Elizabeth Mills runs public affairs consultancy, Éminence Grise, which provides strategic development, research and fundraising support, and event and conference management for a range of voluntary sector organisations. Clients have included The Campaign to End Loneliness, Age UK Oxfordshire, Norwood, DISCS Foundation, Friends of the Elderly, BUPA Care Services, the UK Age Research Forum. She is on the advisory board for apetito, the company providing wholesome meals for older people in receipt of domiciliary or residential care.
She was Director, Research into Ageing (the UK national medical research charity) from 1990 until 2001 when she led the charity into full merger with Help the Aged (now Age UK). In 2000, she was awarded the British Society for Research on Ageing “Lord Cohen of Birkenhead Medal for Services to Gerontology” and in 2002 she was awarded the OBE in the Queen’s Jubilee Honours for services to ageing research. In 2013 she received the award of Honorary Doctor of Science from the University of Brighton and in 2016 a similar Honorary Doctorate from the University of Aston.
Her voluntary activities include chairing the board of Creative Dementia Arts Network. She is also Honorary Director of Homeshare International, promoting the exchange of accommodation for companionship around the world and is actively involved with the Catholic church of St Aloysius, the Oxford Oratory, where she serves as Parish Registrar.
Elizabeth was an early trustee of AVUK from May 2003 until June 2016.