Patrons & Ambassadors
Meet the Patrons and Ambassadors who champion Borne’s work, helping us raise awareness and drive progress towards a future where no baby is born too soon.
Meet Our Patrons & Ambassadors
Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice
HRH Princess Beatrice of York is a Patron of Borne, supporting the charity’s mission to prevent preterm birth. Speaking about her personal connection following the recent birth of her daughter, she said, “The work that Borne is undertaking is something that is incredibly close and personal to me. Every year in the UK, 60,000 babies are delivered too soon, with little information or research as to why this is. That is why I am really looking forward to supporting Borne and its programme of groundbreaking research, which I hope will help thousands of parents and children in the future.”
Will Greenwood, MBE
Will is a hugely dedicated Patron of Borne, inspired by the loss of his first son, Freddie, who was born at just 23 weeks. Motivated by this personal connection, he works tirelessly to build a world where no parent experiences the heartbreak he endured. Will plays a central role in Borne’s fundraising efforts, hosting the charity’s annual Golf Day and taking on extraordinary challenges, including trekking to the North Pole, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, and completing the Costa Rica Coast-to-Coast Challenge, collectively raising hundreds of thousands of pounds to support research aimed at preventing preterm birth.
Caro Tasker
Caro Tasker is a writer, blogger, and mother of four who speaks openly and passionately about her experiences as a parent. She is a dedicated Patron for Borne, raising awareness about premature birth and offering support and hope to families through her popular social media channels. Caro co-hosts the highly successful Borne podcast and has actively participated in fundraising efforts, including climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in 2014. Her honest and heartfelt storytelling inspires her wide follower base while championing vital research to prevent preterm birth, making her a central voice in the Borne community.
Dame Darcey Bussell, DBE
Darcey is an extremely passionate Patron of Borne and has helped raise thousands of pounds by co-hosting the charity’s highly successful Borne to Dance events alongside fellow Ambassador Michael Nunn OBE. These spectacular evenings of dance have generated vital awareness and critical funding for Borne’s research into preventing premature birth. Reflecting on her commitment to the cause, Darcey says, “Dance illustrates the beauty that humankind can achieve, given the opportunity. By supporting Borne, a charity close to my heart that is funding vital research to stop babies from being born premature, we can give so many more the opportunity to reach their full potential, unaffected by disability.”
Laura Tobin
Laura Tobin is a renowned ITV weather presenter celebrated for her expertise in meteorology and her warm, engaging on-screen presence. After years of delivering trusted forecasts to millions, Laura has also become a passionate advocate for maternal and neonatal health. As a parent who’s experienced the uncertainty of premature birth, Laura ius a Borne Ambassador helping raise awareness and support vital research into preventing premature birth. Driven by both personal experience and a commitment to scientific progress, she uses her platform to highlight the urgent need for better understanding, improved care, and meaningful change for families everywhere.
Sophie Ellis-Bextor
Sophie Ellis-Bextor is a mother of five boys, two of whom were born prematurely, and became an Ambassador for Borne after Professor Mark Johnson delivered her earliest and smallest baby, Kit, who weighed just 2lb 6oz at birth. Her personal experience has made premature birth a deeply important cause in her life, and she actively supports Borne’s mission to improve outcomes for premature babies. Reflecting on her commitment, Sophie says, “We should do everything we can to stop premature birth and give every baby the best shot at life by keeping them safely inside for 9 months.”
Alistair Petrie
Alistair and his wife Lucy experienced the harsh reality of preterm birth when their twin boys, Brodie and Cal, were born at just 30 weeks. After an agonising two and a half months in the NICU, they were finally able to bring home two babies who are now healthy adults. Since then, Alistair has become a committed advocate for Borne, regularly attending events, championing the cause on social media, and undertaking numerous challenges. Reflecting on his motivation, he says, “Other people, right now, will be in the position that we were in. People will lose their children – because of something that had nothing to do with them. And so, when asked the question ‘Why did it happen?’ – for no one to be able to turn round and say ‘It was because of this’ – that has to change.”
Ellie Gibson
Ellie Gibson is a comedian, games journalist, and one-half of the double act Scummy Mummies. She became an advocate for Borne after her son Joe was born nine weeks early. Alongside her comedy partner Helen Thorn, Ellie ran the 2021 London Marathon, raising thousands of pounds for Borne’s vital work. She also co-hosts the wonderful Borne Podcast, using it to raise awareness of premature birth and the challenges families face. Reflecting on her experience, Ellie says, “Like so many women, I had no idea I was at risk of having a premature birth. I am very proud to support Borne and in awe of the amazing work they are doing.”
Jason Fox
Jason Fox, born two months prematurely, is a committed ambassador for Borne. Drawing on his own early arrival, he champions awareness and research into premature birth. In 2018, Jason undertook a gruelling expedition to the North Pole, raising thousands of pounds for Borne and helping fund a pioneering research programme aimed at preventing premature birth. His advocacy combines personal experience with extraordinary determination, inspiring support for the vital work of understanding and reducing the risks of preterm delivery.
Shanyan Koder
Shanyan has been a vital partner to Borne, using her art world expertise to support the charity’s mission. She hosted two art evenings at Unit London’s Mayfair gallery, raising tens of thousands of pounds for premature birth research. Passionate about the cause, she says, “I am delighted to support Borne, a charity very close to my heart. Premature birth is the biggest killer of children under five, and we simply do not know enough about its causes or prevention. Borne has the vision and determination to lead in premature birth research and help more babies have a healthy, happy life.”
Michael Nunn, OBE
Alongside Borne Patron Darcy Bussell, Michael has played a key role in raising thousands of pounds for Borne by co-hosting the charity’s remarkable Borne to Dance events. These spectacular evenings of dance have helped generate vital awareness and funds for research into premature birth. “I know from personal experience how life-changing it can be when a child is born with a disability. Preterm birth is linked to many lifelong disabilities such as cerebral palsy, chronic lung disease and other debilitating conditions. Borne’s life-saving research on premature birth shines a light on this overlooked and underfunded area of need that leaves many children with a disability.”
Dean & Sarah Mumm
Dean and his wife Sarah are parents to six children, though tragically, only two survived. Their four babies—Sophie, Henry, Ella, and Grace—were born prematurely and did not live beyond the first few days of their lives. Motivated by their loss, Dean and Sarah devote their time to supporting Borne and founded Borne HMRI, a collaboration with the Hunter Medical Research Institute in Australia. Through local fundraising, they help drive pioneering research into preterm birth. Reflecting on their experience, Dean says, “You expect pregnancies to go well and it didn’t for us. There were a lot of questions about why this had happened and why it happened to us.”
Hannah Barrett
Hannah Barrett is a yoga instructor and devoted mum-of-two who has passionately supported Borne since 2018. As an ambassador for Fierce Calm, she mobilised the yoga community to fundraise for Borne, notably leading a global livestream from the Gratitude Festival in June 2019. Beyond fundraising, Hannah uses her platform of 368,000 followers to raise awareness about premature birth and Borne’s vital research. Through her ongoing advocacy, she highlights the challenges faced by families affected by preterm birth and helps generate crucial support for scientific efforts aimed at understanding and preventing premature delivery.
Erin O’Connor, MBE
Erin is a celebrated model and passionate advocate for maternal and infant health. Having experienced two complicated pregnancies, she is now the proud mother of two healthy, adorable children. Reflecting on her journey, Erin says, “We were very fortunate to come out the other side, but thousands and thousands of babies are born preterm every year and we don’t know why… we just simply still don’t have the answers.” As an active ambassador for Borne, she leverages her wide social media reach to raise awareness, most recently launching her ‘Home Catwalk Challenge’—a virtual fundraising campaign generating vital support for the charity.
Francesco Mazzei
Francesco Mazzei, Borne Ambassador, was born in Calabria, Italy, where he developed a passion for cooking from a young age, baking bread and making pasta with his family. He trained under his uncle and renowned chef Angelo Sabetta, mastering Italian cakes and gelato. Francesco joined D&D’s Sartoria as Chef Patron in 2015, opened Fiume in Battersea in 2017, and recently launched Mezzogiorno at the Corinthia Hotel London, celebrating Southern Italian cuisine. Awarded the OMRI (Order of Merit of the Italian Republic) in 2019, he has cooked for King Charles and leads a charitable project in Cairo, training orphaned and disadvantaged youth as professional chefs.
Greg Rusedski
Former British number one tennis player Greg Rusedski and his wife Lucy are longstanding supporters of Borne, having been introduced to the charity after experiencing multiple miscarriages. Greg says, “For many people the journey into parenthood is not easy or straightforward. This is why the research Borne funds is vital to the future of children, their parents and families.” A passionate advocate, he champions Borne’s work by representing the charity at corporate events, donating prizes, and raising awareness through his social media channels, helping to support vital research into improving outcomes for babies and families affected by pregnancy complications.