A Friend In Deed
Karen Randolph, Chairman of the Friends of Thames Ditton Hospital, doesn't sit back while causes need to be fought for: "If you can't care for the good things close by in your community, what chance is there that the wider world will become a better place? But," she adds quickly, "don't make me out to be a goody-goody!"
Surrey-born Karen studied History and Politics at Reading University, then worked in management for BT in Guildford and London before joining Williams and Glynn's Bank. Under the auspicious dome of the London Planetarium she met Paul, and when their son arrived twenty-three years ago they moved to Thames Ditton, with Karen working locally in marketing research. Three years later, the very premature birth of daughter Hannah prompted Karen to become an active supporter of the Born-Too-Soon charity at Kingston Hospital. When in the early 1990s she read in Thames Ditton Today about Tesco's plans to despoil beautiful Giggs Hill Green with a supermarket, garage and carpark, Karen picked up the phone to the Chairman of the Residents' Association and was immediately recruited. Although Tesco was able to deploy immense resources, the RA's campaign was successful. Karen went on to become Membership Secretary and later a very effective Chairman of the Association. Meanwhile Karen ran a very strong Junior section at Thames Ditton Tennis Club, which weighed heavily with the authorities when in an historic legal case the Club succeeded in resisting plans to develop their leased land.
Karen is able and effective when presenting a case, pragmatic and energetic in pursuing one. Paul cautions that although he's a barrister he doesn't win many arguments over the breakfast table! Personable, engaging and refreshingly down-to-earth, she caught the eye of Sir Curtis Keeble and was brought onto the Committee of the Friends of Thames Ditton Hospital. As Chairman, Karen keeps a sharp eye on Surrey's Primary Care Trust and has fought repeated battles to keep going a local facility that would, if the NHS's promises had been kept, provide 14 beds for needy local patients. Karen's acquired a taste for getting things done. The last word is with her: "We've all had experiences in our lives where we got frustrated. I just decided I should do something about it."