A MUM-OF-THREE from Stroud has been appointed as a new non-executive director for the NHS trust which provides mental health and learning disability services in Gloucestershire and Herefordshire.

Maria Bond, who has previously filled the same position at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said that mental health services provided by 2gether NHS Foundation Trust were close to her heart.

She said: “In this day and age, I’m interested in preparing my daughters for what life may throw their way and hope they will stay well.

“I’m very interested in mental health and it’s an area I’d like to learn more about. Friends and family have used services, so it’s an area that is close to my heart.

“Raising awareness is key; people need to understand that it’s okay to say ‘I’m struggling’.”

Her professional experience comes in the construction and commercial development sector, where she has worked for many years as a chartered quantity surveyor.

She added: “I want to make sure that we are continuously improving and helping people. My role will be about change and making life better.

“The trust has been very welcoming and I’m looking forward to working on the huge challenges that we face as an organisation.

“I will remain focused on our true values and as long as we continue to make a difference, then I feel that I am in a role worth doing.”

Ruth FitzJohn, chairman of 2gether NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Maria’s vision and values align directly with those of the trust, which will make her an asset to our board.

“We will certainly be making the most of her skills and experience, both in the commercial world and her understanding of the acute healthcare setting, and the pressures we all face as part of the NHS.

“Maria says she wants to make life better for people, and I am very much looking forward to working with her to achieve this.”