About us

Campassion Care Trust is a charity registered in the UK (no. 1162926). Our members include:
 
Cecilia Brassett
Cecilia is Chair of the Trustees of the Campassion Care Trust, and is so thankful for the way in which God has brought together Christians from different churches to be involved in this ministry since the group was formed in 2014. Her background is in general surgery but now works as the university clinical anatomist in Cambridge. Her experience in caring for the elderly comes from personal involvement in looking after terminally ill relatives and friends, and in going into care homes as part of church teams for services and visits. She is especially concerned about meeting the emotional and spiritual needs of elderly folk in homes, for them to know they are valued and loved by God through the actions of His people. She worships at St Andrew the Great church.
David Farrer
David is a Trustee and the Treasurer of Campassion Care Trust and has drawn on his breadth of experience to establish CCT as a charity. He is a member of St Paul's Church Cambridge. He initially became interested in care for older people when the idea of a Christian Care Home in Cambridge was discussed and investigated in the 1990s.
Rachel Simonson
Rachel is a trustee and writes the bi-monthly prayerletter. As a Girl Guide Rachel used to go into the local care home in Norfolk to help serve tea and read to residents. She wasn't a Christian at the time but still remembers reading the Bible to some of them. She responded to the initial advertisement (in Across the City) because she had two relatives in care homes far away and wanted to do something to help and to try and understand the situation better.  She has enjoyed getting to know some great people and being part of this vision. She worships at St Matthew's Church.
Laurence Wood
Laurence trained as a Registered General Nurse over 40 years ago. Having moved to Cambridge he specialised in the Care of the Neuroscience Patient. He then completed an Honours Degree in Health Studies and a Diploma in Education and obtained a position as a Senior Lecturer based at Anglia Ruskin University. He decided to return to Clinical Nursing and for 5 years worked in a Residential and Nursing Care Home.This enabled him to gain valuable experience and insight into the care of the Elderly Patient for which he has a continuing passion. He is now a Trustee.
Joan Russell
Joan grew up in London where she worked as a food microbiologist. She moved to Canterbury first, then to Cambridge in 1993. She is a member of Rock Baptist Church where she leads the over 60s’ Club. She became involved with Pigrims’ Friend Society (PFS) in the 1980s when a fellow member of her church in London moved into the Camberwell home. She has visited several PFS homes and attended numerous meetings and conferences. When she heard of a group interested in setting up a Christian care home in Cambridge, she decided to get involved.
Hilary Bugden
Hilary trained as a nurse over 30 years ago and has worked mostly in acute cardiac care, both in Canada and the UK. She has contributed to the care of the elderly in her professional role, and has supported worship services in care homes, but more recently has been exposed to the needs of the elderly both personally and within her church family (Cambridge Presbyterian Church). As such she was keen to be involved in exploring the possibility of a Christian care home locally.
Helen Fellows
Helen, her husband and daughter moved to Cambridge in February 2016.  She is very much interested in helping elderly people who feel lonely and alienated.  She is involved in visitation of the elderly and some of the activities that her church (Christ Church, Cambridge) supports for older people. She has been familiar with the work of Pilgrims’ Friend Society for many years; she is a regular visitor in one of their homes, and is networking with them on behalf of the Trust. She would love to see more Christian housing/care facilities in Cambridge. She joined the group in August 2016.
Carmel McDonnell
Carmel is the Care Home Liaison Officer of Campassion Care Trust. She is a member of St Barnabas Church, Cambridge and joined the Trust after attending a CCT conference at Queen Edith Chapel in 2016. She enjoys interacting with older people in their homes, in hospital and in care homes. She is passionate that older people should feel valued and that we, as a society reach out to support them and care for their well-being. She is particularly concerned to reduce the sense of isolation and despair that some might feel in a care home setting. As a Christian, she believes that God calls us to care for the vulnerable because he cares for them; “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows is God in His holy dwelling” (Psalm 68:5). Her vision is to encourage churches to be involved in care home ministry, firmly believing we can make a difference to older people's lives with the smallest acts of kindness.
Anne Jarvis
Anne is a teacher of English as a foreign language, but at one time worked as a missionary in Peru. She has spent many years supporting and caring for elderly relatives and friends, having power of attorney for a number of them during their lifetime, and as executor after their passing. She has a special concern for the elderly who are retired missionaries to ensure they are informed and supported in their old age. She is a member of Queen Edith Chapel, and has links with St Martin's Church.