This International Women’s Day, we are proud to announce the new Co-Chairs of Westway Trust. We are welcoming two exceptional people, Minal Patel and Ruth Daniel, who bring vision, passion, and experience to the future of our Trust and our communities.
At Westway, we believe International Women’s Day is a vital time to recognise that “women are the actual leaders”. As Ruth Daniel notes, “Too often women in leadership positions… feel they have to compete with each other. As women, we should be seeing each other as allies, not as competition”.
Meet Our New Leaders
Our new Co-Chairs are deeply rooted in the work of supporting our communities.
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Minal Patel joined our board because she “wanted to make a difference in this community and have an impact”. Having spent her professional life working with neighbouring boroughs in fundraising and corporate sponsorship, she believes that “no matter what age, you’ve still got an opportunity to be seen and heard”.
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Ruth Daniel is a resident of Kensington and Chelsea who wanted to be “part of the solution for the community” she lives in. With a background in Healthwatch and the Safe Neighbourhood Board, she is focused on “building that relationship of trust between the community and the police”.
Leading Through Collaboration
We are moving forward with a philosophy that “there is no ‘I’ in team”. Our new chairs are committed to a leadership style where we are “not just faces on a website,” but are integrated into the community we serve.
“We should also be fixing each other’s crowns rather than trying to take them down. And I think International Women’s Day allows us to do that.” — Ruth Daniel
Looking to the Horizon
Under the guidance of Minal and Ruth, we are progressing with a future shaped by opportunity and collaboration. Our Board of Trustees will oversee the delivery of our Horizon Plan—14 ambitious work streams that underpin our vision for happier, healthier, and more prosperous communities in North Kensington.
As we celebrate today, we carry with us Minal’s advice to the community:
“Believe in yourself, speak with conviction… you’ll gain back so much more from your community when you give.”— Minal Patel
Happy International Women’s Day from all of us at Westway Trust!