Helpforce welcomes three new trustees
17th August 2026
We are delighted to announce the appointment of three outstanding individuals to Helpforce’s Board of Trustees: Professor Michelle Bateman, David Russell, and Mal Minhas. Each brings exceptional expertise that will be instrumental in advancing our mission to transform healthcare volunteering across the UK.
Mal Minhas
Mal Minhas arrives as a board-level technology advisor and Non-Executive Director with three decades of experience across consumer technology, marketplaces, and digital platforms. In an era where digital transformation is reshaping healthcare delivery, Mal’s expertise in platform and product strategy, AI and data leverage, and technology governance will be crucial.
His ability to translate complex technological capabilities into clear strategic choices will help Helpforce harness innovation to scale our impact. As we develop digital solutions to connect volunteers with opportunities and measure outcomes, Mal’s commercially fluent judgment in complex environments will ensure our technology investments deliver real value for volunteers, healthcare organisations, and patients.
Professor Michelle Bateman
Michelle joins us as Deputy Chief Nursing Officer for England, bringing four decades of invaluable NHS experience. As a proud Queen’s Nurse and recipient of the inaugural QNI William Rathbone Award for Executive Nurse Leadership, Michelle has demonstrated unwavering commitment to nursing safety, quality improvement, and professional leadership.
Her strategic oversight of infection prevention and control, emergency preparedness, and the nursing profession’s response to sustainability challenges will provide Helpforce with deep insight into the complexities facing modern healthcare. Michelle’s work building quality cultures across the nursing profession aligns perfectly with our vision of embedding volunteers as essential partners in delivering outstanding patient care. Her recent appointment as Visiting Professor of Healthcare Improvement, Leadership and Policy Development at the University of Derby further underscores her expertise in driving meaningful healthcare transformation.
David Russell
David brings over a decade of strategic experience across the voluntary and public sectors, with a laser focus on tackling inequality and improving health outcomes. Having worked at senior levels within the NHS and at Outward Housing, David understands the unique challenges and opportunities at the intersection of healthcare and community support.
His hands-on volunteering experience at both the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympics demonstrates his personal commitment to the power of volunteering. David’s perspective will be invaluable as we work to make healthcare volunteering more accessible, equitable, and impactful for communities across the country.
A Powerful Combination
Together, these highly experienced individuals bring the perfect blend of healthcare insight, third sector understanding, and technological expertise. Their combined knowledge will strengthen our ability to navigate challenges, seize opportunities, and ultimately transform healthcare volunteering for the benefit of patients, communities, and the NHS.
We warmly welcome Michelle, David, and Mal to the Helpforce family.