REACH - Key Persons
When our son Colm was born with a limb difference in 1991, my wife Rita searched for a support group. We found a very small group interested in Reach and we became instrumental in starting Reach Ireland. As a member, Branch Co-ordinator, Trustee for 18 years and Chairman for 3 years, we worked to see Reach grow and develop to become the influential organisation that it is now. We enjoyed the successes of Reach AGMs/Family Weekends, including hosting 2 in Ireland. We participated in Reach Quiz Nights when the late Jeremy Beadle was our Patron. We assisted Frank Letch with the introduction of the highly successful Reach Activity Week (RAW) from Millenium Year (2000) to now, thereby bringing relevance to Reach in the lives of our teenagers and young adults. Many of those have returned to Reach and are exemplary participants in the activities of Reach.
So my interest in once more becoming a Trustee stems from bringing my skills, experience and knowledge to assist with the furtherance our Reach Objectives, As a former Primary School Teacher, Marketing Manager in the largest learning disability organisation in Ireland and later as a Lecturer in Third Level Education, I believe I have something to offer.
I am a Reach parent who's Reach child is now 21 years old. We have been members since he was born and I have been a trustee previously for 18 years including several periods as Chairman and Vice-Chairman. I live in Surrey and work in Public Sector IT.
I have a wide range of IT and Project management skills and extensive experience in charity governance gained over 25 years in roles including School Governor, Reach and other non-profit organisations.
As a trustee I will work to rebuild the family feel of Reach and recruit new head office staff who can empathise and support our members as did the previous staff. I will ensure that the staff are valued and enabled to run the charity on a day to day basis without interference but supported by the trustees.
My Reach journey began in autumn 1999, shortly after the birth of my son, Matthew. Matthew was born missing his right hand. I found Reach contact details in the NHS pregnancy book. The opportunity to meet other parents at local branch events and at the Annual Family Weekend was really important in those early years and the ability to reciprocate that support to new members is equally as important. In 2007 I became a trustee for Reach, during which time I have seen many changes - from incorporation of the charity, the growth of social media to virtual events such as RAW and the AFW as a result of Covid restrictions.
As a charity, we are very reliant on the support of our members, and their friends and families, to fundraise. Over the last 23 years, along with my family, I have undertaken a variety of fundraising activities from cycle rides (Birmingham to Oxford) to coffee mornings, fashion shows to pudding clubs and more recently running 30k during August 2021 ending with a 5k. As a trustee, I hope I can encourage everyone to help raise money for Reach - as the saying goes ‘Every little helps.'
When not wearing my trustee hat, I work full time as a secondary school teacher (leading a Business Studies department), Reach often features in lessons - organisation structures, branding and my colleagues are always willing to donate to Reach in return for some homemade rocky road…. I am a leader at both a Rainbow and Ranger unit; enjoy dancing, attending musical theatre productions (especially watching my daughter perform) and when time permits, I enjoy a variety of craft activities.
Over the last 30 years, I have had the privilege of working as an NHS consultant plastic surgeon mainly with children and their families.