During her service she significantly expanded the charity's work, and was named one of the "50 most influential women in Britain" by The Times.
[2] She held voluntary roles as Chair of Teach First,[3] membership of both the National Council for Educational Excellence[6] and the Prime Minister's Talent and Enterprise Taskforce Advisory Group,[7] patron of the Helena Kennedy Bursary Scheme and previously Beanstalk (formerly known as Volunteer Reading Help), an ambassador for the World Wildlife Fund, and director of In Kind Direct.
[8][9] In recognition of her work, she was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1996 Birthday Honours for services to Training and to Equal Opportunities.
[2][12] She is one of the co-founders of the #iwill campaign, along with Amanda Jordan, for youth social action and sits on their board of trustees.
In 1986 she married W. John Garnett (died 14 August 1997), former director of The Industrial Society, by whom she has two daughters Tor and Charity.