A message from Jennifer Calverley, CEO at The Elm Foundation
As we celebrate the remarkable contribution of our Chair, Mary McElvaney, I want to express my deep gratitude for the leadership and wisdom she has brought to The Elm Foundation over the past ten years. Joining the Board at a time of significant transition and growth, her steady guidance has been central to shaping who we are today.
Mary has always brought with her a profound understanding of the challenges faced by those experiencing domestic abuse. She has been a consistent advocate for survivors and for the staff who walk alongside them every day.
One of Mary’s most transformative legacies is her role in our rebrand to The Elm Foundation. She championed the vision that our organisation needed a name and identity that truly reflected our purpose. Her belief in that direction helped the new brand grow, strengthen and become firmly embedded across our communities. It is a change that will carry us forward for many years to come.
On behalf of the entire organisation, I want to thank Mary for her extraordinary service. She leaves The Elm Foundation stronger, more confident and more future-focused. We wish her every happiness in her retirement, knowing that her influence will continue to guide us as we move forward.
How did your connection to The Elm Foundation come about?
Mary McElvaney had been aware of the work done by the organisation for many years when it was previously North Derbyshire Women’s Aid. Whilst at Derbyshire County Council Mary was responsible for Quality Assurance and Safeguarding, this included commissioning services to enhance the statutory role of the Council by sourcing partners in the Third Sector. Support to women and children experiencing domestic abuse was a key focus and Mary was involved in securing funding for a new refuge at Clay Cross. After retiring from the Council Mary was approached to join the Board in 2015, later becoming Chair of Board from 2017 onwards to November 2025.
Your proudest achievement
Mary explains how together the Trustees and the Chief Executive had been working on two main aims; one, achieved easily, the other still an ongoing aim. The first was the rebranding, we recognised our name did not reflect our main focus, it was long and needed updating. The Elm Foundation brand grew and flourished through hard work from Jennifer and the Board and I am proud of how quickly it became embedded and embraced.
Our second and ongoing aim relates to our funding. We felt we were too dependent upon one source of funding. We remain grateful to them for their continued support but have successfully diversified our funding sources.
Any challenges along the way?
Our biggest challenge was continuing to operate through the covid restrictions. The staff were brilliantly resilient and showed real strength of character and their belief in what the Elm Foundation stands for. Yet out of the adversity came some great hope as the plight of women and children trapped at home became a focus of attention at a political and strategic funding level, enabling us to be a part of the Third Sector which grew in financial security. Supporting women and men who have no recourse to public funds remains an issue but the support of our Local Authority to financially support families from Derbyshire into a Refuge is to be welcomed.
Future aspirations?
Personal highlights for Mary are hearing from people the Elm Foundation has supported to embark on a new life without fear. Watching our staff grow and develop and deal with some very traumatic situations reminds me why we are here and why we need to invest in our staff group. I am confident that the Board, Jennifer, Jadah, Jade and all the staff will grow and flourish as our Elm group embraces them for the future generations. I know that Jennifer will continue to offer her skills and expertise to my successor. I wish them and The Elm Foundation a long and stable future.
