Our Charity

Michelle met Harry Townsend (founder of the Melanoma Fund) at a local fundraiser in 2013, where he convinced her that working for a charity would be a good idea. Of course, Harry was right, and after a few months, she jumped on board, bringing with her over 30 years’ experience in PR and marketing. She set to work building a new website, logo, branding, and a future strategy for national campaigning.

In 2014 Michelle created the Outdoor Kids Sun Safety Code, inspired by a sunburn received by her son whilst playing tennis. In 2016 she launched the Watch Your Back! campaign, and in 2019, the Slip! Slap! Swing! sun protection campaign for golf.

Most recently Michelle created Sunguarding Sport and Sunguarding Outdoors to create more awareness of the importance of sun protection in sport and outdoor recreation.

Michelle is responsible for the day to day running of the Melanoma Fund, building, and expanding the charity’s four prevention campaigns, organising and attending all the charity’s events, and keeping the trustees in order!

Her passion and drive have helped the charity thrive, developing multiple partnerships, key supporters, and strong links within the community; the type of impact more fitting a larger organisation.

Mark is a management and advertising consultant, with over 30 years of hands-on experience, having owned companies in both New Zealand and Australia. He is a life coach, a business mentor and works with a number of New Zealand based charities. He has been involved with the Townsend family since 1971, and organised Harry Townsend’s legendary 800 km walk, pushing a wheelbarrow from Wellington (NZ) to Cape Reinga.

This effort helped raise awareness and funds for melanoma prevention and at the same time founded Melanoma NZ. After leaving the NZ charity in 2014, both himself and Harry received an honorary trustee awards in recognition of their massive input.

Mark, who has lived in NZ since 1975, now travels extensively spending six months of each year in Europe where he keeps close tabs on the Melanoma Fund, attends the charity’s monthly meetings virtually or in person, and provides support and advice. Mark utilises his vast relevant experience and skills, to ensure the charity achieves its objectives, maximises opportunities and remains compliant.

Charlie is a self-confessed ‘businessman’ currently at the helm of several high-profile companies. He has worked in journalism, PR and marketing with a particular interest in technology.

He served as a co-director of a London based consultancy which was later sold to a major UK advertising agency. He holds a BSc and a MPhil in psychology, the latter from Sussex University.

Charlie has been linked with the Townsend family since his early days of playing rugby at Felbridge Juniors, and brings his extensive commercial acumen to the charity in his role as a trustee and treasurer as well as advisor on marketing and business matters.

Kev Jefcoate is an RAF veteran as well as an accomplished board director. He brings over 25 years of international sales & marketing experience to the charity, including in-depth knowledge in communication compliance.

An experienced press/keynote speaker and past president of the European Media Manufacturers Association, Kev is familiar working with blue chip companies, such as Mitsubishi Chemical and Hewlett-Packard, as well as a wide and diverse range of SME’s and latterly start-up organisations.

He is passionate about people, with a strong track record in managing, motivating, and developing cross functional teams to produce results. His on-going mission is centred around contribution, and through his relevant industry contacts and personal interests, is keen to develop potential partners and sponsorship opportunities, helping expand the charity’s campaign reach.

Kev is the author of STEAM, a book which explores the processes for marketing that he has been using for the past 20 years, with both blue chip and start-up organisations, leading to many successful campaigns and product launches.

Dr Elizabeth Blakeway-Manning (aka Lizzy) is a consultant dermatologist at the Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, with expertise in all aspects of general and paediatric dermatology, skin cancer diagnosis and management and skin surgery.

She undertook her medical degree at Cambridge University and Imperial College, London, thereafter completing postgraduate Foundation and Core Medical training within London. Subsequent to this, she undertook a Clinical and Research Fellowship in Dermatology based at Whipps Cross Hospital, London after which she completed Dermatology specialist training in her home county of Yorkshire. She is an author on numerous peer-reviewed articles and has presented at both national and international levels.

Lizzy is passionate about raising awareness regarding the importance of sun protection and is involved with the Melanoma Fund’s Slip! Slap! Swing! campaign, where she has acted as a spokesperson, endorsing the campaign’s key messages, aimed at educating golfers and greenkeepers. Having a love of sport herself, Lizzy places sun protection and skin cancer awareness in this arena, close to her heart.

Dr Sophie Shotter is a highly experienced, multi-award-winning aesthetic doctor, with over a decade of medical experience and is regularly featured in the media as an expert voice in all things health and aesthetics.

Having qualified from the University of Leeds with an MBChB in Medicine & Surgery, and a BSc (Hons) in Genetics in Relation to Medicine in 2008, she then spent six years working in the NHS, four of which were in anaesthetics and intensive care, before training as an aesthetic doctor and setting up her premium clinic in Kent.

Dr Sophie is registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) and is also on the British College of Aesthetic Medicine (BCAM) board of trustees to help raise standards in medical aesthetics, and improve patient safety and regulations. In addition to her own clinical work, Dr Sophie is involved in training, lecturing, and setting standards for practising doctors within the aesthetics field.

Safety is a passion point of Dr Sophie’s, and she takes a holistic approach to ageing and wellness. Working with the Melanoma Fund is a great way for her to support the charity in its mission to increase awareness around the cause and effects of sun exposure as well as the psychology of sun protection. Acting as both an advisor and an ambassador, Sophie’s enthusiasm, expertise, and public profile are all vital assets to the charity.