On 31 December, we’ll be saying goodbye to two long-standing Board members, Roy Tomlinson and Jane Tooke, alongside Carol Popplestone, whose tenure as Council Member finishes at the end of December.
Roy’s involvement in the RCN has goes back decades. Alongside being a Board member for the Yorkshire and the Humber region, he has previously held positions as Board Chair, Council Member and as a member of the National Stewards Committee. His nursing career spans more than 50 years, and he has worked in a range of health and care settings, commissioning and in the private sector.
Jane has also had a decades long involvement with the RCN. On top of being a Board member, the positions she has previously held include Secretary of the Humber Branch, Vice Chair of the Humber Branch, Interim Chair of the Humber Branch, and as a member of the Congress Agenda Committee. She received an RCN Long Service Award in 2007. Her extensive nursing career includes working as a cervical screening assessor, specialist nurse advisor, lecturer, staff nurse and staff midwife. Jane received the RCN Award of Merit in 2022.
Carol Popplestone has served in many different RCN roles over the years - from Steward and Board Chair to Chair of RCN Council. Carol was Council member for Yorkshire & the Humber from 2016 to 2019 and then again from 2020 to 2024. She was interim Chair of Council from July 2021 and subsequently elected to the role in January 2022. Carol is also a long-serving Steward based in Scarborough and served on the UK Stewards Committee and the Trade Union Committee. Carol received the RCN Award of Merit in 2022.
Roy’s involvement in the RCN has goes back decades. Alongside being a Board member for the Yorkshire and the Humber region, he has previously held positions as Board Chair, Council Member and as a member of the National Stewards Committee. His nursing career spans more than 50 years, and he has worked in a range of health and care settings, commissioning and in the private sector.
Jane has also had a decades long involvement with the RCN. On top of being a Board member, the positions she has previously held include Secretary of the Humber Branch, Vice Chair of the Humber Branch, Interim Chair of the Humber Branch, and as a member of the Congress Agenda Committee. She received an RCN Long Service Award in 2007. Her extensive nursing career includes working as a cervical screening assessor, specialist nurse advisor, lecturer, staff nurse and staff midwife. Jane received the RCN Award of Merit in 2022.
Carol Popplestone has served in many different RCN roles over the years - from Steward and Board Chair to Chair of RCN Council. Carol was Council member for Yorkshire & the Humber from 2016 to 2019 and then again from 2020 to 2024. She was interim Chair of Council from July 2021 and subsequently elected to the role in January 2022. Carol is also a long-serving Steward based in Scarborough and served on the UK Stewards Committee and the Trade Union Committee. Carol received the RCN Award of Merit in 2022.
We’d also like to acknowledge the hard work of three Board members who are standing down at the end of this year. These are: Rachel Binks, Karen Al-Muhandis and Sophie Glazik.
The work of all our departing Board members is truly appreciated, and we wish all of them the best of luck in their future endeavours – whether that involves the RCN or not.
As we send our best wishes to our departing Board members, we would also like to welcome our four new incoming Board members who will take up their roles on 1 January. These are: Grace Chukwurah, Maria Davies, Joan Pons Laplana, and Emilia Merer. You can read more about our incoming Board and Council members here.
The Yorkshire and the Humber Board works to advance the work of the RCN in this region in accordance with the aims and objectives of the RCN as set out in our Charter.
The Board meets at least three times a year and its meetings include an open session which all Yorkshire and Humber region members are welcome to attend as observers.
RCN Boards advise and support their directors on matters relating to the country or region. They also carry out work delegated to them by Council.
The RCN governed by the elected members who make up our Council, committees and boards. They represent our members and work alongside the Executive Team who are responsible for delivering our strategic and operational plans.
You can find out more about the RCN’s structure on our website.
