A retired construction manager has joined the board of an Oswestry charity which helps people with life changing injuries or illness to achieve independent lives.
Malcolm Kirk (72) of Treflach, near Oswestry, is the latest recruit to the trustees of the Ethos Group which provides housing and support for people in wheelchairs.
Mr Kirk hopes that his expertise and specialist knowledge from the construction industry will help the charity in its mission to provide short-term accommodation and advice to help its clients return to independent living.
He decided to volunteer as a trustee after hearing that the charity needed people with experience in the housing and building industries.
“I originally trained as an architect but my business background is in project and contract management in the specialist housing sector. For the 15 to 20 years before my retirement in 2015 I was working on design and construction in many different parts of the affordable and social housing sector as well as the private sector so that all seemed very relevant to the work of Ethos,” he said.
Mr Kirk and his wife Christine moved to the Oswestry area five years ago from Oxted in Surrey after his son-in-law Charlie came to work at The Quinta Christian conference centre at Weston Rhyn.
“It’s such a wonderful part of the country. We love the countryside and the friendliness of village life,” he said.
Mr Kirk is also chair of the governors at the nearby Trefonen primary school and is a keen runner and cyclist. He and his wife have a daughter Louise, son Peter and five grandchildren.
“I’m hoping that my experience in the building industry and my knowledge of housing design and construction will help Ethos develop in the future.
“At the same time I’m looking forward to learning about a different sector and acquiring new skills. I have been made very welcome by Ethos and am so impressed at the level of dedication and enthusiasm from everyone involved. I’m really looking forward to learning all about its work,” he said.
Ethos chief executive, Fae Dromgool, said she was delighted to welcome Mr Kirk to the board.
“We have trustees from a variety of backgrounds who bring different perspectives and life experiences together to support the charity’s work. We are sure Malcolm’s specialist knowledge will be a huge asset to the board.
“We would also love to hear from potential trustees with experience in finance or social care and health. If you’d like to volunteer with us and have two to three hours a month to spare, please do get in touch,” she said.
To find out more about becoming a trustee at Ethos please call 01691 404359, email info@ethosgroup.co.uk or visit www.ethoscharity.co.uk.
