Trustees
Between them, our Trustees have a wealth of professional business expertise and also have vast experience of working with people with learning difficulties. The following people serve on our Board:
1. Ian Armstrong
Ian represents Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council on our Board. Ian has been heavily involved with the provision of our nightclub activities, which we called the Krocodile Klubs, over the years and has always given us valuable help by assisting us with professional technical support for the Klubs. Ian has a wealth of knowledge of how the Klubs run, of the needs of the beneficiaries and of the technical requirements for the Klubs.
2. Katherine Zeserson
Katherine is the Director of Learning and Participation at The Sage Gateshead. As a worker in community music, Katherine was involved with Lawnmowers group in their early days. Amongst other things, Katherine lectured in music at Newcastle College before taking a post with The Sage Gateshead.
3. Tim Keilty
Tim has been a support worker with Gateshead People, a self advocacy group for people with learning disabilities, for four years. Tim is a trained social worker and is a passionate banjo player! As well as Trustee, Tim is also our Company Secretary. Tim is very interested in inclusion and became our Trustee because he believed in our methods and practices for achieving genuine inclusion for learning disabled people.
4. Martin Wilson
5. Caroline Airs
Towards a Shadow Board
It has always been the aim of the company to ensure that people with learning disabilities are involved in most of the company's decision making processes. We achieve this by ensuring that learning disabled company members hold their own weekly meetings, attend board meetings, report to the management committee and have genuine participation in company decision-making. The company, via its Trustee Board and staff members, are currently researching methods by which a shadow board of people with learning disabilities can be recruited. We are currently researching Charity Commission publications and guidance1 regarding this issue and will continue with our research until a Board, best suited to the company, is recruited.
Previous Trustees
The company would like to say thank you to all of its previous trustees:
1. Amy Broughton – Men cap Official. Resigned in 2004 after giving birth.
2. Margaret Parker – New Opportunities Fund manager and qualified accountant. Resigned in 2003, to ensure there was no conflict of interest, after taking a different post with one of our major funders.
3. Dorothy Heathcote – foremost exponent of drama and education who has pioneered groundbreaking educational work especially with people with learning difficulties. Dorothy was instrumental in the transition and development of the Lawnmowers group to an independent company. Although now living in Nottingham, Dorothy still supports all of our work. Resigned in 2003 following her move to Nottingham.
4. Stuart Bracking – only a Trustee for a short period of time, Stuart resigned due to work commitments.
5. Diane Soulsby – works for Advocacy in Gateshead, an organisation which promotes inclusion and rights for learning disabled people. Resigned in 2004 following her recent marriage.
6. Ian Parker – Ian was instrumental in the formation of the group into an independent company. Sadly Ian is now deceased.
7. David Price – is a well respected professional Social Researcher with the University of Northumbria. David became involved with the organisation after compiling the initial feasibility study for our Krocodile Klub nightclubs. He resigned in 2006 after moving to Scotland to work.
8. Beth Ford - Until very recently Beth worked for Disability Action North East (D.A.N.E.), where she was employed for three years. Beth has very recently undertaken a new position advocating Disability Rights in South Shields, Tyne and Wear. Beth resigned in 2006.
1 - www.charity-commission.gov.uk see Charity Commission Publication CC4, Users on Board, Version March 2000