Karen Hood
Head of the IPF
Karen Hood
Head of the IPF
Karen has been at the Rugby Football Union for 10 years, and eight years ago was asked to help set up the IPF from the basis of an existing charity (SPIRE). Karen’s role now head's up the charity, working closely with the Trustees and charity staff to ensure that the IPF runs effectively and efficiently. Karen uses her position to foster strong working links between the charity and the sport’s national governing body. Karen also helps maintain links with similar charities around the world and those involved with other sports. She enjoys travelling, trekking, the arts and playing touch rugby.
Caroline Searight
Client Services Manager
Caroline Searight
Client Services Manager
Caroline joined the IPF in 2013. She oversees all our client support programmes including the catastrophic injury, case management, welfare support, lifelong client support, grants, and external client support partnerships. Caroline is an occupational therapist, and has worked in local authorities and health related organisations previously. This has given her the ability to liaise with statutory providers to achieve the best and most sustainable outcomes for our clients. Caroline enjoys spending weekends by the beach with her husband, grown-up children and her dog. She enjoys gardening, anything creative, and she enjoys watching all sports especially rugby, eventing and Formula One.
Dave Bentley
Welfare Officer
Dave Bentley
Welfare Officer
Dave manages the immediate welfare support to newly injured players. He liaises with the injured player, their families, the RFU affiliated clubs and constituent bodies. Dave works in collaboration with Caroline (Client Services Manager) to enable clients to achieve their best possible outcomes. Dave inherited a passion for rugby from an early age in his home town of Wolverhampton. He joined the British Army at 16, serving 7 years as a Paratrooper before turning paramedic serving in the Midlands and then Lancashire. Dave is a family man with 3 boys, Logan, George and Jude. He enjoys coaching Junior Rugby at his local club Kendal in his spare time.
Rachel Thomas
Team Administrator
Rachel Thomas
Team Administrator
Rachel is the Administrator for the IPF and is first point of contact for all client queries including administering the grant application process. She is also the first point of contact for general enquiries, medical queries and sports injury related enquires. Having been involved with charity work since an early age with her family training puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, it has always been important to her to help and support those who need it. She has also worked at Twickenham Stadium on and off for the past 10 years so has gained a knowledge and love for the sport that the clients of the IPF also love. She enjoys dancing, going to the theatre and listening to live music.
Trustees
Paul Murphy - Chair of Trustees
Paul joined the IPF Board in November 2007 and is now our Chairman. He has been heavily involved within the RFU for many years including being the RFU President during the 2012/13 season and previously, chaired the RFU Board, Governance, Finance and Player Safety Committees during his time on the RFU Council.
Nigel Henderson
Nigel joined the IPF Board in January 2008 and is a qualified consultant in spinal and orthopaedic surgery. He also holds numerous qualifications including MA, BM, Bch and FRCS. Nigel was previously a spinal surgeon at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.
Fred Middleton
Fred joined the IPF Board in July 2008 and is a neurological specialist who has recently retired. He is the Vice Patron of The Queen Elizabeth Foundation, a Trustee of ASPIRE and patron of Regain. Fred enjoys golf in his free time.
Rob Udwin
Rob joined the IPF Board in January 2008 and is currently serving as RFU Council member for Middlesex. He previously held a position on the Board of the Rugby Football Foundation. He is also life vice-president of Chiswick RFC and is Director of Metafour International.
Stephen Pearson
Stephen joined the IPF Board in August 2013 and is RFU Council member for Oxford University and current chair of the RFU Player Safety and Welfare Board. He is also a member of London Scottish and an honorary fellow of Trinity College Oxford. Stephen is the Chief Investment Officer at Jupiter Asset management.
Judy Metcalfe
Judy joined the IPF Board in August 2013. Graduating from Cambridge University, Judy has been a full time and supply teacher and has worked in PR and Media and managed Corporate Events for Acorns Children's Hospice Trust.
Stephen Duckworth
Stephen joined the IPF Board in July 2015 and is an IPF client with extensive charity experience. This includes acting as a trustee for Inspire - supporting spinal cord injured people and being a friend of the Vocational Rehabilitation Association. Stephen is also Special Adviser to the Shaw Trust.
Emer McGilloway
Emer joined the IPF Board in January 2016 and is currently the clinical lead for rehabilitation at King’s College Hospital, specialising in traumatic brain injury and vocational rehabilitation. Emer is also an alumna of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the National Opera Studio and was a professional opera singer for several years.
Evan Davies
Evan Davies joined the IPF board in February 2017 and is a consultant spinal surgeon in Southampton. As a faculty member of AO Spine, an international community of spine care professionals, Evan uses his clinical and research expertise to improve patient care and outcomes through education and knowledge exchange. Rugby has been his passion since he starting playing at minis for a local side, and he currently is a member of the RFU's Medical and Sports Science technical advisory group.
