Anna Addison
Anna has been a Trustee with the charity since 2014 and is currently the Chair of the Trustee Board. She worked for the NHS for just over 40 years; with the last 15 years based in Manchester working in community and hospital Children's services. Much of her work involved multi-agency working to help and support children and families. She has previously been Head of Governors of a special school in Trafford. Her interests include football, walking and going to concerts and the theatre.
Jan O’Connor JP
Jan started her career at NatWest, working in Retail and Corporate Banking. Since then she has worked in the voluntary sector as Manager of Wood Street Mission, Director of supported housing charity The Housing Link and as a Charity Consultant.
Jan has been a Trustee of the Relief In Need charities since 2005.
Jan sits as a Magistrate on the Greater Manchester Bench.
Jan enjoys walking and watching concerts, films and theatre in her spare time. She is a lifelong supporter of her local football club and also a passionate tennis fan.
Howard Bowden
Howard has almost 30 years experience of working within the health and social care services, working with all sectors of the community from extremely vulnerable adults and children within the social care setting and mental health services. Having also spent a considerable time working within the palliative care services working with young oncology services and as advisory lead for Macmillan Health & Social Care Service . Currently working within the Community Special Needs team for central Manchester, working with complex children many with life limiting conditions; in clinical, schools and community settings. Howard is also a public Governor for Pennine NHS Foundation Trust representing HMR . He is also the Chair and Vice-chair of two community heritage groups and the Volunteers Advocate North Region for the Churches Conservation Trust.
Ifeoma Anya
Great advocate for social justice, diversity and equity, Ifeoma’s career started back home in Nigeria, with Civil Society Organisations, following her passion championing the rights of women and girls. This was put on pause when she was scouted by the British Government via the ‘Chevening Scholarship Programme’ which resulted in an award of M.A. (Hons.) in International Relations by the University of Manchester.
Ifeoma has been a Trustee since October 2022, bringing with her resourceful social housing experience, having worked in the sector for decades. Her roles spanned from advocating for poverty alleviation, homelessness prevention, tenancy sustainment, youth and community development to leading roles in housing management. Currently back in the saddle to complete the unfinished business, Ify manages a commissioned partnership project, that empowers women on probation as well as victims/survivors of domestic abuse.
David King
Prior to retirement David, a chartered accountant, worked in the NHS in Northwest England, ultimately as CEO of North Manchester primary care trust. He previously worked for KPMG in London, Canada and Manchester.
Following retirement, David was an ESOL cover teacher for Manchester Adult Education Services for 17 years. He was also chair of trustees for registered charities, N-Gage (3 years), Retrak (9 years) and Brockbank foundation (11 years).
He is active in Ivy Church, Manchester. He is very interested in China, reaching out to Chinese scholars visiting Manchester and teaching English at Summer schools in China.
His spare time interests include travelling, cycling, and spending time with eight grandchildren.
David has been a trustee since March 2024.
Lawrence Bettany
Lawrence Bettany is an experienced fundraising and relationship management professional with over 15 years in the charitable sector.
He holds an MA in Philanthropic Studies and has a strong track record of leading teams, developing strategies, and achieving significant fundraising growth.
His expertise includes cultivating major donor relationships and grant writing. Lawrence is deeply passionate about combating both global and local poverty and is committed to fostering a culture of generosity.
His work has involved serving people who find themselves in need through various initiatives, including addressing homelessness and supporting refugees, community development, and projects aimed at helping orphaned children.
Lawrence is also an active trustee, currently serving with Manchester Relief in Need Charities and Tearfund's Staff Welfare Fund.
Michael Coates
Michael has called Manchester home since 2003 and cares deeply about the city and the people who live in it. Growing up in a family that knew the pressures of making ends meet, he experienced first-hand how financial hardship can shape a childhood and how much difference a little support at the right moment can make.
Michael built a career around strategic development, governance, and organisational change; leading transformation programmes, overseeing quality assurance, and developing community and employer partnerships. These experiences give him a strong grounding in the skills that matter in effective trusteeship: strategic thinking, stakeholder engagement, and sound decision-making.
As a School Governor in Manchester Michael has seen how poverty affects young children and their families; limiting their chances before they've even had a chance to begin. That experience, combined with his own background, drew him to Relief in Need. He loves that the charity works directly with individuals and small organisations at a grassroots level, where the impact is real and immediate.
When he's not in the boardroom or the school hall, Michael is navigating a career transition into the wider charity sector; putting his skills and passion to work where he feels they matter most.
Caroline Holdsworth
Caroline is Divisional Operations Director at Co op Food and has spent more than 18 years leading in the retail industry. She’s led teams across a range of operational and commercial areas and brings plenty of hands on experience from a fast paced, people focused environment.
Her time at Co op has strengthened her belief in the importance of community and supporting those facing difficult circumstances. This is what draws her to the mission of Manchester Relief in Need, and she’s keen to use her experience to help ensure support reaches the people who need it most.
Caroline lives on a farm with her family and is mum to two young children. Outside of work, she enjoys time at the gym, running, being outdoors, and spending time with the family’s two dogs.