Royal Star & Garter appoints four new Governors to their Board

Royal Star & Garter provides award-winning care for veterans and their partners who live with disability or dementia, in state-of-the-art Homes. They provide specialist nursing, dementia, and therapeutic care, together with a varied and engaging programme of activities, which enable residents to remain independent and enjoy life.

Society were instructed by Royal Star & Garter to search for three or four Governors to join their Board across four focus areas – legal, facilities management, finance and generalist. Society searched for experienced professionals in each function who either had served in the armed forces or had a demonstrable affinity with the care home sector or veteran support.

Following the search process, Royal Star & Garter secured four successful appointments across their areas of need.

Sarah Warden has been working in facilities management for the University of Oxford for 9 years now and previously managed an estate of 850 properties for the Salvation Army. Sarah brings 19 years’ experience across facilities management, and a true passion for supporting veterans.

Sapandeep Singh Maini-Thompson is a Barrister at No.5 Chambers London specialising in employment, public law and professional discipline. An ex-Royal Marines cadet whose great-grandfather served in the British Indian Army, Sapandeep also brings legal expertise within healthcare regulation and a comprehensive knowledge of the social care sector and CQC. Sapandeep commented: 

"I'm delighted to be joining the Board of Governors at Royal Star & Garter. Their mission is an honourable one and I'm most grateful for the opportunity to serve their cause. I am further thankful to Society for informing me of this opportunity and I really appreciate their support and guidance throughout the application process. I would thoroughly recommend them and I commend their professionalism."

Stephen Crookbain served in the British Army and worked for six years as a senior executive in government. Since leaving the services he has worked his way up through the ranks in executive search, focused on education and then government and public services and as such brings both a strong commercial background and comprehensive knowledge of the armed forces to this position. Stephen remarked:

“I am both excited and honoured to be joining the board of Royal Star & Garter. It’s a charity with such an important mission and purpose, and I have been an admirer of theirs for many years. Huge thanks to Clare Davies at Society for highlighting the opportunity to me, and for her excellent support and advice throughout.”

Chris Sexton is an expert in infrastructure programmes and contract management. As the former CEO of Royal School of Military Engineering, MD of Army Recruitment at MoD, CEO of the British Army's Engineering Branch and Deputy CEO of Crossrail, Chris brings an innate understanding of the challenges faced by veterans. Chris commented:

"I'm very excited to be joining Royal Star and Garter as a Governor and contributing to the wonderful work they do to care for veterans and their partners.  I first became aware of Royal Star and Garter on Richmond Hill when I was a child and coming from a military family myself, I feel particularly privileged to be joining a charity supporting former members of the Armed Forces and their partners.  Many thanks to Society for making the whole process so easy and welcoming."