Our Trustees

Geoffrey Dearing

Geoffrey is a solicitor and, although now retired from private practice, was for many years involved in cases relating to young people.  He is also involved on the board of a trust which runs two academies in Kent.

Clive Emson, Chairman

Clive is the founding chairman of the Young Lives Foundation. He is a well-known Property Auctioneer practising in Kent for 45 years and has been involved with many children’s charities either as President or Chairman for the past 20 years. He is an honoured member of the National Association of Estate Agents, President of the East Kent Branch of the National Association of Valuers and Auctioneers and a member of the College of Fellows. He is also a Kent Ambassador.

Marilyn Hodges

Marilyn works as an independent consultant for education and children’s services. She previously worked for many years for Kent County Council as Director for Strategy, Policy and Performance for Children, Families and Education. During that time she established the Kent Children’s Trust and 23 local Children’s Services Partnerships, reviewed services for looked-after children, and developed Kent’s pledge to its looked-after children and care leavers. She was  author of Kent’s Secondary Schools Strategy, and implemented Kent’s extended schools and parenting strategies as well as leading the Academy programme.  She currently is a Director and Trustee for two Academy Trusts, including Academies in Maidstone and Swedish-sponsored Academies. Marilyn was recently appointed as Independent Chair of the Medway Safeguarding Children Board.

Russell Race JP DL

A retired stockbroker, Russell is chairman of a public company in the building and construction sector. He is also chairman of the Chatham Maritime Trust, Senior Warden of the Rochester Bridge Trust, and Court Chairman of North Kent Magistrates. He has been one of our volunteer independent visitors for young people in care for several years. In 2005, he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Kent.

Jocelyn Williams

Jo has been involved in charity work from a very young age.  Her father started “Ashford Children’s Day”, a charity to help local families and, as a young girl, Jo helped with collecting the donations and encouraging local firms to either join in or ‘give’ to the charity by advertising. From her early twenties, Jo combined her role as the mother of two boys with starting and running of several companies with a former school friend.  Ultimately, she and her husband were founding directors of the Kent-based company now known as Holiday Extras. Jo retired from the company 10 years ago and has since busied herself with various projects.  She was delighted to be asked to join YLF as a trustee and thoroughly enjoys any opportunity to meet and interact with the young people.

The Board of Trustees has overall responsibility for the effective governance of the charity and for setting the long-term strategy. Managerial responsibility is delegated to the Chief Executive Officer and the Director of Operations.

The Young Lives Foundation is a company limited by guarantee with charitable status and the Trustees are also the directors of the registered company for the purposes of company law.