Our Trustees 

About me

After leaving university, I spent a few years working in training for Fortnum & Mason and for the Royal College of Nursing in London.  I moved to Sheffield in 1989 and chose to stay at home to look after the four children who followed.  During this time, I trained as a teacher with the NCT and taught antenatal classes for 14 years, supporting over 600 sets of parents in Sheffield and in 1997, I qualified as a massage therapist teaching baby massage classes as well as seeing clients.  Both  these allowed me to work part-time from home around the needs of my family.  In 2008, I moved to my own premises, and built up the massage business.  In 2016 I qualified as a psychotherapist and now run both parts of the business from my rooms Abbeydale Road, subletting to other therapists starting out in their own private work.

I volunteered in a variety of pre-school settings for 12 years, co-ran a girls football club for 10 years and have filled numerous roles in the local church for the last thirty years, currently as church warden. 

What I bring to Share

I have seven years of experience as a therapist now and want to continue to offer that to those who are in need of it, alongside my understanding of working in private practice.  I have a particular interest in working with the LGBT+ community.  As for being on the board of trustees, I bring the specific experience of being a volunteer at Share, as well as being a practicing psychotherapist, alongside my love for the organisation itself.

In training as a psychotherapist with Academy:SPACE, I was required to find a counselling placement and Share had been recommended to me by a church acquaintance who was already a volunteer with the charity.  I came in 2014 as a student and have stayed on as a volunteer ever since, joining the board in 2018. 

As I am self-employed and work alone, Share means a lot to me as a workplace, where I can feel a sense of belonging and be among colleagues.  And as an organisation dedicated to making therapy available to so many who would, otherwise, be unable to afford or access it, I believe Share is vital in the mental health landscape of Sheffield.

About me

I’ve always been fascinated by people—their behaviors, motivations, and how they navigate the world. Studying psychology at university sparked this passion, and it has remained a central theme throughout my career. I began as a Personnel Manager in retail before retraining as a secondary school teacher. Now, I work as an executive coach and Director of Curriculum for an award-winning apprenticeship provider. In 2018, I started my journey to becoming a counsellor. As part of my training, I had the privilege of volunteering with Share Psychotherapy from September 2019 to December 2021 while working towards a Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy. I later went on to complete a Master’s degree. Outside of work, I’m married with two boys and two dogs. I love exploring new places in our campervan. When my boys were younger, I volunteered as a Scout Leader, which gave me a real appreciation for the power of community.

What I bring to Share

My career has spanned leadership roles across education, business, and coaching, including Director of Curriculum, Executive Coach, and Head of Business and Enterprise at a large secondary school. These experiences have given me strong skills in strategic planning, governance, and team leadership. Managing cross-functional teams and navigating complex operational challenges has given me a deep understanding of how to drive positive change within an organisation. I’m excited to contribute to Share Psychotherapy in my role as a trustee, helping to shape its strategic direction and expand access to affordable, high-quality mental health support. Integrity, inclusivity, and collaboration are values I hold strongly, and I look forward to playing a role in making a meaningful impact.

About me

I worked for three medium sized non-governmental organisations in the international development sector for 25 years. My work has given me the privilege to travel across Africa and Asia and to a lesser extent Latin America. Over the years my work shifted from developing and managing projects and raising funds to leading policy and advocacy work at national and global levels. As a director I have been involved in developing organisational strategies and change management. I am passionate about authentic, people-centre leadership.

In late 2019 I started to freelance, enabling me to volunteer locally and shift the focus of my work to smaller charities in the UK and internationally. I facilitate team development processes, lead strategy and planning processes and convene workshops and awaydays. In mid-2020 I co-developed and ran a virtual development programme for new and middle managers on authentic management. My volunteering work includes being on the management group of a local foodbank and running a food box scheme.

In December 2021 I will take up my role as the Managing Director of the Centre for Systemic Constellations (www.thecsc.net) and in early 2022 I will join the systemic constellation foundation course to learn more about how to shift the tensions, trauma, and imbalances we experience in our lives, at home, at work and in the wider social context in which we live.  

What I bring to Share

My work in the international charity sector has given me valuable insights as to what it takes to manage a charity. I trust that my admin, management, fundraising, networking and strategy development skills are helping to sustain and grow Share’s work.

I have been a trustee since late 2019 and simply love what Share does. I have faced difficult times in my life and without therapeutic support I would not be who I am today.  Thus, I know what difference therapy can make and I am passionate about Share providing support to people who need it, who can’t afford to pay market rates and/or for whom the NHS provision simply doesn’t deliver.

And however hard and tough the COVID19 crises is for everyone, it is also an opportunity to get rid of the stigma of mental health and ensure therapeutic support is available for everyone who needs it, when they need it.

About me

I have spent much of my career as a project and business manager within the health and social care field, including a stint as Business Manger for Share 2018-2020. I started my career as a carer for people with a wide range of physical and mental health needs, have worked for the Royal College of Psychiatrists on relational and therapeutic practice networks, and in local government, national government and other organisations in the charity sector. My degree was in Interpreting (British Sign Language and English) and I am a qualified sign language interpreter, enjoying the challenge of good, succinct communication and adapting language to suit differing audiences. 

Outside of work I am an active member of Out Aloud, Sheffield's LGBT+ choir, having been the co-coordinator for three years during the COVID-19 pandemic. I have supported the choir with work around equality and inclusion and have organised various events. I live with my wife and four cats on the outskirts of Sheffield, where we have been for the last six years. We have a camper van and spend much of our time exploring the UK and beyond!

What I bring to Share

My aim is to complement the other trustees' specialist skills with my broad operational knowledge and strategic thinking. I have joined the Share board at a pivotal time for the organisation and my previous work in policy development, business planning and helping groups develop a shared vision will, I hope, come in useful as we plan Share's future. As a previous employee I also bring historical operational knowledge, some of which is useful in supporting the continuous improvement of Share's processes and procedures. 

About me

Volunteering has always been important to me, especially in my local community. I believe that while the world's challenges can feel overwhelming, focusing on improving ‘our bit’ can make a real difference. Through volunteering, I’ve had great experiences, gained valuable skills and found wonderful communities.

I get a huge amount of purpose, as well as pleasure, from my day job. My career path started with a ‘gap year’ that never really ended—I worked briefly in car sales before moving into the mobility sector, then spent a decade in Quality and Environmental Management at the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre before transitioning to lead our Industrial Partnerships work. I took an unconventional route, studying part time whilst working, to get Masters Degrees in Corporate Management Pychology and Environmental Management.

I was drawn to Share because I believe mental health support is vital, and I admire how the charity not only helps those who need support but also provides crucial experience for future therapists. In my spare time I love to travel, I do Strong Woman and I have recently bought a van that I am converting (very slowly) into a camper. I will also talk to you, at length, about the true crime podcast that I listen to and Henry VIII’s six wives!

What I bring to Share

I bring experience in leadership, governance, and organisational culture, with a strong background in quality, health and safety, and environmental management. My career in the advanced manufacturing sector has equipped me with the skills to develop strategy, manage risk, and ensure compliance—key aspects of effective charity governance as well as being innovative and looking for non-traditional solutions to challenges.

I value integrity, kindness, pragmatism, resilience, courage, and the ability to keep an open mind and to have fun whilst getting the job done, and I try to reflect this in my approach to being a trustee.