Who's who at the MHF?

Staff

Peter Baker - Chief Executive

Peter Baker was appointed Director of the Forum in July 2001.

Peter's recent background is in journalism and writing: he was health editor of Maxim magazine from 1995-99 and wrote on men's health for a wide range of other publications. He was the launch editor of malehealth.co.uk, the UK's first dedicated and comprehensive men's health website and deputy editor of the Men's Health Journal for two years. His first book, The MANual: The complete man's guide to life, was published in 1996; his latest, Real Health for Men, was published in 2002.

Peter has also worked in local government, including five years as a social policy researcher for the London Research Centre and three years as a press officer for the London Housing Unit. He was Honorary Visiting Research Fellow in Applied Social Studies at Bradford University (1993-95).

Peter has a longstanding interest in men's issues and was a co-editor of the radical men's magazine Achilles Heel, a volunteer helpline counsellor for the Everyman domestic violence project  in south London and organiser of the UK's first pro-feminist anti-pornography conference for men in 1990. He lives in Brighton with his partner and three children. 

Dr Ian Banks - President of the Forum

In a previous life Ian was once a television repair man. He might not be able to cure you but he can do wonders for your vertical hold. He has four children, delivering one himself. “Not quite the same as child birth but at least I got to shout 'push'. He represents all doctors for the British Medical Association as a member of Council for the UK and awarded the BMA accolade, the Association Medal. He worked on the Developing Patient Partnerships (DPP formerly Doctor Patient Partnership) for six years.

He is the official spokesman on men's health issues for the BMA,  president of the European Mens Health Forum and the England & Wales Men's Health Forum, vice president of the International Society for the Study of Mens Health, deputy editor of the Mens Health Journal and for six years the medical editor for The Men's Health Magazine.

The BBC book 'The Trouble with Men' was written by Ian in 1996 to accompany the television series of the same name. It was followed by Men's Health, The Good Patient Guide, The Children's Health Guide, Get Fit with Brittas, Men's Health in General Practice, Ask About Sex and the 50th NHS Anniversary book from the NHSE/HEA The Home Medicine Guide. He is also the author of the NHS Direct Healthcare Guide and Web site.

His other books include the Dad's Survival guide, the Haynes Man Workshop Manual (2nd Edition) the Haynes Baby Workshop Manual (second edition), the Haynes Sex Workshop Manual. Haynes Woman Workshop Manual the Haynes Cancer Manual (the only book in 2004 to win the Plain English Award), Haynes HGV MAN manual on men and weight, 'Brain' deals with men and mental well being. His latest book is 'Toddler Manual'.

Ian was appointed visiting professor of mens health in Europe by Leeds Metropolitan University in 2005 and awarded the Royal Society of Health Gold Medal for  public health in 2007. The City of Vienna and the International Society of Mens Health honoured Ian with their award for public health in September 2007. 

Áine Duggan - Strategic Partnership Project Officer

Áine Duggan joined the Forum in October 2009. She has a background in applied and health psychology and has previously worked in health research and policy settings. Áine is currently conducting a part time PhD in the area of men's health.  

Caroline Dyer - Finance officer

Caroline Dyer was appointed in October 2001. She has worked for various charities and voluntary organisations, including Women's Health. She is a member of the Association of Accounting Technicians, currently also works as Finance Manager for a housing association and is a voluntary treasurer of a Residents’ Association

Patrick Kilim - Office Manager

Patrick joined the Forum in May 2008.

Matthew Maycock - Development Manager

Matthew Maycock joined the Forum in July 2002. Prior to becoming the National Men's Health Week Coordinator, he was the part-time administrative assistant while also completing an MSc at the University of London. He has worked for various charities, including Oxfam and Wateraid and has completed several pieces of research on gender identity (largely focusing on men) within development contexts. He is now Development Manager and is currently on sabbatical until January 2010, working on his PhD.

Colin Penning - External Affairs officer

Colin Penning has worked with MPs and peers to run the All Party Parliamentary Group on Men's Health since before its launch in January 2001. He also developed, and continues to run, the Forum's membership service which counts primary care organisations, professionals and local and national associations among its subscribers. Before joining the Forum he worked for the Doctor Patient Partnership on membership and parliamentary work.

Alana Premchand - Administrative Officerr

Alana joined the Forum in September 2008.

Stephen Sibbald - Director of Operations

Stephen joined the Men's Health Forum in December 2005.  Previously he was responsible for the setting up of the Mentoring & Befriending Foundation in London, a major Home Office funded infrastructural project designed to support and develop volunteer mentoring and befriending schemes.  Prior to this, he was the Operations Manager for the Lloyds TSB Foundation, one of the largest generalist trusts, responsible for the Foundation's regional grantmaking programme across England & Wales.  Stephen lives in East Sussex with his wife Sarah and their children Eleanor, Georgia and Shannon.

David Wilkins - Policy and special projects officer

David Wilkins joined the Forum in September 2002. He previously worked for over ten years in the NHS, initially as a Community Health Development Worker, subsequently as a Health Promotion Co-ordinator and finally, on a joint appointment with Bournemouth University, as Lecturer/Practitioner in Health Promotion. David's earlier work experience included a period working in local authority social services and several years as a community worker in Southampton - not to forget the years spent driving vans and digging holes in the road. David is an experienced trainer and has published a number of articles about men's health and health improvement. He also has a long track record of involvement in community and voluntary sector organisations.

David works from an office in the cottage in rural Dorset he shares with his wife, Sue, and little boy, Charlie. Outside work, David enjoys walking and cycling in the countryside; is interested in the history of architecture and design; and is a committed veteran footballer. 

Other contacts

Jim Pollard - editor of the Forum's websites

Jim Pollard is a freelance writer and journalist with a particular interest in men's health issues. His work appears in a wide range of media including newspapers (both tabloids and broadsheets), magazines and online. Other clients include the Department of Health and the HDA. He is author of All Right Mate, an easy intro to men's health as well as two other books on health. His first novel Rotten In Denmark was published recently and shortlisted for the Amazon award. He edits this site and the Forum's sister website malehealth.co.uk. 

Trustees

Lily Laila Abedipour

Lily became a trustee in 2008.

Paul Bradley

Paul is an operational director with Brandon Trust, a third sector organisation providing support and care for people with learning disabilities across the midlands and south west England. He has managed services across those health services working with people who are often marginalised in society such as mental health, and, drug and alcohol misuse.

During the 1990s Paul project managed many support helplines related to TV and Radio programmes often related to health issues for both men and women. This included working within government departments, charities and in close liaison with the BBC and Channel 4.

With a degree in Archaeology and Prehistory Paul cannot be completely sure how he ended up treading this kind of career path but one thing is certain, his commitment to social action to help improve the lives of people who find themselves disadvantaged or marginalised at some stage in their lives.

As a gay man, Paul has been a keen participant and supporter of sporting clubs and inititiatives for gay men and lesbians; for both their health and fun benefits,  as well as their increasing integration within wider society sport structures.

David Hudson

David retired from business at the end of 2005 having spent all his career in the Marketing and Communications areas.

The first part of his career followed a typical brand management path , working on major advertised brands including Homepride Flour and Nescafe. He then transferred to Japan where he, his wife and three children spent four happy years in a challenging business and social environment.

Returning to the UK, he became the Communications and Corporate Affairs Director for Nestle UK, broadening his role from Marketing and Advertising issues to all facets of  external and internal communications, including reputation management; corporate social responsibility and  Public Relations.<

Since retiring, he has continued to use his communications experience to the benefit of two big charities: the National Grocers Benevolent Fund and the Whitgift Foundation, the latter also involving him as Governor of two schools in Croydon.

He hopes to now also help the MHF with any of their communication challenges 

Frank Keating

Frank became a trustee in 2008.

John Larkin -  Treasurer of the Forum

John Larkin joined the Trustee Board in 2004 and is the Treasurer of the Men's Health Forum. He has substantial experience gained in the legal profession, and as a senior professional executive in the commercial sector, particularly financial services and the construction industry. He has considerable experience of the public and voluntary sector, and currently holds various appointments with several national charities, including trusteeships/ directorships/ treasurerships in care-based organisations, and including involvement with overseas links. With experience as a non- executive director in NHS primary care, he is currently an Associate Hospital Manager/ Chair with the NHS. Additional responsibilities include his serving as an elected member of the Anglican Church's London Diocesan Synod. He is a Barrister of the Middle Temple, London, and a Master of Law of Queens' College, Cambridge.

Gopa Mitra MBE

Gopa Mitra is Director of Health Policy & Public Affairs at PAGB, the trade body representing manufacturers of non-prescription medicines and food supplements in Great Britain. She joined in 1980 to develop the newly formed public relations function for the Association. She became an MHF trustee in January 2004.

Gopa is a member of AESGP's Economic Affairs/PR Committee which is responsible for the organisation of the Association's annual meetings and evaluating the commercial implications of EU directives on the self-care market. She is a member of the World Self-Medication Industry's team at the World Health Assemblies organised annually by the World Health Organisation (WHO). 

More recently Gopa has been appointed to the Government's NHS Modernisation Action Team dealing with patient empowerment and the Inequalities and Public Health Task Force.  She is also a trustee of Developing Patient Partnerships (DPP) and the Long-term Medical Conditions Alliance (LMCA).  

Gillian Nineham

Gillian Nineham became a trustee in January 2004.

Sara Richards

For most of her working life, Sara was a Practice Nurse, first in a rural practice and then in a Walk-in Health Centre, which has a GP practice within it. She is now also employed as a Practice Nurse Facilitator, looking after 17 practices.

Her expertise is in diabetes and asthma now and she is very interested in self-care, nutrition and weight management. She has written many articles for the nursing press, is editor of Nutrition for Nurses, a quarterly publication, and has been on the Editorial Board of Practice Nurse Journal since 2000. She served as Chair of the RCN Practice Nurse Association for 3 years.

For a number of years she was  involved with NICE looking at coronary heart disease, diabetes and heart failure and obesity and is on the NHS Cancer Screening Programme Prostate Cancer Risk Management Scientific Reference Group.

Alan White - Chair of Trustees

Alan is Professor of Men's Health at Leeds Metropolitan University and is active in the development of Men's Health as an academic discipline. (Link to the Leed's Met men's health site)  His research includes the Scoping Study on Men's Health for the Department of Health (available under MHF Publications), and the Report on the State of Men's Health across 17 European Countries (for the European Men's Health Forum). 

Alan was responsible for setting up the Department of Health-funded database of men's health projects and initiatives for the Men's Health Forum and the database on individuals and organisations working in the field of men's health for the European Men's Health Forum.  He is currently working on a number of studies including the evaluation of the Bradford Health of Men initiative.