Host and Guests

Rachel Dawson

Chartered Legal Executive, Ellisons Solicitors

Rachel is an Associate Chartered Legal Executive with Ellisons.  She has a wealth of experience assisting clients with the administration of estates, including complex trusts, advising clients in relation to inheritance tax planning, Wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney. 

Rachel is also a Dementia Friends Champion; a trained volunteer who encourages others to make a positive difference to people living with dementia in their community by hosting Dementia Friends information sessions to help create Dementia Friendly Communities.

Lisa Parrish

Director of Care, St Helena Hospice

Lisa joined St Helena Hospice in March 2020 as Director of Care. She also acts as the Registered Manager, Controlled Drug Accountable Officer and Caldicott Guardian.  Her previous experience includes various cancer and end of life nursing roles within the NHS as well as experience in community services and commissioning.

Mark Ling

Sector Manager, East of England Co-op Funeral Services

Mark has been working in the funeral sector for 13 years.  Since he joined the East of England Co-op in 2014, as a Funeral Operative, Mark has progressed to working as Chapel and Services Manager for Ipswich. Mark was recently appointed as a Sector Manager covering Norfolk and is looking forward to the next part of his journey with the Society. 

Nikki Insley

Head of Membership, Community and Insight, East of England Co-op

Nikki has worked at the East of England Co-op for almost nine years.  As part of her role as Head of Membership, Community and Insight she oversees the membership programme and community outreach activity for the Society including the operation of the East of England Co-op Community Cares Fund.

The fund was created in response the Coronavirus pandemic. It uses grants to support community groups adapting and creating support services and activities in response to the crisis.  The first grants, totalling £75K, were shared amongst local foodbanks, Age UK and Community Foundations for Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex. In the last eight months the fund has given away more than £254K worth of grants with over £100K of these being to food banks and other organisations dealing with the consequences of food poverty.