Our People

Emma Saysell  

Emma Saysell joined St David’s in 1994 as a Clinical Nurse Specialist, having previously working at Velindre Hospital in Cardiff. Emma has progressed through the organisation and was appointed to the joint position of CEO/Director of Nursing in 2004. She is the accountable officer for the Charity and reports to the Board of Trustees.  She was awarded an MBE in 2014 for services to palliative care in Wales. 

Adrian Hadley  

Adrian Hadley joined St David’s having worked previously for another local hospice. Prior to that Adrian had a long career in rugby union where he was capped 27 times, he then played rugby league. He is responsible for Retail, Finance and the HR Department.

Kris Broome  

Kris Broome started his career in Ty Hafan then went on to join St David’s bringing with him an extensive portfolio of creative fundraising skills and ideas. He leads a team of staff and volunteers and is responsible for the Fundraising and the Lottery Departments.

Stephanie Thomas  

Stephanie started her career in Neville Hall Hospital as a Ward Sister for 10 years.  She joined St David’s Hospice Care in 2004 as a Clinical Nurse Specialist and is now a Senior Nurse for Clinical Care.

Andrea Bond  

After qualifying in 1989, I worked on an acute medical ward for 3 years, followed then by 9 years in a palliative care unit. I came to St David’s Hospice Care in 2002 working in the Caerphilly borough as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Palliative Care and also that of Team Manager.  More recently in June 2023, I became a Senior Nurse for Clinical Care.

Rachael Buttweiler  

After qualifying in 1998, Rachael spent 16 years working in the Royal Gwent Hospital within surgical speciality.  During her career, she has always had an interest in Palliative Care.

In 2014 Rachael joined St David’s Hospice Care, being appointed as the Ward Sister.  Rachael has now progressed to become a Senior Manager.

Jim Thompson  

Strategic Development Manager, Gwent Health Authority & Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust General Manager of Newport Local Health Group Medical Services Manager, Glan Hafren NHS Trust Director of Nursing Sole trader – Osborne Associates, providing services to health & social care settings Director – Top Drawer Ltd Director – Lancast Sport UK Ltd Governor – Griffithstown Infants Member – Governing body of Church in Wales.

Margaret Van de Weyer  

Margaret qualified as a solicitor in June 1976 and first practiced in London and Harlow.  She turned to private practice in September 1990 and worked within the area with local firms, and later worked in India. On her retirement in 2006 she joined the board of St David's becoming Honorary Treasurer. She is married with 3 children and 2 granddaughters, her hobbies include golf, bridge, tennis and cycling. She thoroughly enjoys her role on the board of Trustee’s and has great satisfaction knowing she has contributed towards the great work of St David’s Hospice Care. Margaret is also currently the secretary of the SE Wales branch of the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

Dame Rosemary Butler DBE  

Assembly Member for Newport West between May 1999 and April 2016. She lived in Caerleon, for many years, and attended St Julian's High School. Her interests range from museums, art galleries, concerts and opera, to foreign travel and family history. Rosemary was elected councillor for Caerleon in Newport Borough Council, a position she held from 1973 until 1999. While on the council, she chaired the Leisure Services Committee for 12 years, and served as Deputy Leader and Mayor of Newport (1989-1990). In May 2011, was elected to the position of Presiding Officer of the National Assembly for Wales, which she held until her retirement in 2016.

Judith Child  

Judith has lived in Wales for most of her life other than two years in Africa. She worked for the British High Commission and is involved with numerous charities: British Red Cross centre organiser, trustee of Edward James Harris Trust, CHC member. Judith was a non-executive director for Gwent Hospital Trust and has been a Justice of the Peace since 1985. She is a member of the appointments panel for Magistrates Association Committee locally and in London.

Dr Chris Gaffney  

Chris graduated in Medicine from Bristol in 1976 and, following training posts at the Royal Marsden Hospital, Bristol and Newcastle-upon-Tyne spent a year in Vancouver, Canada doing research. He was appointed Consultant Clinical Oncologist at Velindre Hospital in 1989 and spent more than 20 years looking after patients with cancer in Gwent as well as in Cardiff. During that time he worked very closely with specialist nurses from St David's Hospice Care. He represented the Royal College of Radiologists in Wales and as such was responsible for the training of new Oncologists. He also contributed to NICE guidelines for both breast and head and neck cancers which were his main specialties. Since retiring in 2010 he has devoted much time to gardening, painting and drawing.

Michael Hine  

Michael managed the Kingsway Centre in Newport city centre from 1985 until his retirement in 2015. He lives in West Wales. He moved into property management from a retailing background with BHS, the Selfridges group and area retail management – aspects which have proved invaluable in understanding and liaising with tenants especially in austere times such as now. Other interests include membership of the Rotary Club of St Woolos Newport, for which he was Secretary; and a Trustee of St David’s Hospice Care, with an advisory role for their shops division – the major source of essential income vital for the palliative care service that is provided free of charge to patients in South East Wales and Powys.

Dr John Holland  

John is a retired GP. He was a GP Partner in Pill in Newport from 1998 till 2003. He then took up the role of Clinical Lead for a GP project in the Caerphilly area, and became Clinical Director for the Caerphilly Local Health Board. Until his full retirement in 2020,  John remained active as a GP, and Senior Partner at Gelligaer Surgery. He became a Trustee of St David’s in 2000, and is Chair of St David’s Clinical Governance Sub-Committee. Whilst training, John spent several months as a Clinical Assistant in an in-patient hospice in Swansea. As a Clinical Director for Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, he was active in developing primary care, with a focus on diabetes. In retirement John enjoys sailing, walking, and spending time with his two grandchildren.

Reverend Elaine Hills  

Elaine has lived in Caerleon, Newport, since 1969. She has career background in Nursing, she was a Practice Nurse 1973-2008 in the local GP surgery during which was part of the palliative care team. Elaine was ordained as a Deacon in the Church in Wales in 2004 and as a Priest in 2008 and have served as an Associate Priest at St Cadoc’s Parish Church, Caerleon, since then. Widowed in 2009 and has 3 children and 6 grand-daughters.

Jeremy Felvus  

Jeremy is a part time Lecturer and Visiting Fellow at the University of South Wales.  In 2017 he retired as the UK Head of Health Policy for Pfizer Ltd, a global pharmaceutical company.  His previous roles encompassed corporate affairs, public relations and communications.  Before that, he spent over 20 years as a senior manager in the public sector, mostly in NHS Wales, with roles including strategic planning and hospital management.  Married with two children, Jeremy enjoys time with his young granddaughter and is looking forward to this increasing as the family expands.  His long list of hobbies include singing in a male choir, golf, gardening and trying to gain a pilot’s license. 

Dr Robert Bracchi  

Dr Bracchi is a retired Medical Advisor to the All Wales Therapeutics and Toxicology Centre at Llandough Hospital Cardiff. He has 30 years’ experience as a General Practitioner and his main interest is therapeutics, especially pharmacovigilance. Rob has over 10 years of regulatory experience as a member of Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) committees. 

Robin Hall  

Robin is Managing Director of Kymin Financial Services and has worked with them since 2005.  Kymin has supported St David’s Hospice Care with many events over the years both through sponsorship and taking part and Robin has also volunteered his time to St David’s for a number of years.
 
Born in Cwmbran, Robin has lived in Newport since 1980 and would call himself a proud Newportonian with his businesses based in the city along with his involvement in Newport Bid etc.  and now with becoming a Trustee at St David’s he hopes to continue making a difference.

Robert Tovey  

Robert worked in NHS Finance for 43 years and has worked in both English and Welsh Health Services.   Robert has worked closely with Welsh Government and End of Life Care Service providers for the last two years.  Robert has expertise in Finance, Governance and Risk.

Donald Waters  

Recently retired Chartered Surveyor after 43 years in the property sector.  My experience included periods in the public sector and private practice.  For the last 20 years of my career I held senior positions leading the property teams at Newport City Council and finally at an outsourced joint venture company, Newport Norse. 

I am married to Valerie, a retired Civil Servant, and we have two sons: Gareth, a Consultant Paediatric Anaesthetist and Huw, a recently qualified Chartered Surveyor having previously played cricket professionally for Glamorgan Cricket Club.  We currently have one granddaughter with a second on the way.

I enjoy watching sport with cricket being my passion having played at club level for many years. I am a keen do-it-yourselfer and, since retiring, have taken up gardening.  I enjoy eating out and spending time with my family, including helping with some childminding for my granddaughter.

Sian Lloyd  

Sian Lloyd has been involved with St David’s Hospice Care for a number of years and is an experienced journalist and broadcaster, who is a familiar face having presented national programmes, including BBC Breakfast, BBC Crimewatch, Roadshow and Panorama. She has also reported on some of the key moments in recent history as a senior news correspondent for the BBC appearing regularly on the BBC 6 & 10 o’clock News in addition to Radio 4 news programmes. 

Sian began her TV and Radio career in Wales as a reporter. She was then presenter of the flagship and popular BBC programme ‘Wales Today’ and the drive-time radio programme Good Evening Wales. Before becoming a journalist, Sian trained as a solicitor in London and Hong Kong but followed her dream of becoming a reporter not to long after qualifying.  Sian grew up in Wrexham and speaks Welsh. She now regularly presents Welsh language programmes on S4C.  

Dr Rick O’Shea  

Former broadcaster and Champion of Grassroots Rugby Risk.  Now a full time GP and admirer of all the great work that St David’s Hospice delivers to patients at their time of greatest need and extremely proud to be an ambassador of St David’s Hospice Care.

Adam Jones  

Adam Jones is a Welsh former professional international rugby union player for Wales and the British & Irish Lions. He is one of a small group of Welsh players to have won three Grand Slams.
 
Adam began his career with Neath before switching to the Ospreys with the regionalisation of Welsh rugby in 2003. In 2015, he announced that he would join English side Harlequins.