Neil Smith

Neil is a chartered accountant with over 30 years of experience working as a finance leader in a number of listed businesses. He is currently the Finance Director of Fullers, Smith & Turner plc the premium pub owner and operator in the South and South-East of England.

He was previously Chief Financial Officer of Domino's Pizza Group plc, Enterprise Inns plc and Telewest Global Inc and has held senior finance positions at Compass Group plc, Virgin Media and Somerfield plc.

Neil is currently a trustee at Treloar's school and college where he has served as a trustee or governor since 2010 and is Chair of the Finance Committee for Dreams Come True.

Latest

Dorset Plane Pull 2026

Join a team of #DreamMakers to pull a Boeing 737 50m.
Brighton Marathon 2027

The course features Brighton's stunning seafront and the city's most famous and spectacular landmarks
Bath Half Marathon 2027

A flat and picturesque course with wonderful crowd support throughout
Hackney Half Marathon 2027

Discover London's East End streets with vibrant street art and cheering spectators

Christina Sandkühler (Chair)

Christina Sandkuhler joined Dreams Come True as Board Chair in March 2026. She joins the charity with a wealth of senior executive experience and more than 20 years of helping organisations grow responsibly, strengthen governance and deliver lasting impact across the private and not-for-profit sectors.
Simon Linares

Simon, who stood down as Chair after six years, now sits on our board as a trustee. He has an extensive career as a senior executive in several FTSE International businesses and is an experienced Charity trustee.
Susan Martindale

Susan Martindale is an experienced executive and passionate advocate for people and purpose. As Group HR Director and Executive Committee member at Mitchells & Butlers, she leads the People strategy for a 47,000-strong workforce.
Jon Peppiatt

Jon is an Independent Business Consultant, having spent 35 years working at two of the UK’s most creative advertising agencies and is an advocate for mental health awareness in the work place.
Karen Wilson

Karen is an extremely experienced trustee of children's charities, and join us after a 17 year career as CEO at Hoggett Bowers. Karen is Chair of the Nominations Committee.
Jayne Franks

Jayne joins us after a 30 year career in HR and is now the Head of HR, UK and EMEA for the world- renowned Sothebys Auction House.
Marsha Quallo-Wright

Marsha Quallo-Wright is senior civil servant and brings a wide range of public sector experience to the board. Her career has focused on resilience and she has played a leading role in in the response to range of incidents including earthquakes, floods, Ebola and Covid-19.
Annabelle Vaughan

Annabelle is a solicitor, specialising in Mental Capacity and protection of the vulnerable.
Rachel Humphrey

Rachel is a Human Resources Director, and has been supporting Dreams Come True since 2014.

Make A Referral

We only accept referrals from medical, healthcare, or social care professionals. Applications are on a first come first served basis, to ensure that no child is waiting too long for delivery of their dream.
What we do

Dreams Come True is a national Children's Charity who exists to deliver dreams to children who have it tough. We believe every child has the right to dream, no matter who they are or where they live. More info
What is a Dream?

Whether it's a break for a young cancer patient, a specially adapted trike for a child with cerebral palsy, a tablet to help an autistic teenager develop their communication skills, or a seriously ill child’s room makeover. Each dream brings a moments of magic and has a lasting impact for years to come. More info
Join the team

We are always on the lookout for people who share our values and mission and are dedicated to making dreams come true for children who have it tough.
Individual Dream Eligibility

To ensure we reach the children who need our attention the most, we have a set eligibility criteria that must be met in order to have a dream come true.
National Children’s Day 2024

This National Children's Day (May 12th) will you help us grant urgent dreams for children with a short life expectancy? Can you support us today and help us to build a funding pot of £5,000* to ensure we are ready for children who are in the greatest of need?
Who we support

To ensure we reach the children who deserve our attention the most, we work with children who are living in the highest areas of deprivation in the country, and are living with a disability, serious illness, or life-limiting conditions. More info
Fundraising ideas

Stuck on ideas but want to get involved? We have loads of ideas and inspo from other fundraisers.
How it works

We work exclusively with, and only manage dream referrals from, those who know the Dreamers best –medical, healthcare and social care professionals.
Light up our Festive Dream Tree