Trustees’ Week: Diane’s Story

This week is Trustees’ Week (9^th – 13^th November). At St Mary’s Hospice, our Board of Trustees work together to ensure we provide compassionate care and support to patients, families and carers across Furness and South Lakes who need us.

Our Trustees bring a wealth of skills, knowledge and experience from a wide range of backgrounds, helping to guide and shape the charity’s future.

As volunteers, they freely give their time and expertise to support St Mary’s, and we are extremely grateful for their contributions.

To mark Trustees’ Week, we caught up with St Mary’s Trustee Diane Hartley to find out more about her role and what inspired her to get involved.

Diane spent two decades building a career in banking and HR. After taking redundancy, she travelled the world before moving to Cumbria from her native Yorkshire in 2009.

“I began volunteering at one of St Mary’s Hospice’s shops and was so inspired by meeting customers and hearing the stories of those who had been cared for by the hospice,” Diane said.

“When a Trustee role came up in March 2025, I’d been in the area for 16 years, so I’d known many people supported by St Mary’s. I’ve always worked in big companies so I thought it would be helpful to bring this experience to a charity, and interesting for me to try something completely new.”

Diane is Chair of the People’s Committee, where she draws on her HR background to help develop and improve processes.

“Hearing someone’s story about how St Mary’s has been there for them is so rewarding,” Diane said. “The team is also so hard-working – the staff, volunteers and everyone who supports us. The events are always so special, with supporters coming together for their local hospice.

“The hardest thing about the role is not getting too involved! You don’t need loads of experience to become a Trustee, as charities need people from a variety of backgrounds.

“Being a Trustee for St Mary’s has been fulfilling. It’s a lifeline to a lot of families, whether through the in-patient unit, our Hospice at Home services or community services. It gives people hope and light during the darkest of times.”