HAVING joined Jersey Brain Tumour Charity as an office manager in 2016, Sonia Le Clercq has returned to become the charity’s new chair, following the departure of Fiona Potts.
JEP reporter Antonia Rubio met Sonia to find out how she sees the charity, which supports Islanders affected by a brain tumour diagnosis, developing under her leadership.
Can you tell us a bit about your background and what brought you to the charity and into this role?
“I joined the charity in 2016 as its office manager and worked alongside the patient support nurse supporting Islanders affected by a brain tumour diagnosis. Sadly, in 2021, due to the after-effects of Covid, and the lack of fundraising during that time, I was made redundant. I was very fortunate as I found a new role at Park Personnel as their recruitment coordinator, which sees me still supporting Islanders just in a different way. I have kept in touch with the charity through my friendship with its founder, Sue May MBE, and my passion for helping people had never diminished. I was approached by one of the trustees in January who asked me to consider stepping into the role of chair. This was something I did with a lot of thought as it’s a huge responsibility. I spoke to Sue extensively and relied on my gut instinct to accept the role.”
What inspired you to get involved with this particular charity?
“I have supported many charities over my life. In Jersey, we are very blessed to have Islanders willing to go the extra mile to support charities. When you work with people who have received a devastating diagnosis such as a brain tumour, and you see their resilience against their diagnosis, it truly humbles you. You can’t help but want to work with them to make sure that they receive all the support they need at a time in their life when they have hit rock bottom. One thing I love about JBTC is that the support we give doesn’t stop once they have returned from the UK following their surgery; it continues as long as that person, their family, friends, and colleagues need us.”
What are your top priorities as you step into the role of chair?
“My priorities are to continue the work Fiona and the chairs who came before her have done to ensure that the patient is at the heart of what we do as a charity. We obviously will always need funds, so that is a priority this year too. I’d also, alongside our patient support nurse Jo Hambrook, like to link up with GPs and neurology so that anyone diagnosed with a brain tumour knows that support is out there from the get-go. There is so much we can do, and the earlier we are introduced to a patient, the sooner we can put support in place.”
Where do you see the charity in the next few years and what are your hopes for the future of the organisation?
“With the above, I see the charity better linked with the neurology team and GPs so that anyone diagnosed with a brain tumour feels supported and knows that they are not alone.”
Are there any new initiatives or areas of focus that you’re particularly passionate about promoting?
“Nothing new; I want JBTC to be accessible to anyone who needs us. My passion is ensuring the patients receive the support they need in a timely manner. It’s so important, and I know my fellow trustees feel the same. Our office space in Halkett Place has recently been refurbished into a dedicated counselling room where we provide support to our clients on a one-to-one basis. The room is cosy and has a lovely feel to it and makes such a difference to our clients.”
How do you plan to build on the work of your predecessor?
“Fiona has done a fantastic job of bringing the charity to the attention of Islanders through her knowledge of marketing. We are very lucky to have had her expertise in this area over the last few years. She has left a fantastic legacy which I plan to build upon.”
What do you see as the biggest challenges facing the charity right now?
“As with all charities, raising enough funds so that we can keep providing the support that we do is a huge challenge. The charity is not states-funded and relies entirely on its own fundraising activities and donations from businesses and the public. Whilst we have a few ideas for fundraising initiatives over the course of the year, we always welcome our supporters to organise events for us. If any of your readers would like to organise a fundraising event for the charity, please ask them to get in touch with me.”
Is there a personal connection or story that drew you to this cause and particularly charity?
“It’s interesting as about 20 years ago, my cousin was diagnosed with a brain tumour. At that time, there was no support for her, or anyone for that matter, who had gone through what she was going through. Prior to moving to JBTC, I worked for the Community Bereavement Service at Jersey Hospice Care. When I considered leaving my role, I knew I wanted to continue working for a charity. Through a friend, I was made aware of the role, and as they say, it was a match made in heaven as far as I was concerned. Knowing that my cousin had gone through that experience without support and that I was able to work for a charity that could help anyone affected by a brain tumour diagnosis made me want the role all the more. Now as its chair, I aim to ensure that anyone who has a need is supported by us.”
What does the role as Chair mean to you on a personal level?
“Personally, I’m thrilled to be back working with the clients that the charity supports. These are people who, to me, are an extension of my family. It means a lot to be able to lead the charity into its next phase.”
What message would you like to send to the charity’s supporters as you begin your term?
“I would like to thank our supporters for all their hard work and donations. We have our charity tins in various shops and businesses dotted around the Island, and I have been blown away by how full our tins are when they are returned to us. We also have our QR code on the side of the tins for those who don’t have loose change but still want to make a donation. We honestly couldn’t do what we do without their support.”
As well as Sonia’s appointment, the charity has a new committee for 2025/2026. They are: Sue May MBE (founder/trustee), Tracey Emmerson (secretary/trustee), Jo Doyle (treasurer/trustee), Jo Hambrook (trustee), Geraldine Merritt (trustee), Becky Polglass (trustee), Christine Poingdestre (trustee), and Rebecca Harris (trustee).
