Sheffield Hospitals Charity announces new Chair of Trustees

10th July 2026

Sheffield Hospitals Charity has announced the appointment of Lawrence Bate as its new Chair of the Board of Trustees.

Sheffield Hospitals Charity has announced the appointment of Lawrence Bate as its new Chair of the Board of Trustees, succeeding Adrian Stone, who steps down after eight years in the role.

Lawrence brings with him a wealth of senior leadership experience. He was most recently Director of Strategy and Impact at the British Heart Foundation, having previously held senior sales and marketing positions at Unilever (including roles in Türkiye and Chile), Tourism Ireland, The Caravan Club and Barchester Healthcare.

Away from work, Lawrence is no stranger to a challenge: he recently ran 100 miles from the top to the bottom of Shetland and raised £6,000 for the British Heart Foundation by running the 185-mile length of the River Trent alongside a friend who completed the same route by kayak. He also recently took a gap year, which included three and a half months backpacking in India.

Lawrence moved to Sheffield two years ago and has since thrown himself into life in the city. He is a keen runner and traveller, volunteers with SAVTE (Sheffield Association for the Voluntary Teaching of English) and parkrun, and has taken on the role of Club Secretary for Steel City Striders. He is also a trustee of the Aston Community Education Trust and the Geographical Association. 

Commenting on his appointment, Lawrence said: 
“I’m delighted to be taking on the role of Chair of Trustees at Sheffield Hospitals Charity. I look forward to working closely with Beth and her team, trustees, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, and Sheffield Health Partnership to support our wonderful NHS and improve healthcare throughout every stage of life for the people of Sheffield and beyond. I moved to the city a few years ago now and feel very much at home here.”

Beth Crackles, Chief Executive of Sheffield Hospitals Charity, said:
“We’re thrilled to welcome Lawrence as our new Chair of Trustees. His experience, energy and clear commitment to Sheffield make him a fantastic fit for the charity, and I’m looking forward to working closely with him. I’d also like to thank Adrian for his outstanding contribution over the past eight years.”