A panel of experts remove the mystery – best practice decision making for Corporate Charity Sponsors, Leaving a Legacy and Gift in Wills

When Jane’s daughter Ella was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in 2019, Jane became her main carer, supporting her through two years of gruelling treatment. Sadly, Ella died in 2021, aged 24.

Through this experience, Jane understands the huge physical, practical, emotional and psychological challenges faced by young adults with cancer, and by their families and partners. Continuing Ella’s determination to create a wellbeing blueprint for young adults with cancer and their families, Jane co-founded the Ella Dawson Foundation with her husband and younger daughter. The charity provides specialist psychological, emotional, physical, nutritional and wellbeing support.

Since launching in 2022, the charity has grown rapidly. It has supported more than 3,500 young adults and family members and is now a trusted referral pathway for over 130 hospitals across the UK. The charity also fully funds the UK’s first complementary therapist dedicated solely to the unique needs of young people with cancer, based at The Christie in Manchester. The Christie team describes it as “one of the most impactful services we have for our young people.” The young people and families the charity supports often describe support as ‘ life-changing’

Jane is an experienced business leader. Over the past 30 years, she has held board-level, Managing Director and non-executive roles with a number of manufacturing companies. She is a keen runner and a passionate yogi, and loves walking and spending time outdoors in nature.

As Senior Director, James leads Origination at NorthEdge Capital and previously spent seven years as a Director at Clearwater International, where he focused on generating mid-market opportunities and managing the Deal Origination team. With experience across various sectors, James specialises in identifying investment opportunities, including growth capital, management buy-outs, equity release, and buy-and-build strategies.

James brings a wealth of experience to the charity and is excited to help develop the growth, reach and impact of the charity into the future.

Worked in Financial Services for over 25 years. In 1994 established Carrwood Group, which became the largest provider of Independent Financial advice to Accountants. In 2005, the business was sold to Lighthouse Group PLC, the UK’s largest Wealth Management Group, became a Main Board Director of the PLC. In early 2008, left to launch Pareto. Provides direct advice to a number of high-profile clients and also acts as lead adviser to support other Pareto advisers.

Pareto is a Financial Times awarded UK Top 50 UK firm with over £1b of funds under advice and over 70 staff. Also director and co-founder of Luna Investment Management, which offers discretionary fund management services. The Luna team holds over 150 years of experience of investment management. Chairman of Trustees for local charities – Beechwood Cancer Care and Stockport County Community Trust and supporter for The Christie. Awarded MBE in the Queen’s 2021 New Years Honours List for fundraising for cancer charities.