Our patron and ambassadors - Maria Collins

Maria Collins lives in Flitwick, with her husband and their cockapoo, Ruby. She has two daughters and three grandchildren.

Maria had an extensive career in the NHS, her nursing qualifications initially gained at the Luton & Dunstable Hospital, with further qualifications gained in a variety of health care settings. Her professional experience includes London teaching hospitals, community roles, public health services and prison health. Her final NHS role being, Director of Partnerships & Public Health at Great Ormond Hospital. Since setting up her own business as a social care provider through Home Instead in 2010 – with a goal of changing the face of ageing and revising the model of care provided to individuals in their own homes in Luton and Central Bedfordshire – she has not looked back.

Her passion for improving care for those living with or affected by dementia, having lived family experience of that, led on beyond and through her business, to create a partnership with a local parish to establish a dementia friendly community café – called Young@Heart, supporting at least eighty individuals each week since 2016. Additionally, Maria has been an enthusiastic supporter of Keech, having held the role of Trustee for 12 years, she also held role of Chair of the Luton Dementia Action Alliance and is a Dementia Friends Ambassador.
Maria was awarded the Paul Harris Award by the local Rotary Chapter for her service and contribution to the community in 2020.