All our Trustees/Directors are volunteers (i.e. they work on an unpaid basis). They come from a variety of backgrounds with a wide range of skills required to run an organisation like the Basement Project.
Lindsay joined the Board in 2013 and has a background in marketing, communications and organisational development within the Voluntary Sector. She was managing editor of a national charity magazine and later focused on communications, training voluntary sector organisations in marketing, communications, Governance and good practice in volunteering. She is a former CEO of Worcester Volunteer Centre and its community transport operation and was an NCVO Investing in Volunteers Advisor for the county. She lives in Catshill.
David’s background is in Business Management, Sales, Marketing and Business Analytics. He has been a business consultant and was previously the International Business Director for an American supplier of high tech communication aids for people with speech disabilities, running the UK company, which he took from start-up to become the market leader, and with responsibilities for distribution in Europe and Australasia. He has been a main Board Director of the British Healthcare Trades Association and is currently chairman of the Speech Aid Sector. He is also the County Organiser for the National Gardens Scheme in Worcestershire, a voluntary Ranger on the Birmingham/Worcester canal, a member of MENSA, a Methodist Lay Preacher and a published author. A Bromsgrove High School ex pupil he has spent most of his life in this area and has been a Trustee/Director of the Basement Project since 2011.
Originally from Kidderminster but now living in Foxlydiate, Redditch, John retired as Finance Manager for a subsidiary of an international group of companies which specialises in the provision of financial services to other businesses. He has previously worked with Lloyds Bank, Bank of Scotland subsidiaries and a large automotive organisation. He now also works as a volunteer with the National Trust, Canal & River Trust (formerly British Waterways), and is a trustee of the pension scheme of his former employer. He joined the Basement Project in 2012.
Sheila has a lifetime of experience in Guiding. She worked for Worcestershire County Youth Service for 15 years . In 1999, with three other Youth Workers, she founded Bromsgrove Youth Homelessness Forum, which later became known as ‘The Basement Project’. She was the first Chairperson and has remained a Trustee/Director ever since. She also has experience in a ‘hands-on’ capacity, having worked as a volunteer for several years. She was awarded, by Rotary International, The Paul Harris Award for ‘Service to the Young People of Bromsgrove’. Sheila worked in the Dairy Industry before retiring to have her three daughters. Her interests now include gardening, singing in a church choir, watching cricket and rugby, and enjoying her six grandchildren.
Sue joined the Board in 2017. She was an HR Manager for a growing IT logistics company in Redditch and worked in HR for over 30 years for national and international companies.
Ann has lived in Bromsgrove for over 40 years and was a biology teacher in a Redditch school. She was an active member of a county-wide group dedicated to improving all aspects of education in Herefordshire and Worcestershire. Ann has been a school governor of three local schools, and chairperson at one of them. Once retired, she served as a County Councillor, chaired the Children and Young People Sub-committee and was closely involved with the implementation of the Government’s ‘Quality Protects Initiative’. This included listening particularly to the views of young people from the ‘looked-after’ sector. During this time she became a founder member of North Worcestershire Basement Projects. She also became a Trustee on the Board of the local CAB and a member of the Board of Directors of the Community Council (now Community First). After her County Council service she was appointed a Non-executive Director of Redditch and Bromsgrove PCT where she remained until reorganisation in 2006.
Sheila has lived in the area for over 25 years and, prior to having three children, was a District Nurse in Sussex. As the children grew older she was a voluntary youth worker with Worcestershire County Council at a ‘help and advice’ centre in Bromsgrove. In 1999 she was a founder member of the Bromsgrove Youth Homelessness Forum (The Basement Project) and its first treasurer and has been a director since. She has also worked as a volunteer within the organisation on and off for several years. Sheila is also a supporter of the NSPCC, being on the Bromsgrove Fundraising Committee . Her interests also include stitched textiles and she belongs to several groups that include embroidery, patchwork and quilting.
Jean has been associated with the Project since its early conception and worked as the administrator for a while. Jean joined the board of directors shortly after this and continues to support the Project. Jean is an active member of Bromsgrove community and works in a local middle school.
Margaret is a Bromsgrove District Councillor and holds the portfolio for Environmental Services. She serves on the board in a personal capacity and not as a representative of the District Council. She has been personaly committed to the charity for several years.
Robert has leadership skills from his days working with the Scouts and a local Phab Club, a charity enabling disabled and non-disabled children, young people and adults to get together with friends and family for all kinds of activities and social events. Until recently, he also undertook voluntary work with NewStarts in Bromsgrove, where he used his practical skills to refurbish furniture.
Richard is an experienced legal and governance practitioner who has worked in the private, public and the charity sectors in permanent, interim and consultancy roles.
Richard is currently General Counsel & Company Secretary at Salix Finance Ltd (a company working with the Government to fund decarbonisation projects) having completed recent assignments in the last two years as Head of Legal at World Animal Protection, General Counsel at the Methodist Church and as Director of Governance at Action for Children.
Jamie has been co-opted to the Board and is due to be appointed a Trustee at the next AGM in 2022. His career was largely in local government including being Assistant Chief Executive of Birmingham City Council and Executive Director with Walsall MBC. Prior to this he was a management consultant with Deloitte. Jamie is a Non-Executive Director of Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust. He has chaired their workforce committee for the past four years and will chair the new mental health collaboration committee overseeing mental health provision and commissioning across both counties. Jamie lives in Aston Fields and has been a Bromsgrove resident for 35 years
Jerry is all about making a positive difference, sustainable organisational income solutions and driving impact opportunities (particularly for those under the age of 25). In 2020 Jerry have instigated and led the re-purposing of YHA Hostels to support the Government Initiative for the homeless with c100,000 overnights through 47 repurposed Hostels.
Prior to this (2014-2020) Jerry was credited through his expertise, experience and understanding for YHA (England & Wales), its mission, values and charitable impact, with transforming YHA’s people, commercial and operations into the modern, efficient customer and impact focused organisation that has provided the foundation for YHA’s recent success (2014 – 2020)
Jerry’s “people first, task second” principle balances the delivery of organisational objectives, financial and service excellence with people and team engagement / development.
A real “magpie” for personal development, good working practices, innovative ideas, process engineering and progressive, inclusive cultures, Jerry has benefited from working in, and contributing to, many leading hospitality, travel, tourism and charitable organisations, as well as volunteering as a Business Mentor with the Princes Trust and now as Non-Exec Director at the Mead Education Trust and Coventry University Students Union.
Sarah came to work at the Basement Project, having previously worked for the Citizens’ Advice Bureau for many years in several different roles. Sarah has experience of supporting people in crisis, particularly around debt advice and financial capability. Her last role with Citizens’ Advice was as the Training Manager, which incorporated the roles of Equality and Diversity lead, and the Gender Violence lead.
She also contributed to front line working as an advice session supervisor, which gave her a broad range of knowledge in many areas.
Marina has worked at the Basement Project since 2007, initially as the Private Tenancy Scheme Coordinator before moving on to becoming a full time floating support worker. She is trained in counselling and is a mediation practitioner. She enjoys the challenges of working with many diverse and complex needs and is passionate about young people being given a voice. During her time at the Basement Project she has built strong working relationships with other agencies.
Barb joined the Basement Project in 2013 and has a range of experience working with young people. She recently returned to live in Worcestershire after a time working in Bristol. Her last role was in a hostel providing high level support to vulnerable adults and she has previously worked with NEET (Not in Education Employment or Training) and homeless young people.
Nina came to work as a volunteer at the Basement Project in 2010 while she was finishing her degree in social work. She applied for a vacancy for a new floating support worker which she was offered in 2012. Nina has a lot of experience in the area of homelessness and is passionate about supporting young people.
Kennedy joined us as a temporary support worker to cover Amy’s maternity leave and is now a regular member of staff. Kennedy, who is from Redditch, was previously a healthcare assistant for young disabled adults.
Sadie joined us in April 2018 and has experience of working with young people across a variety of settings, namely Connexions; a local Further Education College, Social Care and a County-wide Careers Service.
Zoe joined the Basement Project in February 2020 after being TUPE’d over from Rooftop Housing. She has 13 years’ experience of supporting young people in crisis and has worked alongside the Basement Project for many of these. She has qualifications in mentoring and working with young people.
Kelly joined the Basement in March 2019 having previously worked with young people in education and youth work settings. Kelly aims to build positive relationships with local businesses, schools, community groups and individuals in order to raise much needed funds for our vulnerable clients. 100% of all fundraising from the community goes directly to support young people in crisis.
