Our Independent Strategic Advisory Board

John Brewer - Co-Chair

John began his career as Head of Human Performance for the Football Association, at Lilleshall, and was part of Sir Bobby Robson’s backroom staff for the Italia 90 World Cup. He left Lilleshall after 20 years to work for GlaxoSmithKline, before entering academia as a Professor of Applied Sports Science. He held senior roles at a number of UK Universities, and headed a large educational charity, before retiring and returning to Shropshire with his wife, Caroline, a former GB Olympic Hockey player.

John has held several non-executive roles, including as Non-Executive Director of Telford and Wrekin Primary Care Trust, as a Board Member of UK Anti-Doping, and as Chair of the British Handball Association at the London 2012 Olympics. He is currently Chair of the National Football Museum in Manchester and has made numerous appearances in the national and local media. John is also a Trustee of the Shopshire Way Association and regularly competes in local running events.

Terry Gee - Co-Chair

Terry is an experienced leader in the voluntary and community sector with a track record of building strategic partnerships, influencing change, and championing community voice. He is currently the VCSE Development and Commissioning Lead at Kingston Council and served as Vice Chair of Telford and Wrekin CVS. 

A former Chair of the Telford Chief Officers Group, Terry brings deep knowledge of system collaboration, citizen engagement, and equitable access to services.

Tom Kane

Served in the Royal Air Force for 30 years as a aircraft engineer. Started wearing Hearing Aid in 2000, qualified as a Lipreading teacher in 2005. Harley is my second hearing dog I’ve had him 9 years. The Rottweiler for the hearing impaired community. 

Owner of Deafnable Ltd. and Chairman of Shropshire Cricket Official Association. Tom is also a volunteer for the Independent Living Centre, Hearing dogs and Shropshire Cricket, plus acts as a Tutor for Shropshire Community Resources. As a veteran always on the lookout to help other veterans in all aspects. 

David Brown

David had a full career in the Military, retiring as a Colonel in 1999. He went on to become a Managing Director in Tarmac and eventually being headhunted to become CEO in the Fire & Rescue Service before retiring for a second time. Shortly after David took on the Management of two Engineering/Oil & Gas businesses in the North West and East of England for the German Industrial Services enterprise Germanischer Lloyd (GL). The company then asked him to take over as Country Manager in South America, based in Brazil specialising in Oil & Gas and Maritime Operations and managing the integration of the GL businesses into a new entity, DNV GL.

David returned to the UK in 2015 and has since devoted his time to a number of non-executive roles in Engineering SMEs and the NHS, where was a Board Member of the Shrewsbury & Telford NHS Hospital Trust until Dec 2024.  David is the current Chair of New Road Academy, Telford with a particular interest in SEND and the Quality of Education.   He returned to Healthwatch as an Independent Board Advisor in January 2025. 

David is also working as Managing Director of the Nigerian company Jidkonstar Ltd to develop a Petroleum refinery in the country, using his commercial interests in Strategy, Venture Capital, and the Management of Change.

The Independent Strategic Advisory Board also has as members the Engaging Communities Solutions CIC Managing Director, Elizabeth Byrne and the Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin Chief Executive, Simon Fogell. 

 Elizabeth Byrne

Simon Fogell