Kaleidoscope Trust welcomes new board members and announces next Chair

Following a successful recruitment campaign over the summer, Kaleidoscope Trust is thrilled to announce that we have appointed our next Chair of the Board, alongside welcoming three new members to our Board of Trustees. The new additions come from a variety of backgrounds and bring with them a range of unique expertise and skills that will be extremely valuable as the organisation continues to grow and expands its work defending and advancing equality and human rights for LGBT+ people across the world.

It is with sadness that we anticipate Sir Stephen Wall’s departure as Chair in summer 2021, but we are very pleased to confirm that our Trustee, Simon Millson, has been appointed as his successor.

Simon has been a Trustee of the Kaleidoscope Trust since 2016 and most recently Chair of the Fundraising and Communications Committee. He has been a keen supporter of the organisation since its inception in 2011. Simon has over 25 years experience in international public affairs, having worked across the world including in Cape Town, Hong Kong, Sydney and Rio de Janeiro. He is also Chair of the Board of Trustees of British Youth Music Theatre and a Trustee of Omnibus Theatre.

Delighted with the news of his appointment, Simon commented:

“It is a great honour to take on the role of Chair and to lead a Board of Trustees of great strength and commitment. I look forward to building on the successes and achievements of Sir Stephen and working with Executive Director, Phyll, in the next chapter of the organisation’s vision of creating a free, safe and equal world for LGBT+ people everywhere. I thank the Board for the trust they have invested in me to help play our part in aiming for that goal, however long it takes.”

The new Trustees are:

Beth Dowling-Jones (she/her)

Beth Dowling-Jones MBA is a Sales Partner at the investments company BNY Mellon. Beth served as founding trustee, then Chair of the LGBT+ education charity, Diversity Role Models for eight years. Beth has also served on the boards of the Gay Women’s Network, the Interbank LGBT+ Forum, as European chair of BNY Mellon’s LGBT employee resource group, PRISM and on BNY Mellon’s Global Diversity Council. Beth and her wife are proud mums of two wonderful daughters.

Jasvir Singh OBE (he/him)

Jasvir has been a prolific community activist over the last two decades, working primarily in empowering and lobbying for minorities in the UK. He is a family law barrister and a regular contributor to BBC Radio 4’s Thought for the Day. He is also a trustee and patron of several regional and national charities within the faith sector. He is also the Co-Founder of South Asian Heritage Month, a national awareness month which celebrates and commemorates South Asian arts, culture, history and identity.

Richard Wingfield (he/him)

Richard is Head of Legal at Global Partners Digital, a social purpose company working to enable a digital environment underpinned by human rights. Before joining Global Partners Digital, Richard led on policy development and advocacy at the Equal Rights Trust, an international human rights organisation seeking to combat discrimination and inequality. Richard is also a qualified barrister in England and Wales, and started his career practicing in criminal and human rights law.

Welcoming the new trustees, Sir Stephen Wall, Chair of Kaleidoscope Trust, said:

‘COVID-19 has caused disproportionate pain and hardship for the LGBT+ activists around the world whom we, as a charity, exist to support. Our new trustees, from a diverse range of backgrounds, expertise and experience, will strengthen the Board’s ability to play its part in Kaleidoscope Trust’s vital work.’

In addition to our new Board appointments, we are pleased to welcome new members to our Committees as follows:

Audit and Risk Committee: Frances Wilde.
Fundraising and Communications Committee: Adam Barriball, Beth Dowling-Jones, Rebecca Fox, Mike Oakes, Will McCallum, Ruth Stone.