We are delighted to announce the appointment of five new Trustees to the Transform Board.

Vicki Beere has been working with people using alcohol and other drugs for over 23 years. For the last nine years she has been the Chief Executive of Project 6 in Yorkshire. She is passionate about harm reduction and improving the rights of people who use drugs.Vicki is currently a PhD researcher at the University of Manchester, where her research focuses on how the changes in commissioning processes have impacted the drug and alcohol sector and, in particular, on women's access to treatment. She is a trustee of Collective Voice and a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Courtney Brown is the award-winning founder of Father2Father, a community interest company offering specialist coaching and mentoring programmes for parents and young people to develop their resilience, health, and wellbeing. He has won several awards in recognition of his growing reputation nationally and internationally. He is also the co-founder of the Future Boss flagship programme which focuses on economic empowerment and equity of opportunity for African and Caribbean heritage entrepreneurs and emerging talent aged 18-35 years. Courtney is a trustee of Mind in Haringey.

Karl Burnett is Group Director of People and Engagement at Bloomsbury Publishing - combining all the disciplines of people, diversity, equity, and inclusion, sustainability and communications. Karl brings over 20 years of experience in leadership from the TV, media, and publishing industries. Prior to joining Bloomsbury, Karl held senior HR roles at Hearst Networks EMEA, BBC, Nickelodeon, Channel 4 Television and Marks and Spencer.

Becky Kelly has ten years of experience in fundraising in the charitable sector. Following the completion of an MA in Sustainable Development Advocacy, she spent eight years supporting a growing charity working in overseas development in Africa. Becky currently leads Trusts and Grants fundraising for a charity transforming the lives of young people in East London. She is driven to incorporate lived experience in professional fundraising and held a trustee position at Build on Belief, a lived experience recovery organisation in the drugs and alcohol field. She firmly believes in wider social justice across society.

Catherine Murphy has spent over 20 years in the NGO sector in the UK and internationally, focused on addressing inequality and injustice experienced by women and marginalised communities. Her career has spanned the HIV, human rights and feminist movements, focussing on HIV, sexual health and reproductive rights, protection of LGBTI communities and gender justice. She has held a range of roles in organisations, including the Terrence Higgins Trust and Amnesty International, and has worked extensively with civil society groups to advocate for policy and legislative change across multiple countries. As a consultant, Catherine has also advised a wide range of INGOs on strategic planning, monitoring and evaluation, gender mainstreaming and equality, diversity and inclusion.

At the same time we are sad to see the departure of Co-CEO Shoba Ram, who has decided to leave as the landscape for funding and charities continues to become increasingly difficult. We thank Shoba for her drive, continuing commitment to Transform, and for her contribution to our work. We all wish her well for the future.

Jane Slater will continue as CEO and will work with the existing board, the five new board members and the strong team to steer Transform to a place of stability and strength.

Finally, we thank all our supporters for helping us achieve our objective of a world where drug policy contributes to safer and healthier societies.

Vicky Unwin

Chair