Meet Our Trustees

I trained as a Chartered Accountant with PwC in Bristol, and then moved up to Manchester where I held a number of senior finance positions in the Banking, Construction and the Retail Sectors. I now work for a large social housing group, and have a professional interest in process improvement and making finance easy to understand for non-finance experts. I have also been a Governor of primary and secondary schools and Treasurer of a local rugby club

I like to think that I take an objective, constructive viewpoint at Supportability and I’m happy to challenge the charity’s management to maintain a rigorous financial control environment and ensure that its finances are well looked after.

I have lived in Stockport all my life and been a wheelchair user since I contracted polio in early childhood. I was lucky enough to have had a good education and to graduate with a degree in Economics and International Politics. My career of 44 years was as a manager in the NHS retiring as a Strategic Planner and Specialised Services Commissioner, working regionally and nationally, in 2012. I became a Trustee of Supportability in 2010 and hope I am using my experience at work and of living with disability to help the Charity in supporting disabled people and their carers to live fuller lives.

I graduated from university in 1990 and qualified as a Chartered Surveyor three years later. My early career was spent with the Inland Revenue; however, I have spent the last twenty plus years working for a Multi-National Trader. I have been a Stockport resident most of my life and I am married with two children. I first joined the board of trustees in 2008, and following a couple of years away, I re-joined in 2021. I have no personal connection with disabilities however I hope my professional experience, especially in property, will be of assistance to the charity.

My son has been attending Supportability’s Skills Group since 1992 and I have always been amazed at the love, help and dedication that the organisations staff have shown him over the years. I joined the Board of Trustees in 2010 to give some time to the Charity so that their work continues to flourish. I believe passionately that people with disabilities should be given the best help available from our community so that they can have lives filled with love, fun and purpose.

I decided to leave my job in Retail when my son was born with Downs Syndrome. I became a Trustee for a local Stockport charity called Sharecare and served for 5 years before they merged with Supportability in 2005. Since then I have been a member of the Charity’s Board. My son has attended some of the services offered by Supportability and enjoyed being part of them. I currently work for another local Stockport charity as a Senior Officer.

I have enjoyed attending Board meetings, visiting Cheddle Lodge and look forward to contributing further to the organisation and learning more about the good work they do.

I trained as an occupational therapist many years ago and have worked with children and adults with disabilities for most of my working life. I have experience in the health service, local authority and voluntary sector and enjoyed seeing how these organisations can work together to really support people and develop services to meet people’s needs. At present, I work for the NHS as a manager, helping to integrate services across Manchester. I moved to Stockport in 2019 and wanted to use some of my spare time to support people to enjoy life … and found that Supportability does just that!