Trustee of the Month – Margaret Cooper
Date: 19 January 2026
Where were you born?
Nantwich in Cheshire
Where is home now?
Lytham St Annes
What was your first job?
My first proper job was as a spotlight operator at the North Pier Theatre Blackpool. It’s where I met my husband, he was the stage lighting man.
What is your favourite food?
Cheese in any shape or form.
What is your favourite film?
It has to be the original Halloween. Nothing beats a good scary movie.
What was the first album/single you ever bought?
Gonna Make You a Star by David Essex circa 1973
What are you most proud of personally or professionally?
I would have to say my family, in particular staying married to the North Pier lighting man for forty-five years. Professionally – Working with so many great people and seeing them develop into senior research roles over the years. Also helping to develop the research infrastructure across Cumbria and Lancashire in the early days of the NIHR.
You are stranded on a desert island – what one item you would take with you (book, album, luxury item)
An axe or similar tools to build a shelter and hopefully dig for water.
What do you enjoy most about being a Trustee?
Being able to support a community that is often forgotten and misunderstood in the NHS. R&D management can be a lonely profession at times, and I like to think the Forum offers advice, training, and peer support to the whole research community.