Patrick Lyster-Todd is a retired Royal Navy officer of 20 years’ service who resigned to look after his hidden male partner – who died from HIV two days before his last day: at that time it remined a criminal offence just to be gay and in the military.
Patrick subsequently played a lead role in the campaign to lift the ban on LGBT+ people serving in the military, initially as Chair of Rank Outsiders. His first paid job after leaving the Navy was as the Terrence Higgins Trust’s first Health Promotion Officer for HIV positive people. He has also worked as a restaurateur, as manager of several gay bars, in television at a senior level, as Peter Tatchell’s General Manager and more latterly with Veterans charities, particularly in the field of homelessness and housing.
Currently he is the fundraising manager for the UK’s main Veterans housing charity. He has continued his voluntary work, as a director and then Vice-Chair of GMFA for 6 years, as a founding member and Director of Community Engagement for Pride in London for 5 years and today as a member of several local boards and committees including Merton Healthwatch. He was Chair of Fighting With Pride for its first two years and continues as a trustee of their board. Patrick is also a member of the MOD’s Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committee. He hopes that his varied experience can be put to good use as a trustee of Wandsworth Oasis by helping it navigate difficult waters in pursuit of its charitable objectives.