaking clinical reviews and advising on board and clinical governance. She is a retired Director of Nursing with a career spanning across acute, community and primary care including mental health and learning disabilities. Judy is currently working as a Specialist Advisor for the Care Quality Commission for Mental Health and is a trustee on the YMCA FM Board and chair of her local primary school governing body.

Eliana has been involved with The Judith Trust for several years including three years as the Inclusion Campaign Project Officer. Eliana brings to her work personal experience of learning disabilities through growing up with her brother, Saul, who has autism. As well as being an active member of The Judith Trust Joint Board, Eliana is also completing a PhD in philosophy at UCL.