Meet our Proctors: Mary Sharkey

Mary Sharkey has recently joined us as proctor of St Bartholomew’s Hospital Almshouses. Steve, the previous proctor, has moved to an IT and Cybersecurity role within the Trust, which has allowed a good handover with Mary over the last few months.

Mary found out about Newbury Almshouse Trust from the V365 Volunteer Fair in January this year. Initially going along to see what was available in the area, she got talking to our Vice Chairman Justin at our stand and was soon interested in becoming a proctor.

Mary has always wanted to do voluntary work, after finishing her Project Manager contract role in 2025. She began her working life in IT as a programmer, before becoming a business analyst and then spending many years working for the NHS and other public service bodies as a project manager. She worked in hospitals implementing large IT systems, a varied role which involved talking to the new system users to ensure the proposed system will meet their needs. Often suppliers implement big IT systems sign off following implementation, and it was Mary’s job to ensure it was fit for purpose and users appropriately trained before the supplier left.

These skills in communication and project management are a big benefit to Newbury Almshouse Trust, and Mary has already fitted into her role brilliantly. Both Steve and Mary have recently visited all the residents in St Bart’s, which involved a brief house inspection and introducing residents to Mary. She says, “It’s been really nice to meet residents and other volunteers. Everyone at St Bart’s is really lovely and it’s amazing how much time people give up to volunteer.”

In her spare time, Mary likes travelling, cycling and gardening. She enjoys a cycling holiday each year with friends in Northern France, and is now travelling farther afield. She spent three weeks exploring India earlier this year, an amazing experience where she found out more about the culture of India and how the country is changing. She is hoping to try to travel somewhere new every year.

“To fit in with my budget but also out of preference I stay in small guest houses or hotels as I don’t think you experience the real country and people if you are in a  5-star hotels, which could be anywhere in the world. It’s a different experience in a guesthouse in Delhi.”

She is looking forward to doing more with Newbury Almshouse Trust as she develops her proctor role, and we are incredibly happy to have her as part of the team.

If you’d like to find out more about volunteering with Newbury Almshouse Trust, contact us today.