Patrons

Christopher Dicker, a qualified chartered accountant, is a former member of the Broads Authority and has considerable experience as a trustee with a wide variety of charitable organisations.  Christopher is currently company secretary with the East of England Air Ambulance.  He is passionate about the role of good governance.

He trained at Lovewell Blake Chartered Accountants in Norwich before moving to Cooper Bros in 1973. Christopher returned to Lovewell Blake two years later, became a partner in 1977 and was senior partner for 10 years until he retired in September 2010. He specialised in larger audits and family-run companies and towards the end of his career built up a portfolio of more than 100 charity clients. He holds a Diploma in Charity Accounting (ICEAW).  Christopher is a Deputy Lieutentant of Norfolk.

After retiring from Lovewell Blake Christopher set up a small consultancy company, mainly providing training and advisory services to charity trustees.

“The atmosphere you create at Centre 81 is heart-warming and congratulations to you and all your team for making it such a caring and happy place. I admire your devotion and energy and the way in which you make everyone feel loved and special.  Keep up the good work and I have no doubt that Centre 81 will go from strength to strength.”

Lady Dannatt, who was High Sheriff of Norfolk in 2014-15, trained as a counsellor and worked with the charity Relate in GPs’ surgeries, where she came across many people battling with mental health problems.

She and her husband, retired British Army officer and former Chief of the General Staff, Lord Dannatt, have raised large sums for military charities. Lady Dannatt was made an MBE for her part in raising £5m in just nine months to provide places for the families of military casualties to stay while their loved ones were treated in hospital.

Lady Dannatt was born into the Gurney family which founded Barclays Bank at the end of the 19th Century. She was educated at Tudor Hall boarding school in Banbury, Oxfordshire, and met her husband at Durham University, where they were both undergraduates.

“What do I love best about Centre 81?  It has to be the people of course, the feeling that every single person who comes through the door is welcomed and valued as the precious individuals they are.  Everything flows from that … The fun, the laughter, the achievements, often huge achievements, the friendships … It all comes from that singular acceptance from the moment you come through the door.  Diana and her remarkable team make certain that is the case, and for them and all they achieve we can only be profoundly grateful.

Chop change, delete, whatever … But I mean every word I write, I promise!”

Henry Cator is Deputy Lieutenant of Norfolk and High Steward of Great Yarmouth. He has lived in Norfolk all his life and worked as a land agent for over 30 years.

A former managing partner at the Norwich office of Francis Hornor & Son, he was subsequently chairman of a development consultancy firm until launching his own company in spring 2007.

He is chairman of the Association of Drainage Authorities and Broads Internal Drainage Board and a trustee of the Royal Agricultural Society of England. He was chairman of the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association for 10 years and was its president for 2009. Henry was awarded an OBE in the 2008 Birthday Honours List for his services to the community in Norfolk.

“The work that Centre 81 carries out in the local community is invaluable to so many in need. The prospect of building new facilities on the land we have now bought can only give security to the wonderful service we already provide. This work is only possible as a result of the time, work and commitment given by so many volunteers and our own dedicated staff. I pay tribute to them all and thank them sincerely for all that they do. It is amazing what a team can achieve – together we can!”

The Very Revd Jane Hedges was ordained Deaconess in 1980, Deacon in 1987 and Priest in 1994. She served her curacy in the Team Ministry of Holy Trinity with St Columba Fareham, moving to the Southampton City Centre Team in 1983 to be a neighbourhood minister and hospital chaplain. Her ministry took a different direction in 1988 when she became Diocesan Stewardship Adviser in the Portsmouth Diocese, before being the first woman to be appointed a Residentiary Canon in the Church of England early in 1993, serving as Canon Pastor at Portsmouth Cathedral. In 2006 she became the first woman Canon at Westminster Abbey, moving from there in 2014 to become the first woman Dean of Norwich.

She oversees the life of the Cathedral and chairs the Chapter and is also a member of the Bishop’s Senior Staff Team.