"...we need to demonstrate the outcome, how what we do at the centre impacts on the individuals we support and care for."

Sue Boswell, our new director of finance tells us about her first six months with Field Lane

When did you start working with Field Lane and what attracted you to the role?

I joined Field Lane at the beginning of March 2026 as Director of Finance, taking on responsibility for the Finance, HR, and IT functions. My professional background is rooted in the charity sector, having previously worked across a range of organisations, including a hospice, education and wildlife charities, and most relevantly, a group of care homes supporting adults with learning disabilities. This experience has given me a strong understanding of both the financial and operational challenges within the sector. The opportunity to join Field Lane felt like a natural fit. I’m keen to draw on my previous experience to support the organisation’s continued development. Working in a sector that continually operates within tight margins, I enjoy the challenge of finding ways to add more value and working more strategically, looking for funding opportunities and identifying areas where we can manage the budget better, and maximise the outcomes for the people we support.

What’s your priority for Field Lane?

It is important for me to see first-hand the valuable work taking place across the organisation and to better understand the diverse settings in which we support our residents. With a relatively large number of residents across different environments, gaining insight into these complexities will help inform our financial planning and support our long-term sustainability. It’s important to pull together the different threads of current and future funding, where and how it is allocated and understand that it is more than a transaction, it's a means to advocate and give a voice to the people we support. What we do makes a material difference to many people. To that end a key priority within my role is ensuring that we remain financially resilient, enabling us to continue delivering high-quality services while also preparing for potential changes in funding streams.

What’s your hope for the future Field Lane?

In addition to finance, I am focused on strengthening our support functions, particularly in HR and IT. This includes improving people and training systems, developing our IT infrastructure, and exploring opportunities to use technology to improve efficiency and service delivery where appropriate. Although my title is director of finance, my task is not just about churning what we have in the pot, it’s about asking questions as we go along, thinking about how we can do more without compromising our high standards of care. Everything comes back to our purpose – why we exist. It’s important to communicate clearly the reasons for the funding decisions we make, to be open and transparent. Also, we need to demonstrate the outcome, how what we do at the centre impacts on the individuals we support and care for. We give people aspirations and choices, something to look forward to. We help to make their lives the best they can be, giving them opportunities to be part of society and the ability to choose for themselves. I have thoroughly enjoyed my first few months getting to know the organisation, and I look forward to playing my part in supporting Field Lane’s ongoing success.