Grants and Impact Advisory Committee
To ensure that our grant-making activities are fair, transparent, and guided by expert advice and knowledge, we have an advisory committee to advise on our grants and impact work.
The Committee is chaired by a Vision Foundation trustee and other members have relevant experience within London’s sight loss communities. The Committee provides independent advice to the Board of Trustees, particularly with reference to funding recommendations, however, all final funding decisions remain with the Board of Trustees.
Darren Barker
Darren had most recently held the role of CEO of Hostelling International, working closely with the operations and governance teams of 65 Not-for-Profits all around the globe for just under 6 years. Darren started his career in the more commercial aspects of Finance before taking on responsibility for Technology, Sales and later moving across into General Management.
Natalie Doig
Natalie is an accessibility consultant with more than 20 years’ experience working in the disability and equality rights field. She is currently Scope‘s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Advisor as well as a member of TfL’s Independent Disability Advisory Group. Natalie is partially sighted and has worked and volunteered for many sight loss organisations throughout her career.
Dr Amit Patel
Amit is a disability rights campaigner, best-selling author, motivational speaker and independent consultant. Amit studied medicine at Cambridge University and qualified as a doctor, specialising in emergency medicine and major incidents but during medical school was diagnosed with keratoconus. Eventually losing his sight in 2013, Amit is now registered severely sight impaired (blind).
Keith Valentine
Keith has a background in leading urban renewal programmes but, as his own vision deteriorated, he turned his energies to the sight loss sector. He is currently Director of Development at RNIB, having previously been CEO of Vision UK and Deputy CEO of the Thomas Pocklington Trust.