The people behind Warrington Women's Aid
Meet the passionate people who are responsible for the day-to-day running of Warrington Women's Aid.
As a registered charity, we are governed by a Board of Trustees, who hold overall responsibility for the charity’s vision, values, and legal and financial oversight. Their role is to ensure the organisation is safe, sustainable, and working in the best interests of the people it supports. The Trustees set the strategic direction and delegate the day-to-day operational and strategic management of the charity to the CEO, who leads the organisation, oversees service delivery, and ensures the charity’s goals are translated into practice.
Currently we have 9 very experienced Trustees, many of whom have lived experience from years of working in this field. We have an eclectic mix with a range of specialisms including HR, Property law, money and benefit advice, local Councillors and housing and homelessness experience. They meet quarterly to make key decisions and our AGM is held in November every year.
Our Board of Trustees
Under the CEO, the wider team — including support workers, IDVAs, refuge staff, counsellors and administrators — work closely together, sharing expertise and insight to make sure every person using the service receives the highest quality support. This collaborative structure means that while trustees provide strong governance and the CEO drives strategy and operations, the whole team contributes to creating a safe, responsive and empowering service for survivors.
Gillian McKinnon - CEO
Gillian has led Warrington Women’s Aid as CEO since July 2025, bringing more than 25 years of senior-level experience from across the charitable sector. Her career spans youth work, mental health, criminal justice, education, veteran support and domestic abuse, giving her a deep, well-rounded understanding of the challenges faced by people on the margins of society. Recognised as one of the UK’s top leaders over 50 by the Chartered Management Institute in 2015, Gillian has dedicated her career to empowering those most often overlooked, championing services that help individuals rebuild their lives and move towards a safer, stronger future.
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