Our team and trustees

Our team

First Touch employs 2 part time charity coordinators, who oversee the running of the charity.

Laura De Rooy is the Charity Director, she worked for many years on the NNU as a much-loved consultant and, after retiring, joined the First Touch team in May 2024. We are reliant on Laura’s clinical expertise, as well as her excellent knowledge of hospital processes. Laura is enjoying discovering new-found skills as well!

Fran Ansley is the Charity co-ordinator, her daughter was born on the unit in 2016 and she began working for the charity in 2025. Fran loves communicating with our brilliant supporters and oversees the financial comings and goings of the charity. 

Laura and Fran are the first point of contact for all enquiries to the charity. They lead all fundraising campaigns and organise events, and help our supporters, both individual and corporate, to raise money. They also manage social networking strategies and the First Touch website, with the help of Dusted Design Partners Ltd. They oversee the financial management of the charity. They liaise with the neonatal unit's equipment committee and medical physics department to order equipment and with the Family Centred Care Co-ordinator on welfare projects. Laura and Fran work closely with the trustees to ensure all monies raised are spent in the most appropriate way. 

Our trustees

First Touch currently has 14 trustees. Dr Sijo Francis is a Consultant and Laura DeRooy is a recently-retired Consultant. Sijo’s work on the Neonatal Unit ensures the charity is always up to date with clinical developments and needs. Paula Abramson is a psychotherapist and training facilitator, specialising in baby and child bereavement support for families and training for professionals, and was previously our unit’s counsellor. Senior nurses Rob Nestor and Natalie Daly are the current staff representatives.

Most of our other trustees are parents of Neonatal Unit graduates, and bring technical and industrial excellence to the board; Achim Vogt works at a high level in City banking. Nicola Eastwood brings financial expertise. Kim Caddy has worked as an accountant for large corporate clients. Nicola O'Connor has a background in media relations and web strategy at a senior level.  Helen Edwards is a partner in a law firm. Benedict Shaw is a Civil Servant. Clare O'Grady is Head of Strategy for a global retailer.  Louise Hunter has a background in law and is also a member of our Peer Supporter Team. All our parent trustees have also spent time volunteering in charity and community projects. We are delighted that one of our newest trustees, Adam Norgett, an IT professional,  is himself a graduate of St George's nnu.