Three new trustees appointed to the Board of award-winning charity Menphys

● Wigston-based charity welcomes new trustees to top table
● Former councillor, SEND advocate, and fundraiser all join
● Charity’s mission is to create equal opportunities for disabled children

Menphys has welcomed three new trustees to the Board of its award-winning charity.

Michael Griffiths, Robert Martin, and Darren Bradbury have taken up their positions at the Wigston-based non-profit.

Menphys supports disabled children, and their families, from across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

Michael has served as a county and district councillor as well as being a trustee for Leicester Children’s Holidays Charity.

He said: “I’ve lived in Oadby and Leicestershire for most of my adult life, it’s where my wife and I have raised our family so the local, and wider communities have always been very important to us.

“I am looking forward to joining the board and working with such an important local charity.”

Robert lives in Ratby with his wife and their three children.

Originally a management accountant, Robert has recently retrained as a Learning Disability Nurse at Rainbows, working specifically with children that have complex needs and disabilities.

“As the parent of a child with a disability, I’ve seen first-hand the work of Menphys and understand the great benefits they provide,” he said.

Robert also holds a number of roles supporting the local SEND community including: Chair of the Leicestershire SEND Hub, and Chair of the East Midlands regional SEND Network.

He is a Member of the Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee at County Hall, the Leicestershire Schools Forum, the NHS Learning Disability and Autism Board, the LCC SEND and Inclusion Board, the ICB Autism Board, and a Governor of the Menphys Nurseries.

Darren lives in Syston with his wife and two children. A well-known charity fund-raiser in Leicester and Leicestershire, he has generated more than £60,000 for the charity since 2020.

“I first became aware of Menphys in December 2020 and volunteered to deliver Christmas presents,” he said.

“Meeting those families moved me to do more. I was inspired and have since been fundraising and taken on an ambassadorial role for the charity.

“I look forward to taking up my role and contributing in another way to this incredible charity.”

Chairman Ian Knight said: “Michael, Robert, and Darren all bring valuable experience to the board.

“We welcome them all and look forward to them helping us further progress towards a future of equal choices and opportunities for disabled children, young people, and their families.”

Menphys has won a number of awards in recognition of its strategic growth over recent years.

Most recently it was named Small Business of the Year 2023 at the East Midlands Chamber’s Leicestershire Business Awards. It also won the Outstanding Contribution Award at the LeicestershireLive Business Awards in the same year.

● Are you interested in volunteering with Menphys? We have a wide range of roles for volunteers. Contact info@menphys.org.uk or call 01455 323 020 to learn more.