Meet the people behind Vision Norfolk
Our senior team
Our leadership and board of trustees provide the strategic direction and governance that ensures we continue to grow and evolve, and serve our community effectively.
Andrew Morter
Chief Executive
Andrew joined as Vision Norfolk’s Chief Executive in 2022, following 20 years’ experience in the voluntary sector, most recently at Norwich-based community charity Future Projects, where he was head of operations. Prior to this he was head of volunteering at Voluntary Norfolk, and he has also worked for the Citizens Advice Bureau.
He is deeply passionate about providing high-quality services and committed to tackling the barriers that prevent vision impaired people from living safe, independent and fulfilled lives – the mission of Vision Norfolk.
Karen Norton
Chair of Trustees
Karen is severely sight impaired with RP (Retinitis Pigmentosa) and has been an active service user since 2013, following her retirement after nearly 30 years of teaching. She worked as a class teacher, teaching all ages from 5 to 16, and spent the last 24 years of her career in middle and junior schools. Alongside her teaching role, she was part of the management team, serving as SENCO, Child Protection Officer, Looked After Children lead, and counsellor. During her final year of teaching, she was joined by her first guide dog, Holly, marking a special end to a long career in education.
Since retiring, Karen has explored various sports and leisure activities with Vision Norfolk and has been a trustee since 2015. She has spent significant time visiting residents at Thomas Tawell House, tenants at Hammond Court, and engaging with staff both formally and informally. In February 2022, she took over as Chair of Trustees.
Karen has a wide range of hobbies, including sewing and knitting—mainly for her grandchildren—decorating and furnishing a dolls’ house and haberdashery shop from scratch, photography, and visiting stately homes and gardens. She also assists her daughter with her soap craft business. Her time is often occupied by her toddler twin grandchildren and their older brother, keeping both her and her husband very busy.
Dr David Goldser
Vice-Chair of Trustees
Bio to be provided
Julian Foster
Treasurer
Julian joined Vision Norfolk as a trustee and treasurer, bringing particular expertise in supporting the charity’s financial operations. He is committed to helping make Vision Norfolk financially sustainable for the future.
Julian’s professional background is in finance, having worked as a finance director and corporate treasurer. Most of his recent experience has been with developing housing association groups in the Eastern region. Now largely retired, he serves as a non-executive director for the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital and has additional non-executive duties for the Havebury Housing Partnership. In the past, he was treasurer for both the national charity Crisis and the local charity Aylsham Care Trust.
Julian has two daughters, two stepchildren, and ten grandchildren. He is married to Rachel, who is an assistant priest in their church. Together, they have recently welcomed a young woman from Ukraine, Olha, into their home to help her build a new life in the UK.
In their retirement, Julian and Rachel have taken on the challenge of walking Norfolk’s long-distance footpaths. So far, they have completed the Boudicca, Wherryman’s, Marriott’s, and Weavers’ Ways, as well as the Norfolk Coastal Path.
Bridget Hemmant
Trustee
Bridget has worked in NHS eye care for over 30 years and is currently based at the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) and James Paget University Hospital (JPUH) eye departments.
She was raised and educated on the Isle of Wight before moving to Sheffield Medical School to train as a doctor. During her student elective in Sierra Leone, she decided to specialise in ophthalmology and work in the field of sight preservation. She trained at Moorfields Eye Hospital and completed a research MD on the causes of blindness. Her career has taken her across the world, including work in Australia, Africa, and India.
Her first consultant role was at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead before she returned to Norfolk in 2004 to embrace country life. She is married to a farmer’s son who has planted a vineyard and now produces wine in South Norfolk.
Bridget is an experienced ophthalmologist specialising in cataract and eyelid surgery, as well as the treatment of watery eyes and other ocular conditions. She joined Vision Norfolk’s board of trustees in July 2022 and is deeply passionate about delivering high-quality eye care across Norfolk and Suffolk.
Rachael Laurie
Trustee
Rachael recently retired from a corporate career in the insurance industry, where she held several senior commercial roles focused on business growth, market expansion, customer acquisition, and corporate partnerships.
She has led major projects that transformed businesses’ digital experiences, increasing awareness and service uptake. As a Board Director of an entrepreneur-led digital insurance business, she helped build organisational capability and mentored young talent.
Rachael continues to coach and support young people entering the employment market. She is also looking for ways to apply her professional experience to charitable causes and is delighted to be working with Vision Norfolk.
Born and raised in Norfolk, Rachael now lives in Rockland St Mary with her partner, Jonathan. Their farmhouse and its demanding garden occupy much of their time and energy. She is also passionate about travel, enjoys food, and loves hosting gatherings around the kitchen table.
Jamie Kidd
Trustee
Jamie is a partner at Howes Percival, specialising in property litigation. He manages a small team of lawyers across six offices in the UK. Born in North Walsham, Jamie trained at a small firm in Ipswich before moving to a national law firm, followed by a firm in London. He returned to Norwich in 2011, where he now lives with his wife and young son.
From 2013 to 2022, Jamie served as a board member of Norwich Housing Society, volunteering his expertise to support the management of various housing developments across the city. Outside of work, Jamie enjoys spending time in his garden, where he takes on mostly agricultural tasks—a hobby he finds highly rewarding.
Please help us support people through sight loss
Founded in 1805, Vision Norfolk is proud to be one of the longest-serving sight loss charities in the UK. We are dedicated to supporting people with vision impairment across the county, helping them lead independent and fulfilling lives.
