Trustee Board

Vice President

Lord Michael Grade of Yarmouth CBE

Michael Grade has had a long and distinguished career in broadcasting, encompassing London Weekend Television, the BBC, ITV, as well as over nine years as Chief Executive of Channel Four Television. 

In May 2004 he was appointed Chairman of the BBC, succeeding Gavyn Davies, resigning in November 2006 when his appointment as Executive Chairman of ITV was announced, a post he relinquished in 2009. 

He is non-executive Chairman of Pinewood and Shepperton Film Studios, non-executive Chairman of Infinity Creative Media and a non-executive Director of WRG, a creative communications company based in Manchester. 

Michael is a Trustee of the National Museum of Science and Industry and is Chair of the Media Museum in Bradford.

In January 2011 he became the Conservative Peer, Lord Grade of Yarmouth.

Chair of Trustees

Marilyn Toft

Marilyn is a lifelong Charlton fan, accompanying her father to the Valley from 9 years old and now a season ticket holder, travelling to both home and away matches with her friends.

A teacher by profession, Marilyn has taught in disadvantaged communities in London and Bristol and subsequently led professional development programmes for education staff in schools, LAs, multi academy trusts and the voluntary sector. Much of this work centred around leadership development, equalities, mental health and HIV and Aids education.

Having introduced and directed the government’s National Healthy Schools Programme, Marilyn then led the DfE’s programme on Improving Behaviour and Attendance in schools.

Marilyn has also recently been appointed as a Director on the Middlesex County Cricket Club Board, leading on equality, diversity and inclusion and safeguarding and advising on the development of their charitable arm, Middlesex in the Community.

Marilyn is CACT Chair to the Board of Trustees and Chair of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and Safeguarding sub-committee.

Vice Chair of Trustees

Simon Charlick

Simon is an economics graduate from Bristol University and qualified as a chartered accountant with Price Waterhouse before moving into industry. He has extensive board level, executive and non-executive experience in a wide variety of private sector businesses, the public sector, social enterprises, and charities.  

Latterly he was Business Services Director of the National Housing Federation. Currently, as well as being a CACT Trustee, he is a Trustee of Redthread, a high-profile charity making critical interventions in youth services and a board member of 3SC, a social enterprise mobilizing third sector supply chains to deliver government programs in fields such as employment, education and justice. 

Simon has lived in Mottingham for nearly 40 years; he and his family have been long standing Charlton Athletic season ticket holders. Simon is Vice Chair and Chair of the Finance and Personnel sub-committee.

Calum Coker

Calum is a fundraiser by profession, specialising in youth engagement, community and events fundraising. He currently works in the Public Fundraising Team at Action Against Hunger, an international humanitarian organisation, and was previously in the Supporter Fundraising Team at the National Autistic Society.  

Additionally, Calum holds a number of voluntary positions within the fundraising sector and is passionate about empowering and developing the voice and skills of young people.

Calum is a life-long Charlton Athletic fan and season ticket holder, and when younger spent many a summer on CACT's holiday football courses. Calum is a member of the Marketing, Fundraising & Communications sub-committee and the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Safeguarding sub-committee.

Martin Griffiths CBE

Born in South East London to Jamaican parents, Martin is a consultant Trauma and Vascular Surgeon and the Clinical Lead for Trauma Surgery at Barts Health. 

He developed the country’s first integrated ward-based violence reduction service which has had spectacular success in reducing retaliation and violent reoffending amongst the victims of injury. 

He is a passionate advocate of diversity and equality and has worked within the community for decades. He is an ambassador to the Mary Seacole Trust, sits on the Violent Crime Prevention Board, and is a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London.  

Martin was appointed as the Clinical Director for Violence Reduction in NHS London and following his success in this role became the first National Clinical Director for Violence Reduction for NHS England. He sits on the reference group that guides the VRU in London, promoting the “public health approach” to violence reduction, and advises on the development of strategies to support challenged communities across the country. Martin is a member of CACT’s Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion and Safeguarding sub-committee.

Martin became a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2021. He was recognised for his work across the NHS in empowering communities and health professionals to challenge the attitudes and behaviours that result in violence and supporting people to make better choices.

Tracy Herd

Tracy currently leads on Movember’s programmes aimed at young men in the UK. She manages Ahead of the Game, a programme developed to improve youth mental health through community sport by engaging young athletes, parents and coaches.

Tracy started her career at the House of Commons Library before moving into public health policy and health improvement with a particular focus on men’s health and health inequalities.

She worked with CACT during her time at the Royal Borough of Greenwich as Healthier Communities Programme Manager, delivering an extensive men's health programme and improving the health and wellbeing of the most deprived communities in Greenwich.

As Deputy Chief Executive of the Men’s Health Forum, Tracy was responsible for developing new programmes and service models that work better for men. She led the forum’s work on men and obesity to testing the evidence on developing weight management programmes for men.

Tracy is Director of Follow the Herd Ltd providing health improvement strategy, policy and programme to clients including the European Men’s Health Forum, Movember, Future Men, The Harlequins Foundation and the Royal Society of Public Health.

Tracy has lived in Charlton for 22 years and has enjoyed many Saturday afternoons at the Valley with her two sons. Tracy is Chair of the Marketing, Fundraising & Communications sub-committee.

Ken Palmer

Ken is a dedicated and highly respected safeguarding and Child Protection specialist and accredited trainer with over 25 years’ experience within the police and Local Government sectors. Ken is an independent Safeguarding Trainer & Consultant and delivers a blend of depth and breadth of Safeguarding and Child Protection training based on his experience. Ken is an Ex Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Detective Constable with the specialist, Child Abuse Investigation Team.

During his police service he would handle challenging caseloads, investigate complex cases of child abuse. Ken was also part of the MPS Partnership Team working on projects and preventative work – Project Azure the MPS response to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Project Violet MPS response to the ritualistic abuse of children. Following his career in the police Ken has worked for the Royal Borough of Greenwich as their Safeguarding Coordinator for Schools from 2010 to 2018. Whilst there Ken ensured a confident, valued and reliable service delivering training and consultancy to Royal Greenwich Schools.

Ken was also the Royal Greenwich, Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) for education and also chaired Child Protection case conferences for Greenwich. Ken is CACT’s Safeguarding Trustee and a member of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Safeguarding sub-committee.

Paul Statham

Paul Statham is the CEO and principle shareholder of Condeco Limited, one of the leading global providers of workspace management software. He is an advisor and commentator on workplace transformation and has helped to shape the latest thinking in the use of corporate real estate. He was previously Managing Director of one of the largest electronic security companies in the UK and an Associate Director of Charlton Athletic FC from 1999 to 2009. Paul is a member of the Finance and Personnel sub-committee.

Fiona has had a varied career; initially working in the pharmaceutical industry having trained as a Pharmacist in the NHS for nearly 25 years, in Primary Care and then retraining as a Public Health Consultant; and since 2007, she has worked in Public Health within local government.

Fiona’s work in Public Health has focussed on reducing inequalities in health and improving outcomes for those who experience disadvantage. Her work has concentrated on social and environmental factors that can lead to poor health including housing, education and employment.

In 2017, Fiona was appointed as an Assistant Director of Public Health at Royal Greenwich. This led to her working with the CACT team who were commissioned to deliver several services including Live Well Greenwich. 

During the Pandemic, Fiona worked closely with the CACT Team, developing the Community Hub to support people in need during Lockdown. This close working relationship and the partnership they developed inspired her to want part of the CACT Board after her retirement from the Council in July 2021.

Fiona is a member of the Finance and Personal Sub committee and is Environmental Sustainability lead trustee.

Stuart is Charlton’s former lawyer and Company Secretary (1996-2010) and was previously a Trustee between 2010 and 2013. A Corporate Lawyer by training, Stuart is now the Compliance Director of the Club’s waste management company, Countrystyle Recycling Limited.

Stuart is also a Trustee of the Kent Cricket Community Trust and understands the close connection between the ‘Addicks’ and Kent Cricket, as well as the power of sport to make a real difference in people’s lives. Stuart brings a wealth of legal and executive experience to the Trust and a passion to help the Trust and Charlton deliver on their sustainability and climate change agendas by reducing their impact on the environment.

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James Rodwell is a former professional footballer who has served as CEO at several clubs including Notts County, Scunthorpe United, Sunderland and Hull City. He has also served on the main boards of both the EFL and the Football Association.

Rodwell was named Managing Director of Charlton Athletic Football Club and Chairman of the Charlton Board following the takeover of the club by Global Football Partners in July 2023.

His appointment to CACT’s Board of Trustees further strengthens the bond between the football club and the Community Trust as they continue their commitment to work together closely.