Name?
Donna Mead
Position at Pen y Cymoedd Wind Farm Community Fund CIC?
Director
Tell us a bit about your job history?
I have been a registered nurse for more than 40 years. My jobs have entailed working in clinical practice, educating nurses and other health and social care professions or researching health care. I have worked in Universities and hospitals the length and breadth of Wales and overseas. My passion has been widening access into health care careers. I spent 20 years making this happen by helping men and women from the Neath, Cynon, Afan, Taff and Swansea valleys to realise their aspirations.
A bit about you?
I live in Glynneath, having attending school in Blaengwrach and then Neath County Grammar school for Girls. I am a Grandmother and my greatest pleasure is spending time with my grandchildren. I prefer the oval ball to the round ball and love it that at least one of my grandchildren shares that passion. I prefer Beethoven to Beyonce and Guacamole to mushy peas. However, one of my favourite meals is chips from the fish and chip shop covered with melted cheese so it’s a taste thing not a snobbery thing. I have spent a life time volunteering as I believe that when you volunteer it says something about the kind of community you want to live in. These days I volunteer for St John (Cymru) Wales and by being a governor of a Primary School and further education college.
In four years I will be celebrating my golden wedding anniversary
What made you want to apply to the PyC Board?
A commitment and passion for the community where I was brought up and continue to live. A belief that I had a contribution to make to the board because of my skills and experience. I am a proud valleys girl, the daughter and granddaughter of coal miners. I have been fortunate that, through education, I have achieved a great deal and used those achievements to serve these communities through my work in the NHS and education, I see my role as a Director of the PyC Board as a very welcome extension of that commitment and work
What skills do you think you offer to the PyC Board?
In depth knowledge of the community of benefit. I am used to sitting on boards and understand the importance of good governance. As a PhD qualified researcher I am used to analysing and making sense of large amounts of data and to evaluating the impact of projects. I have extensive grant awarding experience. I am currently a member of the Royal College of Nursing Foundation grants panel and I have been a member of a number of government grant awarding panels.
I am used to evaluating business plans. Perhaps one of the most important skills I possess is to value the potential of individuals and communities and to find ways of assisting in realising this potential.
What most excites you about the PyC Community Fund?
Its longevity and the potential this brings. We can dream big dreams for the community whether this is through the Vision fund or the small grants
What do you think are the threats or risks to the success of this fund?
Because the board is committed to excellent stewardship of the fund, one risk is that being overly cautious will result in excellent projects not being funded and the communities ambition for the fund may not be realised. The opposite is also true. We may fund ideas which may not deliver as expected.
There is also a risk of a dearth of ideas coming forward but no sign of that so far, thank goodness
If you woke up tomorrow as an animal, what animal would you choose to be and why?
I am not an animal lover, however, I despise cruelty to animals. Having said that I would be devastated to find that I had woken up as an animal.
If you were stranded on a desert island, what three items would you want to have with you?
Photographs of my grandchildren, the bible, plentiful supply of toothpaste and a toothbrush. Usually you are allowed the Bible as a given when stranded on a dessert Island so, in addition, I would have my husband because he and I are an “item”
Thank you for sharing a bit about yourself with our communities!