Click on the names below to read about our trustees at Live Life Then Give Life.

Emily Thackray

Matt Coyne

Jenny Dickinson

Mandy Venters

Pops Barham

Emma Harris

Pops is a Student Paediatric Nurse, studying in the frozen North that is Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. Her links with Organ Donation began when her younger brother Gareth received a new heart at Christmas 2004, after a six-month wait. The virus that attacked his heart came out of the blue when he was 14, and ever since, Pops has been a fierce proponent of Organ Donation, coming up with numerous (and often bizarre) methods of persuading people — especially students — to sign the Organ Donor Register.

In 2005, she started at University College in the University of Durham, studying English and Theology with Arabic (it seemed like a very good idea at the time!). Whilst at Durham, she undertook a seven week internship in the Press Office of Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children in London, where her brother had received his transplant. During this time she met many more children needing transplants, and realised that more had to be done to get the message across.

In Pops’ second year at Durham, she worked with the Chancellor Bill Bryson in starting his Organ Donation campaign, called 'My Friend Oli'. Bill had started the campaign after meeting Oli Lewington, who Pops finally met after his successful transplant. Targeting the student population, the campaign had great success in Durham, and will hopefully spread to universities across the country soon. For more information, check out myfriendoli.com.

After graduating from Durham in 2008, Pops started training as a Nurse at Northumbria University, and was asked by Oli to become a Trustee of LLTGL, which she was delighted to be able to do, having worked alongside Oli and admired the work of the LLTGL team for a long while.

When not running around in uniform feeling important, Pops sings jazz, most recently with her band, 'Pops and the Poparazzi', and does the occasional bit of acting. She also delights in being big sister to Theo, who was born in 2008.

Had it not been for the gift of Organ Donation, Pops would be without her brother. After watching him go from a fit and healthy teenager to a boy unable to walk any distance, she was delighted when Gareth received the best Christmas present of all in 2004. Prior to Gareth’s illness, Pops was reluctant to sign the Organ Donor Register, not understanding the importance her decision could have over the lives of another family. As such, she is determined to raise public awareness of such an important issue and is delighted to be working with LLTGL to do just that.