Let’s introduce you to Geoff Mayell Chair of Trustees

My name is Geoff Mayell, some eighteen months ago, I had the privilege of being asked to become a Trustee of the Brightwell and earlier this year, I became the Chair of Trustees.

I’m a proud Bristolian, born and educated in our great city. In 1974 I started work for an Energy Company – I retired in 2014 having worked all that time for the same company. That might sound single tracked to some but in that time, I held a wide range of roles, worked with some wonderful colleagues in a number of different countries and gained a wealth of experience. I worked in direct operations, managing some very large teams of people from very diverse backgrounds, I worked in procurement and contract management and in my last role as project manager, I delivered a number of multi-million-pound projects.

I found retirement a challenge and grasped the opportunity to do some consultancy work, also in the energy sector, this time delivering a technology project. This work enabled me to look at other options – a chance to ‘give something back’ I started volunteering within a community and vocational setting, without doubt, this is the most rewarding thing I have ever participated in. Joining the board of Trustees and now chairing the board of Trustees at the Brightwell is an honour and further enriches that opportunity to volunteer.

I hope my extensive experience, business acumen and commercial grounding adds value to the Centre. But why is the Brightwell so important to me? What inspired me to join my fellow Trustees?

A number of years ago, I lost my best friend. He had type one diabetes, which ultimately resulted in him losing both of his legs due to acute ulcers and then he contracted cancer, and we lost him. My best friend was my dad, there were no options then for relief from the ulcers or the awful pain that resulted from them, if he had had the opportunity of a course of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, as we offer in our Chamber, it might have gone some way towards increasing the ability of his body to repair those ulcers, alleviate the pain and we might just have had the opportunity of having him with us for a little longer.

That is what inspired me to become a Trustee, a compelling wish to support this wonderful charity and the work that is done at The Brightwell.

If you see me next time that I am at the Centre- please come and say hello, it‘s always great to meet and get to know those in our Brightwell community.

Geoff Mayell