Meet the team

Antony has lived in the Peak District with his family for over twenty years.  He has held a number of senior positions at large UK companies and is currently a Managing Director across the health, welfare and education sectors.

Antony’s involvement with the charity stems from his wife, who has volunteered at the hospice’s Buxton shop for a number of years.

Antony enjoys walking in the Peaks and various sports as both participant, and as a hopeful supporter of Buxton FC.

Sarah undertook voluntary work for Trafford social services, and it was here she had her first real exposure to someone who was nearing end of life and their abysmal quality of life. Shocked by lack of services, Sarah visited St Ann’s Hospice in Heald Green. She was captivated and thrilled when offered a post as a nursing auxiliary. Sarah worked that summer and all her University holidays for the first two years of her medical degree at Sheffield.

Later she worked at the Christie and St Ann’s Hospice, North Manchester before deciding to train in Oncology at Sheffield. After two years she realised that her heart lay in Palliative Care so switched registrar posts acquiring her CCST in 2000. Sarah was appointed Consultant in Chesterfield finally taking up the post in June 2002.

Sarah runs a weekly Palliative care clinic from Blythe House and also a monthly Lymphoedema clinic. She is on the Clinical Committee. She is passionate about supporting patients to stay in their homes and working closely with nursing and medical colleagues to make this a possibility.

Dr Mike Hardman obtained his BMedSci and MBChB from Sheffield University. He trained in General Medicine (MRCP) and Clinical Pharmacology in Sheffield, Munich and Oxford, conducted basic research at the MRC Unit and University Department of Clinical Pharmacology at the Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford and was awarded his MD from the University of Sheffield. After 10 years of clinical practice and research he joined ICI Pharmaceuticals.

For 28 years, he worked in all stages of medicine development across several therapeutic areas in the UK, USA, Germany and Japan and has had a major interest in education and training. His last position, before retiring, was VP IMI Collaborations AstraZeneca IMED and Coordinator of the IMI EMTRAIN project.

He is a Fellow of the UK Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine and a member of the Faculty Education Committee. He is also a lecturer at the EUDIPHARM Masters course in Lyon, the I3H Masters course in Brussels, and an external examiner for the pharmaceutical medicine course at Basel University. He is currently the Co-President of the Rotary club of Buxton.

Ruth Brown is from a local farming family, never moving far from her childhood home of Chelmorton. Ruth and her husband Ken farmed at Five Wells near Taddington for 20 years where they brought up their two children. Sadly Ruth’s husband Ken died in 2010, but her three grandsons are a great joy.

Secondary school saw the death of her father, a pivotal moment where education lost its appeal. On leaving school and marrying, young Ken and Ruth fostered 27 children and this saw a return to education for Ruth at the local college, achieving numerous qualifications.

Having secured a job with the NHS as a nursing auxiliary at Baslow surgery in 1987, the ongoing support of GPs furthered Ruth’s nursing career in 2001. At the age of 47, Ruth began her nurse training at Sheffield University, medical prescribing with a specialist practitioner degree followed at Sheffield Hallam. She returned to Baslow surgery as District Nurse and Community Matron in 2007.

With a passion for good End-of-Life care and skills honed, Ruth was appointed as the Hospice at Home Manager in 2016 at Blythe House Hospicecare.  Creating a new service that assured quality care for those wishing to die at home was her greatest achievement.

On retiring in March 2021, a chance to give back to the Hospice was realised with varied volunteering roles and the wonderful opportunity to become a Clinical Trustee and further support the Hospice to a bright future.

Raj studied Pharmacy at the University of Manchester and joined the Co-operative Pharmacy Group (now WELL) in 1996, where he has worked ever since. Twenty of those years were spent at the branch in Whaley Bridge, during which time Raj became involved in a range of community projects and groups – including Blythe House. Raj also served as a trustee for the Co-operative Charitable Trust, supporting local groups and charities.

Beyond the High Peak, Raj has helped run youth clubs, volunteered with homeless charities, and supported his local temple.

Raj’s connection with Blythe House began during his time as a pharmacist, when he helped source hard-to-find items for hospice patients. He later gave talks on how pharmacy can support people receiving care at Blythe House.

Now entering a new stage of life, Raj is keen to give back to the communities he’s worked in – leading him to apply for the role of trustee.

Outside of work, Raj is very family-oriented and enjoys spending time with his two grown-up children, as well as with friends and extended family.

And Raj’s claim to fame? He once appeared in a television advert for the NHS!