Our team

Jilly is the founder of Beyond the Wire. She was an army spouse for nearly 20 years until the death of her husband Colonel Nick Carrell, who died while serving in 2021. Her experience of navigating the bureaucracies, rules, and fragmented support available to bereaved Armed Forces families highlighted the need for increased focus on the issues, and a desperate need to drive improvement and change.

In a professional capacity, Jilly has worked for a number of Armed Forces charities across policy, development, and grant-giving roles. This combination of professional insight and powerful life experience is at the heart of the mission of Beyond The Wire. Jilly is a passionate advocate for improving thriving lives for the military bereaved.

Neil is a seasoned leader, serving for 20 years in the Army, and more recently in education leadership, specifically operations and finance. He has board level experience, as Chair, Vice Chair, and board member.

His military service was split between military intelligence and logistics, in both the Intelligence Corps (as a soldier) and The Royal Logistic Corps (as an officer). Neil’s military service saw him serve in Bosnia, Africa, Iraq, and Afghanistan, with postings in the UK and Germany.

Neil currently serves as the Director of Operations and Finance at Royal Russell School South London. With a strong background in strategic leadership, Neil plays a pivotal role in shaping the culture and operational excellence of the school, which educates over 1,450 pupils and operates in London and internationally.

Neil is also the immediate past Chair of the Independent Schools’ Bursars Association (ISBA), where he championed innovation, collaboration, and professional development across the independent education sector.

Elle left the RAF in 2003 having had an active operational career as an RAF Operations Officer, mainly with the Support Helicopter Force. Her service career was followed by senior management roles in local government and the NHS which covered Customer Relations, Mental Health and Acute Care Commissioning and Transformation Programme Management. Elle most recently worked for a boutique cross-sector management consultancy company working in Europe and Asia and she is now an independent management consultant.

Her initial focus is to ensure clear, fair, and consistent governance is in place to give Beyond the Wire a firm foundation on which to achieve our aims.

In a wide-ranging career Fiona has worked as a news journalist for BBC, ITN, APTN, and Reuters before becoming Chief of Staff to a senior UK government minister and working across a number of departments including Foreign and Commonwealth Office, International Trade, Justice, Education, Environment, and Food & Rural Affairs.

Fiona is the founder of Parly Connect – a UK and Europe based government, communications and external relations consultancy. She is also a trustee of the Keystone Development Trust, a community resource and support charity operating in the East of England. Her experience of navigating the complexities of government and policy, combined with a strong news sense in recognising the best ways to engage external audiences, is an essential part of how Beyond the Wire will make a difference to Armed Forces bereaved families.

Harriet is a counsellor/psychotherapist, EMDR Therapist and clinical supervisor. Her background is 28-years as a nurse in both the NHS and the Army. She specialises in working with people navigating bereavement, trauma, anxiety, and life limiting illnesses and works in both the third sector and in private practice.

As an Army spouse for 22 years, Harriet brings lived experience of the unique pressures and emotional demands placed on armed forces families.

Her aim is to add value to Beyond The Wire’s mission by shining a light on how to find compassionate, trauma informed support, information and specialist help when a bereaved armed forces family needs it most.

Spike has had a long career within the Royal Army Pay Corps and Adjutants General Corps, serving 22 years, Warrant Officer Class 1. He also was a freelance lecturer in accounting and tax, shortlisted for Financial Accounting Tutor of 2005.

Spike is currently involved in Charted Management – Hd Finance, Security Services Group (MOD) who provide technology-based security solutions to Critical National Infrastructure sites.

Spike provides Beyond the Wire with much welcomed guidance and advice in relation to funding, the financial aspects of operating a CIC, and governance support.

Anna is a business leader with extensive experience in strategy, organisational development, and cultural transformation. She has held senior HR roles at HSBC, BP Plc, Unilever, and most recently, Babcock. Now working as a Consultant and Interim HRD, Anna partners with leaders to implement strategic people initiatives.

Anna’s connection to the armed forces began when she served as a Private in the Territorial Army. She later became a Navy wife, married to Sean, then a serving member of the Fleet Air Arm. Her experience as a military spouse and of the incredible armed forces families she met along the way, fuels her passion for Beyond The Wire. She is committed to increasing recognition of the contribution of armed forces families, and driving meaningful, lasting change.

She holds an MA in International Security Studies and a BA (Hons) in War Studies with History.