Trustees

With over 30 years commercial and general management experience operating at executive and board level, Mandy has a wealth of experience in both the food and media industry. Her roles have included Managing Director of Ambrosia; Managing Director of Ryvita; Managing Director of Harlequin Mills & Boon and VP – Overseas, Europe for HaperCollins. Since January 2018 she has operated as a freelance Business Consultant, Board Advisor and Board Trustee.

Royal Naval veteran Allen Parton, Founder of the Charity Hounds for Heroes, was inspired to set up an assistance dog school that specifically met the needs of injured and disabled armed forces veterans.

From his own personal experience of having a highly trained assistance dog in his early recovery from a life changing injury, suffered whilst he was on active duty in the aftermath of the 1991 Gulf war. Allen wanted his fellow colleagues who had suffered traumatic injury or illness to have the same opportunity of a life enhancing assistance dog in their lives that would benefit not only themselves but benefit their families as well.

In 2010 Allen’s vision became a reality and Hounds for Heroes was incorporated as a registered charity within the UK.

Allen is now currently partnered with his latest assistance dog, faithful Labrador ET (Endal the Third)

Peter is an experienced manager and consultant specialising in developing strategy and delivering transformational programmes; he is also a qualified leadership coach.  Before starting his own consultancy business in 2015, Peter enjoyed over 30 years in the Royal Air Force.

Following a 30 year career in the Royal Navy Jon moved to work in the Defence industry whilst also managing a small rural business.  He ‘retired’ briefly in 2019 but has since returned to work in a niche part time Civil Service role. Outside his ‘day job’ Jon trains and, in the winter months, works with gun dogs.  He has a passion for Service charities also being a Trustee at ‘HighGround’ and a member of his local Branch of the Royal British Legion 

Harriet is a qualified Senior Associate solicitor at an international law firm, based in London and has worked with several charities and NGOs during her legal career, as well as getting involved in a number of charity fundraising campaigns and events in a personal capacity. She has a personal passion for supporting veterans as her father previously served in the Royal Marines. 

Julian has worked in industry on the design and manufacture of defence equipment since graduation and has worked alongside the Armed Forces of the UK and those of many overseas nations in the development and operation of advanced weapon and communications systems. This is Julian’s second term as a trustee of Hounds for Heroes.

Peter spent 14 years as an officer in the Parachute Regiment, serving in several operational theatres overseas including Northern Ireland and the Falklands war, with 2 Para. He also has 30 years commercial experience in manufacturing and as a sales director in home furnishings businesses, with particular emphasis on exporting worldwide. He has raised funds for many charities which included rowing the Atlantic in 2018 and is a founding patron of the Tommy Club. For over six years Peter and his wife Sally have fostered numerous Hounds for Heroes dogs in training.

Alan Smith has had a long commercial career in the retail sector as Chief Executive or Chair of large public and private retail companies such as B&Q and ScS. He also has significant experience working with the UK armed forces over many years as a Director of NAAFI and Chair of the Royal International Air Tattoo.