Take The Scotty's Pledge

The appointments come as Scotty's and its Board continue to evolve. While children remain at the heart of the charity through its Scotty's Little Soldiers service, later in 2026 Scotty's will begin supporting anyone affected by military-connected bereavement. Scotty’s is strengthening its governance and recruiting for the skills and expertise needed to support its future ambitions.

Martin joins Scotty's as its first Royal Navy Trustee, bringing a wealth of operational, support and leadership experience from both military service and industry.

After joining the Royal Navy in 1986, Martin held a range of leadership roles, including serving as Senior Naval Officer on HMS Illustrious. His final military role saw him play a key part in bringing the Type 45 platforms into service before leaving after 27 years of service.

Martin subsequently joined BAE Systems, where he helped deliver HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales to the Royal Navy as Aircraft Carrier Alliance Engineering Director. He currently serves as Engineering Authority, responsible for a diverse defence portfolio capability spanning the range of "Sense and Effect".

Speaking about joining Scotty’s as a Trustee, Martin said:

"I've seen first-hand the impact that family support, and support for families, has on operational effectiveness. People are a critical part of capability. Providing stability for those who serve and having the right support in place if something does happen, makes a real difference to individuals, families and leadership alike.

"I'm not a counsellor, but I have seen both the positive and negative effects of support in the defence environment, during operations and in day-to-day life. At BAE Systems, we talk about 'protecting those who protect us'. As I move from supporting Scotty's to becoming a Trustee, I see this as an opportunity to build on that, supporting all those who support those who protect us."

Joining him on the Board is Nikki Douglass, a Senior Civil Servant within the Ministry of Defence, currently serving within National Armaments as lead for Enterprise Service Management.

A defining chapter of Nikki's career was the eight years she spent leading the Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC) during the Afghanistan campaign. In this highly sensitive role, she oversaw support to the families of service personnel who had died or been seriously injured, ensuring they received compassionate, coordinated and professional care at their time of greatest need.

Speaking about her appointment, Nikki said:

"It is a privilege to support a charity that makes such a profound difference to the lives of bereaved Armed Forces families. Every child and adult deserves the chance to thrive, even in the face of unimaginable loss.

"Scotty's work is built on compassion, community and resilience — values that resonate deeply with me. I am proud to play a part in helping the charity reach even more people who need support."

Stuart Robinson, Chief Executive of Scotty's, said:

"Martin and Nikki bring an exceptional combination of Defence, leadership and professional experience that will strengthen our Board at a pivotal moment in our journey.

"As Scotty's evolves to support anyone affected by military-connected bereavement, we are ensuring our governance evolves too. We are building a Board with the skills and perspectives needed to help us achieve our ambitions while remaining true to the families we exist to serve."

Scotty’s also thank three Trustees who have recently left for their dedication and long-term service.

Stuart added:

"On behalf of everyone at Scotty's, I would like to thank Steven Ward, Luke Priestley and Dominic O'Sullivan for the significant contribution they have made during their time as Trustees. Their support, guidance and commitment have helped shape the charity and positioned us strongly for the future. We wish them all the very best."

As Scotty's continues to develop, the charity expects to recruit additional Trustees with specific skills and expertise to support its future ambitions.

Anyone interested in learning more about future Trustee opportunities is invited to register their interest by emailing [email protected].

Founded in 2010 by Army widow Nikki Scott after her husband, Corporal Lee Scott, was killed in Afghanistan in 2009, Scotty's has supported bereaved Forces children and young people for more than 15 years. Later in 2026, the charity will expand its services to support anyone affected by military-connected bereavement, reflecting its ambition to empower a community of more than 25,000 bereaved people by 2035.