Farewell to Baroness Prashar: Cumberland Lodge welcomes new Chair of Trustees

Usha Prashar in Cumberland Lodge

On behalf of everyone at Cumberland Lodge, we express our gratitude to The Rt Hon. the Baroness (Usha) Prashar of Runnymede CBE, who has stepped down from our Board of Trustees.

Having first joined the Board in January 2007, Baroness Prashar became our Chair in January 2019. During her tenure she strengthened Cumberland Lodge’s strategic direction, reinforcing our standing as place for critical thinking and constructive conversations, as well as helping us to navigate the challenges of COVID-19.

As we bid farewell to Baroness Prashar, we are delighted to confirm that John Lotherington has taken over as our new Chair of Trustees. John brings to the role a wealth of experience in the charitable and educational sectors, having joined the Board in July 2019 and served as our Vice Chair since July 2022.

The Rt Hon. the Baroness Prashar CBE said:

“I am very proud of what we have achieved during my time at Cumberland Lodge, and I want to thank colleagues for their support and hard work. I am delighted that John has been appointed as the new Chair, and I am very confident that with his leadership, alongside a new incoming Chief Executive and the excellent team already working at the Lodge, the organisation will continue to thrive.”

Chair of Trustees, John Lotherington, said:

“I want to thank Baroness Prashar for her outstanding service to Cumberland Lodge, both as Chair and during her previous term as a Trustee, and I hope she will remain closely involved with our work. I am honoured to take on this position, and I look forward to working closely with the Trustees, the staff, and the wider community, to continue fostering dialogue, understanding, and positive action on some of society’s most complex issues.”

John began his tenure as Chair earlier this month, and we look forward to working with him to further strengthen our commitment to building more peaceful, just, and inclusive societies.