Camp Simcha new chair to build on predecessor’s ‘magnificent legacy’

Camp Simcha has announced a new chair of trustees with Simon Johnson taking over from Julian Taylor, who is retiring after nearly 13 years in the position.

A former chief executive of the Jewish Leadership Council (JLC), Johnson is already a trustee of Camp Simcha, which supports UK families who have a seriously ill child.

“I am honoured to have been trusted to assume the chair of this great charity,” said Johnson, “working with the excellent staff and trustee board and following in the illustrious footsteps of Julian and those who led the charity before him. Camp Simcha is a wonderful charity, which I have supported for many years and it is one that has deep support and affection within the community.

“I look forward to building on the magnificent legacy that Julian has left and continuing on with all he has achieved as chair, to ensure that Camp Simcha continues to provide outstanding support to those families so in need of our care.”

During Taylor’s time as chair, he has overseen the charity’s expansion to support families of children with serious and life-changing conditions where it was previously limited to life-threatening illnesses.

More recently Camp Simcha has also extended its services to families whose child has a serious mental health condition and those who have suffered trauma or acute illness.

He championed innovation and progression to ensure the charity grew its services to meet need, with new initiatives such as animal assisted therapies and sibling retreat, as well as the rapid response and transition to remote support during Covid.

Speaking of his time as chair, Taylor said: “It has been a privilege to be chair of trustees at Camp Simcha for nearly 13 years. I continue to be passionate about the amazing, bespoke, life-changing work the charity does and the difference it makes for families trying to cope with the most difficult of circumstances.

“It has been an honour to be part of its growth and I look forward to seeing Camp Simcha going from strength to strength with Simon as the new chair.”