President Cislyn Wilkes 

Cislyn is the inspirational spiritual leader of WEST who, along with her late husband Randal Wilkes, is the driving force behind the charity being established. The charity continues their commitment over many decades of supporting disadvantaged people, particularly from the Black African Caribbean community. 

Our Patrons

Suzanne Duval

Suzanne Duval is the Black Minority Ethnic (BME) Mental Health Manager at Diverse Cymru, a unique pan Wales charity committed to supporting people dealing with inequality and discrimination. Before joining Diverse Cymru, Suzanne was the Director of Awetu All Wales BME Mental Health Group.  Suzanne was awarded the British Empire Medal in the 2018 Queen's Birthday Honours List for her outstanding contribution to BME mental health in Wales. Suzanne has also received awards from the Black Voluntary Sector Network Awards, GlaxoSmithKline Health Impact Award and the Guardian Charity.  Suzanne has spent the last 30 years working in the Health Service, Local Authority and voluntary sectors.  In 2015 Suzanne designed and published a Cultural Competency Toolkit for Mental Health for Wales, which was the first of its kind in the country.  Suzanne is a strong champion of equality of opportunity through education which is why we are very pleased she has agreed to be a patron. {Play}

Dr Charles Willie

Dr Charles Willie is a former Chief Executive Officer of Diverse Excellence Cymru Limited. Business leader and Adviser to the National Assembly for Wales, he is currently a Special Adviser to the BME Mental Health Accreditation Programme for the principality.  Charles has been a lifelong champion, mentor and EDI advocate and is a passionate supporter of BME education programmes.  We are very pleased that he has accepted a patron role with WEST.

Dr Doirean Wilson

Dr Doirean Wilson is Diversity Lead and a HRM Senior Lecturer at Middlesex University Business School London. She is also Chair of the University’s Race, Religion and Beliefs Forum and a member of the University’s Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committee and the Gender and Diversity Research Cluster. Additionally, Doirean is a Visiting Professor of Religion & Multiculturalism at the Joint Council of Churches for All Nations.

Dr Patti Boulaye, OBE

Dr Patti Boulaye is a West End Actress, author, inspirational Public Speaker and a Visiting Teaching Fellow at Middlesex University. She lectures to final year students on Life Skills and is a much sought after public speaker, recently speaking to the Conference of World Scientists, the Royal Society of Art, Women’s Federation for World Peace and the House of Lords. Patti is also a Patron of Eastside Educational Trust and Governor of BADA (the Drama Academy affiliated with Oxford and Yale Universities). Patti was awarded an OBE for her Charitable Work in the UK and Sub-Saharan Africa in 2016 and has been a lifelong champion of African and Caribbean education attainment.  We are very pleased that she will be joining our Board of Patrons sharing her experience and passion.