Meet the team

Child Health International is run entirely by volunteers and medical professionals who give their time and expertise to ensure children and young adults living cystic fibrosis receive the best possible care, no matter where they live. Find out more about our team below.

Prof Gary James Connett
MB, ChB FRCPCH, MD 
Patron

Gary Connett is a Professor of Paediatric Respiratory Medicine at University of Southampton. He is regional director for paediatric CF services across Wessex and provides comprehensive secondary and tertiary specialist services for respiratory problems in children and young people. Gary also served as paediatric representative for the UK CF Medical Association and as a member of the Research Scientific Oversight Board for the CF Trust.  

David Wilford
Chairman

David Wilford Chairman of Child Health International

David is a retired consultant with >45 years’ experience in banking focusing on implementation and compliance with PRA, FCA and European regulatory requirements, governance frameworks and credit and legal risk management systems and procedures. He is married with two children (one with CF) and enjoys scuba diving.

Dr Julian Legg
Trustee and Medical Consultant

Julian qualified from Cambridge University in 1990, and has subsequently worked and trained across Birmingham Children’s hospital, St George’s University Hospital, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Southampton University. and the Children’s Hospital in Perth, West Australia. He now works as a consultant at Southampton.

Michael Ridgway
Trustee

Michael Ridgeway Trustee of Child Health International

Son of the founders of the charity, Roy and Dorothea Ridgway, Michael has been a trustee for many years. He is a one-time actor and self-employed carpenter. He has 4 grown-up children and lives in London. In 2005 he completed a sponsored cycle for CHI from Lands End to John O’Groats and in 2019 cycled from Southampton to Paris!

Dr Mary Carroll
Trustee and Medical Advisor

Mary is a consultant in respiratory medicine at Southampton University Hospital, where she heads the Adult CF service. She is involved in testing new treatments for people with CF. Her work has contributed to the development of nasal ventilation techniques and an increased understanding of the role of nebulised heparin in thinning sputum for easier expulsion.

Kerry Rait
Trustee and Communications Lead

Kerry has a background in climate change research and chemical pollution mitigation, and now works as a scientific advisor for the Scottish Government. She joined Child Health International in 2020, motivated by the loss of her son, Finn, who died from complications resulting from cystic fibrosis. Kerry is also Director of Communications for Child Health International.

Judi Maddison
Trustee

Judi Maddison Trustee for Child Health International

Judi is a Paediatric Cystic Fibrosis Nurse Specialist, working at Southampton’s Children’s Hospital. She trained at Great Ormond Street Hospital and Charing Cross Hospital, moving to Southampton shortly after. Judi became interested in working with children with CF whilst working on a medical unit and it has remained a passion ever since. 

Tracey Daniels
Trustee

Tracey Daniels

Tracey is a physiotherapist and research fellow at the York and Hull adult CF centre.  Tracey has worked with adults and children with CF for around the last 20 years in a number of UK CF centres.  Within CHI, Tracey provides a link to the allied health professions such as physiotherapists in order to best support our partnership working model.

Paddy O’Grady
Trustee and Company Secretary

Paddy is originally from Johannesburg, South Africa and worked for a German multinational chemical company in various roles over more than 30 years in different company sites in South Africa and also in the UK for a period in the ’90s. He was Company Secretary and Financial Manager for the group’s various companies in South Africa until he retired and settled in the UK to be closer to his family.

Tony Wolstenholme
Project Manager

Tony is a retired naval officer and diplomat, and is a fluent Russian speaker. Tony is a previous trustee and ex-chairman of Child Health International and has rejoined the charity to lead CHI’s work in Russia. 

Juulia Zumer
Project Manager

Juulia has a degree in Economics and Management Sciences, is experienced in a vast variety of project management skills, is a PRINCE2 Practitioner and holds PSMI certifications. Juulia is fluent in English and Russian and speaks some Estonian. Her passions include skydiving, cycling and hiking.

James Eustace
Project Manager

James is a commercial and contracts manager for the School of Healthcare Enterprise and Innovation, at the University of Southampton, and previously worked for the National Institute for Health Care Research. When not working, James enjoys getting out and about with the family, sailing and kayaking around the south coast. 

Adrian Gamble
Project Manager

Adrian is a former Trustee of CHI, now working with us as a project manager. Following an early career as an investment banker, Adrian spent 20 years as a Senior Civil Servant in the Foreign Office, with postings to Brussels, Rome and Vienna, and 3 years supporting the Prime Minister’s Office in No.10, before moving on to new roles within Deloitte’s.

Hadyn Daniel
Bookkeeper

Haydn is a retired Post Office Counters Branch Manager. While Haydn deems it a great privilege to serve as bookkeeper for all these years, in which he has seen many changes in the charity’s vision to help children with Cystic Fibrosis, it is the charity that is fortunate in having such a steadfast member of the team

Child Health International is also proud to work with volunteer medical professionals from:

The Royal Brompton Hospital Adult Cystic Fibrosis Centre
The University Hospital Southampton
Birmingham Children’s Hospital