Meet our board of trustees

My name is Nicola, and I’ve worked in charity leadership for more than 20 years. I’ve been a CEO and Director, leading service delivery, fundraising and public engagement, and supporting organisations through major change, including strategic transformation and restructure.

I now work as a freelance consultant specialising in organisational design, staff development, governance and strategy. A big part of my work is helping people feel genuinely heard and making sure their experiences shape services, policy and influencing.

I first came across b:friend when I was a CEO in a similar field and admired their focus on community connection and delivering where it’s most needed. I’m really pleased to be a trustee and want to use what I’ve learned in my working life to support a cause I care deeply about.

My name is Claire and I’ve worked in the voluntary sector for my whole career. I love being part of teams working together to make things a little bit better in some way.

My day job is CEO of Sheffcare, a Sheffield charity running nine care homes for older people and people living with dementia, and I’ve previously been CEO at Relate Derby and Southern Derbyshire; Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice; and Peterborough & Fenland Mind, as well as a Non-Executive Director for Nottingham CityCare Partnership. I’m also a Trustee for Forbes Charitable Foundation; we give grants to charities supporting people with learning disabilities.

I’ve always had a passion for volunteering, and my first full-time role was as a volunteer co-ordinator. I’ve volunteered for a brilliant variety of roles: Trustee on charity Boards, mentoring a young person, neighbourhood and victim-offender mediator, NHS volunteering during COVID, and dog walking for the Cinnamon Trust. I joined b:friend as a befriender to an older neighbour in March 2025, and joined the Board in November 2025.

Out of work, I love travel, and I’m happy to go solo if no one is able to come with me. I force myself to the gym and out in the bad weather for walks with my dog, but would rather be on the sofa or eating cake.

Group Finance Director at Gripple Limited

Hello! I'm Matthew Lollar, and I proudly serve as a trustee of b:friend, a charity dedicated to combatting loneliness!

My journey has taken me from my Florida roots to the UK, where I've been for about 17 years. Growing up in a retired military community instilled in me a deep appreciation for the companionship of older friends, which has become a driving passion in my life. 

I started my journey as a befriender in December 2021, and my dedication to the cause led me to join the board in 2023. 

In my professional life, I work in the IT sector for a global company in a presale role. 

Beyond the office, I'm a devoted husband and a proud father of two children, both born in Sheffield. 

I firmly believe in the importance of community and that loneliness can be alleviated through genuine friendship. This belief is at the core of my work at b:friend and my commitment to making a difference in the lives of our older friends in our community.

I am an entrepreneur with extensive experience in the IT industry. Born in Doncaster, I am the founder and CEO of Together.ly, a software platform that enables charities to reduce loneliness and isolation by establishing connections and building communities remotely. I have over two decades of experience as the founder and CEO of Meetupcall, a reputable and affordable conference call provider. Prior to these ventures, I held key positions such as Network Manager at Case IH and Global IT Manager at thebigword, where in 2005 I spearheaded the development of an automated telephone interpreting system that continues to services an £80m UK government contract for interpreting.

After becoming aware of b:friend in 2019 and observing the great work they do in South Yorkshire to address loneliness, I was pleased to be able to join the board of trustees and contribute to the future plans of b:friend.

My name is Becky, I have been a volunteer with b:friend for nearly 4 years (where I met my friend Brian) and I recently joined the Board of Trustees. I spent most of my younger life living in South Lincolnshire, but have been living in Sheffield since moving as a student in 2009. I work as a Geriatric Registrar caring for older people across South Yorkshire. I originally joined b:friend so that I could spend more time chatting, sharing stories and drinking tea, something there’s not much time for in the NHS these days! In my day job I see the impact loneliness has on patients’ physical and mental health daily, I feel very strongly that building communities with strong friendships will make a really big difference to so many people’s lives. I hope through being a member of the Board of Trustees I can help b:friend to work towards this aim. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my husband and dog at our allotment; I also enjoy bouldering, calligraphy, baking and camping trips. 

I joined the board of trustees as I feel passionately that we as a society need to reduce social isolation and loneliness - a problem which directly impacts our health and wellbeing. I hope that being a member of the board will enable us to reach more neighbours and my experience of healthcare for older people will help build links within health and social care.