Our Patrons and Trustees all have strong connections with Devon and Cornwall. What unites them is a deeply held conviction that excellent medical research, education and innovation, is vital for the delivery of specialist healthcare for patients throughout the SW Peninsula.
Dr Adrian Copplestone, Chairman
Adrian qualified in Medicine at Bart’s Hospital in London and trained in Haematology in Southampton and Bournemouth. He was Consultant Haematologist from 1987 to 2015 at University Hospitals Plymouth where he held a number of senior managerial posts. In the Peninsula Medical School, he was Associate Dean for Student Affairs. On retirement, he was made an Emeritus Professor. He held a number of national roles including Chair of the CMO’s Blood Transfusion Committee 2006-09.
Adrian has been Chair of Trustees for the Plymouth and District Leukaemia Fund, a registered charity, since 1997. He took over the Chair of Trustees for the PMF at the postponed AGM on December 5th 2021.
Peter Vosper, Vice Chair
Peter trained as an accountant and has worked in the motor trade for over 50 years. In 1974, he took over the family firm Vospers, following the death of his father. He built the business across the peninsula to a company employing over 700 people.
Peter has served on the Board of the Plymouth Health Authority. He has raised huge sums of money for charitable causes including the Theatre Royal, Devon & Cornwall Cavitron Fund and St Luke’s Hospice.
Professor Terence Lewis, MBE, FRCS
Terence is a retired Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon who founded the Cardiothoracic Unit in Plymouth in 1997, after serving at The Royal London and St Bartholomew’s Hospitals. He was Medical Director of Plymouth Hospitals from 2000 to 2008. He has held several prominent public roles, including Chair of Plymouth Marine Laboratories and Plymouth University Medical School, Governor of Plymouth University, and Trustee of St Luke’s Hospice.
In recognition of his contributions, he received an MBE in 2017 for integrating science in the West of England and the Sir Clement Price Thomas medal for services to cardiac surgery.
Dr Martin Brooke
Martin is retired after working at Treliske in developmental paediatrics and CAMHS and for SOS Children for 5 years in Malawi and Madagascar. He is now president of St John’s Ambulance for Cornwall.
He is married with two grown-up children, and three step children.
In his spare time he keeps fit, sailing, playing tennis, and walking the dog. He has always been a North coaster, and
still is.
Peter Whitfield
Peter Whitfield is a consultant neurosurgeon at the South West Neurosurgery Centre, Plymouth, and Honorary Professor at the University of Plymouth. He trained in Cambridge and completed a PhD on brain ischaemia. His clinical focus includes neurovascular and neuro-oncological surgery. He has authored and edited key texts, including Gray’s Surgical Anatomy. Peter served as President of the Society of British Neurological Surgeons (2022–24) and chaired the European Examination Board (2015–2023). He is a Council member of the Medical Defence Union and actively supports research in the South West through the Peninsula Medical Foundation.
Dr Sophia Wrigley
Sophia qualified in medicine from Bristol University and undertook anaesthetic training in London. Her first consultant appointment was at the then newly merged Royal London and St Bartholomew Hospital Trust before moving to University Hospitals Plymouth in 1997 until 2020. Sophia held a variety of senior management roles including Clinical Director Anaesthetics, Theatres and Pain; Chair Hospital Transfusion Committee; and Guardian of Safe Working Hours for Doctors in Training. She was peer elected to Chair Hospital Medical Staff Committee and the Local Negotiating Committee. Sophia has also served as a school governor (deputy chair and responsible for Head Teacher appraisal).
David FitzGerald
David FitzGerald began his media career in local radio in 1980, later joining Television Southwest (ITV) in 1986 as a presenter and documentary producer. He reported for Sky News from 1993, covering major global events including the O.J. Simpson trial and the Bosnian War. In 1999, he became Managing Director of South Ham Radio and joined BBC Radio Devon and Spotlight in 2007. David has written for Spitting Image and co-authored five children’s books with Simon Weston CBE. A patron and ambassador for several charities, he regularly hosts military and charity events across the UK and internationally.
Duncan Swift, Treasurer
Duncan is a Chartered Accountant with over 40 years’ experience in professional practice.
He attended Okehampton Comprehensive School 1973-1980 before taking a Management Sciences degree at UMIST. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Price Waterhouse in London in 1986 and obtained his Insolvency Licence in 1990.
He co-founded Azets Plymouth office in 2022, which marked a return to the city where he was based in the 1990s. Over the last 30 years he has become a nationally recognised farming and food production specialist, taking a related postgraduate degree at Seale Hayne, University of Plymouth, and performing numerous high-profile food supplier business rescues.
Duncan provides regular media commentary on supermarket/supplier trading terms and the Groceries Supply Code of Practice and its Adjudicator. In 2019, he authored the Lloyd’s of London Evolving Risks in Global Food Supply report. In 2019/20, he was President of R3, the UK trade association for the restructuring and insolvency profession.
He is presently also a Governor and Finance Chair at Mount Kelly College, Tavistock.
