Our administrative team
Jacky Miles MBE, PhD, BSc (Hons), RGN
Founder, Trustee & Chair
Jackie trained as a nurse, specialising in intensive care and cardiac nursing. In 1990, recognising the need for cardiac rehabilitation, she developed an award-winning multidisciplinary hospital programme for heart patients and set up the North Gwent Cardiac Rehabilitation and Aftercare Charity to provide ongoing community-based support.
She completed her PhD at the University of South Wales in 2003 and was awarded an MBE in the same year for services to cardiac rehabilitation.
As a Nurse Consultant, she took on various roles within the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board before moving into research. Now semi-retired, she is Associate Professor with the School of Care Sciences, University of South Wales.
Gareth Davies
Trustee & Vice Chair
Gareth brings considerable business acumen to our charity. And, because he’s married to Andrea, a key member of our fundraising team, is frequently roped in to help out with our fundraising events – whether that’s manning a tombola stall or weighing the harvest at our annual potato-growing challenge.
Greg Overs
Trustee & Treasurer
We recruited Greg in 2015 when he was still working for the Government’s Valuation Office Agency as a RICS-qualified Rating Surveyor. In his spare time Greg was volunteering as treasurer for the Monmouth Hunt, so we knew he had the right skills.
Greg retired from full-time work in 2019, and since then has divided his time between his passion for horses and serving his community. As well as keeping an eagle eye on our books, he’s a regular presence at our fundraising events.
Nigel Dancer
Trustee
With an MSc in mechanical engineering and a 40-year career in the automotive industry, most recently as a Technical Quality Director, Nigel brings a keen eye for detail and a love of spreadsheets to our team.
He also has valuable personal experience, as he suffered a heart attack in 2015 and joined our classes as part of his ongoing rehab. Nigel became a trustee the following year, and with his wife Denise is also a valued member of our fundraising team.
Tony Lowery
Trustee & Secretary
Tony graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Biomechanics and Exercise Physiology from Crewe and Alsager College in 1985. He became a teacher, and for the next 31 years taught Science in a variety of institutions, developing a broad range of leadership and management skills along the way.
He’s held positions on several School Leadership Teams, was Faculty Head of Science, an Advanced Skills Teacher, and a School Improvement Officer for a local authority.
Tony grew up in a coal mining village in Northumberland and witnessed the hardship his community went through during the pit closures of the 1980s. This left him with an abiding passion for social engagement and supporting others, and since retiring from teaching in 2019, he’s pursued this interest as a Trustee for our Charity.
Neil Gregory
Trustee
Neil returned to Wales in 2005, following a long career in various sales and marketing roles in the pharmaceutical industry. He’s now director of Blaenavon-based GOS Tool & Engineering Services, a privately owned company that specialises in the design and manufacture of innovative equipment for the railway industry.
In his spare time, Neil works with the Department of Business and Trade to help support Welsh businesses looking
to export their products. He’s also an enthusiastic STEM Ambassador, encouraging Welsh schoolchildren to see the benefits of studying Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths and to consider careers in engineering.
Neil is a regular member of our Saturday morning classes in Llanfoist and, with a long family history of heart conditions, says he’s keen to support our charity in any small way he can.
David Owen
Trustee
David was born in Taff’s Well and spent most of his career working in finance, based with international companies in Europe and the United States.
David became involved with us because his daughter has a little-understood condition called microvascular angina, and this has given him has a keen personal interest in learning about cardiovascular conditions and their treatment.
Now retired, David lives in Abergavenny and in his spare time plays an active role in local policing and crime prevention groups.
Kathy Cleveland
Membership Secretary
Kathy started attending our classes to support her husband Allen (now one of our two Class Assistants), following his heart attack and subsequent bypass.
She’s been our wonderfully efficient membership secretary since 2013, managing the database and membership renewals, banking membership fees and acknowledging any small donations.
She also distributes our quarterly newsletter, the Ticker News, and deals with any correspondence to our members.
Kathy is also a valued member of our Fundraising Committee.
