ALIVE ACTIVITIES - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Community Gardening Manager
- Community Gardens Manager
Abi is Alive's Community Gardens Manager, and as such, she works across a number of our projects. She has worked both in care and running activities with older people for the past 7 years and has always been an avid gardener, forager and wildlife enthusiast.
Abi has run nature-based activities in care homes and volunteered with Growing Support before they merged with Alive. She loves connecting people of all backgrounds, ages, and experiences with nature.
Job Titles:
- Trusts and Grants Officer
Amanda has over 25 years' experience of fundraising from EU, lottery, statutory, trust and foundation sources for national, regional and local organisations in both the public and charity sector. Prior to joining Alive, Amanda successfully secured funding for a wide range of projects, from multi-million pound community centres and large scale training programmes for the unemployed, to services for blind and partially sighted people and the roll out of the newly launched Prince William Award in Wales and Scotland.
Passionate about making a difference to other people's lives, Amanda volunteers and takes part in fundraising events in her free time, and has even been known to break into a run… if there's sponsorship money involved! When she's not fundraising, Amanda loves walking her dog, and making the most of her garden.
A chartered accountant and experienced finance director of over more than 20 years, and has also served in the charitable sector, as a trustee, over the last 30 years.
He has worked, at board-level, in the social care sector, since 2014, and in the wider healthcare sector since 2011, and co-owns a homecare business, serving Herefordshire, which has a particular focus on dementia care provision.
He is also a trustee of a Herefordshire-based charity, Dementia Matters Here, engaged in community-based dementia support and awareness.
Job Titles:
- Activity Coordinator
- Dementia Meeting Centre Activity Worker
- Meeting Centre Activity Worker
Anna has worked as an Activity Coordinator and in the healthcare sector for the past six years, caring for older people with a focus on those living with dementia. Anna spent some time working in the hospital setting but her heart is in activities and social care. She has a brilliant understanding of and passion for emphasising the importance of people's wellbeing and meaningful activity to provide stimulation and enjoyment in later life.
Anna is a bubbly and sociable person who loves interacting with people and hearing their life stories. She strongly believes in music therapy - she loves music herself and having a sing and a dance! She spends meaningful time with people for a living and as a result of the job, she enjoys seeing people have fun and developing that positive engagement to enhance their lives.
Anna grew up and lives in North Somerset and enjoys the countryside but also likes spending time in Bristol, seeing live music and meeting friends.
Job Titles:
- Dementia Meeting Centre Manager
- North Somerset Meeting Centre Manager
Anne has spent all her working life involved in Social Care. She discovered, whilst on nurse training, that she didn't ‘do blood', so quickly changed direction and hasn't looked back since.
The last 8 years has been within Elder Care as an Activity Coordinator and then working for Alzheimer's Society. She is a self-professed "Jack of all trades, master of none" which complements providing fun person-centred activities, as nothing needs to be perfect. For Anne, it is always about the journey and making sure we have a good time.
She loves being in nature, especially with her dog called Maya. As an ex Scout Leader you will hear her say, "there is no bad weather, just poor clothing choices. I may not look stylish walking but I will be warm!"
Job Titles:
- Project Manager
- Access All Ages Project Manager
Becky has worked in the public or charity sector since 2006, originally specializing in evaluating the impact of funding in the arts. Following volunteer work with learning-disabled artists, and youth music groups, she has since worked hard to become an experienced Project Manager, with a special interest in the arts sector, inclusivity and intergenerational activities.
At Alive, Becky has managed intergenerational and community projects since 2016. This has included Paint Pals and iPals, Parlours of Wonder, Access All Ages and Dancing Through the Ages.
She currently manages the #OneGoodTurn project, widening the reach of Alive's core intergenerational activity sessions. This project will further increase the links between care homes, schools, and youth groups, encouraging co-production and meaningful, enjoyable activity for people of all ages.
Becky joined Alive as the Finance Manager in May 2023. Having started her career in a large corporate organisation, she has spent the last 17 years working in the voluntary sector and enjoys the job satisfaction that brings. She is passionate about supporting the wellbeing of older people, having previously worked for Age UK and having cared for elderly family members.
Becky has four children and two rescued lurchers. She enjoys walking, shopping (slight shoe addiction), eating out and spending time with family and friends.
Job Titles:
- Business Development Manager
Ben is passionate about the wellbeing of people and the environment. He comes from a background of managing people in many situations from events to sales.
Ben's most recent work includes working to improve the reuse of building materials in the construction industry and managing a sustainable accommodation business.
Ben loves communicating with people and so is perfect for his role as Business Development Manager. He is a great organiser and listening ear. He brings his compassion and love of people with his business skills and fits in perfectly at alive
Job Titles:
- Director
- Trustee
- Registered Occupational Therapist
Catherine is a registered Occupational Therapist and Student Educator currently working for a local NHS Mental Health Trust. She works with adults needing acute and intensive psychiatric care and has particular interests in sensory integration, dementia, and the link between cognitive wellbeing and health.
Catherine believes that everyone, regardless of age, has a right to meaningful, stimulating and balanced occupational engagement.
Job Titles:
- Meeting Centres Activity Worker
David joined Alive as Horticultural Therapy Facilitator in 2021. He is currently working with the Meeting Centres as an Activity Worker. David's career to date has involved developing projects which support older people's wellbeing, fundraising, running English immersion camps for foreign students, and coordinating activities in a mental health care setting. He is particularly keen on building connections and sharing knowledge through intergenerational practice.
David believes strongly in the power of nature for our mental wellbeing, and enjoys helping people to spend mindful moments with plants through his work. He is currently setting up a community orchard in his neighbourhood and has aspirations to acquire more land in his local area for rewilding and permaculture projects. In his spare time David enjoys gardening, walking, foraging, forest-bathing, playing the drums and discovering music from around the world.
Job Titles:
- Service Development Manager
George is Alive's Service Development Manager. George has worked in arts and culture and charitable sectors for 15 years as a leader, producer and creative practitioner. She is co-founder of leading Intergenerational and community arts organisation Wyldwood Arts. Prior to joining the team at Alive, George worked as a freelance Strategic Development Consultant, Project Manager, Producer and fundraiser for charities including Incredible Kids, Liquid Vibrations, Theatre Orchard, Theatre Bristol, Paper Balloon Theatre Company, Flibbertigibbet, DragonBird Theatre and Soundcastle UK. Previously she spent 7 years working at Bristol-based arts charity Travelling Light Theatre Company as Participation Director, overseeing a growing and thriving community arts department. George is a CLORE emerging leaders Alumni and trained by the National Arts Fundraising School.
George is an imagination advocate and is passionate about every individual's right to joy and playfulness. She believes in making the table bigger and broadening conversations, to ensure that everyone has a space to be heard and valued. She is a mental health first aider.
Alongside her work at Alive, George is funded by Arts Council England to explore the links between ‘love', ‘nurture' and ‘connection' and emotional wellbeing in a participatory context. She is developing a theory of practice in this area.
George is also a mum to two young children and a rescued Spanish street dog called Poco. She enjoys exploring her local area in North Somerset, especially the woodlands and beaches.
Job Titles:
- Community Allotment Project Officer
Hattie joined Alive in 2017 and manages the One Good Turn intergenerational project. Both projects encourage increased collaboration between care homes and their local community. What she loves most about this work is creating links between care home residents and volunteers. By creating a diverse range of engagement opportunities both projects actively improve the public's perception of care homes and give everyone a chance to get involved in meaningful activities regardless of background or age.
Hattie began working in the charity sector in 2011 for Sustrans the charity behind the National cycle network. Supporting people to walk and cycle enabled her to combine her love of the great outdoors with community engagement and social empowerment. Following this, she moved to Friends of the Earth to focus on community organising and campaigning, and has supported various social justice and environmental campaigns ever since.
Job Titles:
- CEO
- CEO for Alive and Has Been Working
Isobel is the CEO for Alive and has been working with the organisation for 8 years in various roles. She has over 15 years of volunteering and working in the Charity Sector and over 30 years of experience with Dementia, both personal and professional. She has been instrumental in shaping Alive to deliver creative and innovative person centred activity in care settings and in the community. She is Co-Director of the Bristol Health Partners Dementia Health Integration Team and is playing an integral part in reshaping the model of Dementia Care across BNSSG.
She has personal experience in community engagement and managing volunteers through running various community groups in the areas where she has lived and was a school governor for over 6 years.
Isobel also has 3 teenage children and a dog, and when not working is often found out on the water Gig Rowing!
Izzy has lots of experience in the world of Social Media, having successfully built brands from scratch; paired with her compassion for others and drive to make the world a kinder place, makes her a real asset for Alive.
Izzy has volunteered for a number of organisations and community projects. A published writer for an online film journal, Izzy also enjoys hiking and her newfound obsession with crochet.
Job Titles:
- Meeting Centre Activity Worker
Joining us in 2023, Jeff's enthusiasm and dedication to his role has quickly made him a real asset to our Meeting Centre team. Having gone through a personal, family journey with dementia, Jeff draws on his experience and values now the opportunity to give back and help others.
Outside of work, Jeff enjoys listening to music, going to the cinema, spending time in the garden, and watching sports. An avid traveller, he loves visiting new places and hopes to plan more adventures soon.
Jenni is our Finance Officer, joining us in July 2021.
She started her career in an accountancy practice, has an Association of Accounting Technicians level 3 and is in the midst of taking her AAT level 4.
Jenni has wide experience in finance and administration and in the last 12 years has worked in not for profit organisations in the charity, education and arts sectors.
She enjoys exploring Bristol and the surrounding areas on her cycle and community volunteering in her spare time.
Job Titles:
- Building Mental Health Resilience Project Manager
As an Occupational Therapist, Julie has worked within care provision for the past 14 years. This has involved working alongside those accessing independent retirement living, care and support, residential and nursing home services. Julie is passionate about ensuring residents have the opportunity to engage in meaningful and purposeful activities and this has involved the design and delivery of staff training programmes to help reduce and overcome barriers to supporting residents to live enjoyable and fulfilling lives.
Julie's particular areas of interest include supporting those living with dementia and their carers to continue leading an active and rewarding lifestyle. She also enjoys exploring creative ways of connecting people with nature in order to access the health benefits that the outdoors provides. In recognising the importance of supporting the mental health of individuals, Julie is a Mental Health First Aider and is also training to become a qualified counsellor and psychotherapist. As the Building Mental Health Resilience Project Manager, Julie aims to use her skills, knowledge and experience to enhance the wellbeing of individuals across an ever-wider range of communities.
Outside of work, Julie enjoys any activity that involves being outdoors, including gardening, walking and sailing, whatever the weather! Julie is also a great fan of the Arts and Crafts Movement and can often be found spending time designing and working on a new art or upcycling project.
Job Titles:
- Community Technology Advisor
Ken is Alive's Community Technology Advisor and runs the Tech To Connect project. He has been working for charities and not-for-profit groups for some 40 years with a range of client groups. His employers have included: CAB, Age UK Brent and Parkinson's UK.
A keen trainer he has taught: HIV awareness to care staff, welfare rights to CAB volunteers and storytelling skills to preachers and ministers.
Away from work Ken is a Methodist lay preacher and enjoys storytelling and gardening. Teddy, the greyhound takes him for walks most days. For the last 3 years he has worked as a tour guide on the open top buses in Bath (hence the picture) where he has fun telling the international visitors all about the delights of that fair city. And most of it is true.
Ken is married, has two grown-up daughters (one of whom manages the Brewdog pub in Bristol) one dog and too many books.
Job Titles:
- BME Elders Project Manager
- BME Project Manager
Laura has just over 10 years' experience in management roles. Following completion of a Masters in Early Years Educations and Early Years Professional Status, she managed an after school club, then a crèche for refugee children. After breaking her ankle, which made working with small children difficult, she decided to transfer her acquired skills to the over-55's and worked as Assistant Manager for Age UK for two years.
She had completed a foundation degree in Creative Arts Therapies and felt she could use this learning to help improve the lives of older people. For the past three years, she has worked with the BME Elders project, supporting them in improving their health and wellbeing. She has been very inspired by the energy and creativity of the BME elders and working with them has been very rewarding.
She is passionate about learning from diverse cultures and promoting equality of opportunity, so that the elders feel confident in accessing mainstream services and opportunities. She is also keen for the elders to enrich the life of others, sharing knowledge and experience through drama and music performances and shared community meals.
Her interests include music, Chi Gung and walking in nature.
Job Titles:
- Meeting Centres Project Manager
Louise has many years of experience in the Voluntary Sector, initially in the field of substance misuse and mental health, with more recent work supporting community activities for older people and hearing older people's experiences of health and social care in Bristol.
She recently completed a Mental Health First Aid course and continues to work in community mental health services, with a particular interest in the impact of loneliness on physical and mental health.
Louise has a keen interest in supporting older people to reduce loneliness and isolation, and is an active member of her community. She is a member of a Book Club, a Running Club which also Walks and Talks, and loves sea swimming regardless of the weather!
Maya is an enthusiastic communications professional who hails from Singapore. She has 3 years of care sector experience, having worked as a Marketing Manager for a leading care provider in the UK; and over 7 years of editorial experience working in Singapore. She has previously worked in tech PR, as a freelance lifestyle and music reporter and as a CELTA-qualified EFL teacher. Maya joined Alive part-time in April 2021 as Marketing Officer and until Nov 2022, was involved with all marketing and communications aspects across Alive's various projects.
She took on a second role in April 2022 as Project Manager to join Alive full-time, running the Wishing Washing Line TM West project across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. As of Dec 2022, Maya is a full-time Project Manager, co-managing the OneGoodTurn Intergenerational Project, alongside Becky.
As a social impact advocate, Maya set up a small non-profit volunteer group called Deeds4Needs which assisted with extensive relief efforts to over 2000 people in 6 villages in and around Kathmandu, Nepal, in the wake of the 2015 earthquakes. She has always been deeply interested in the ‘ageing experience', particularly where the welfare of older people is concerned and has been involved as a volunteer with Alzheimer's Disease Association and the SreeNarayana Mission Nursing Home in Singapore. Her MSc research focused on a comparative study of lifelong learning and how this can contribute to helping older people age with dignity in the Singapore and UK contexts.
She is a keen foodie and enjoys loosening her belt around Bristol's eateries and wherever her travels take her, experimenting in the kitchen, playing boardgames, running, camping, watching copious amounts of good shows and films and playing instruments in her spare time.
Job Titles:
- Meeting Centre Activity Worker
Prior to working for Alive, Michelle spent two years working in a care home as an Activity Coordinator. She provided engagement and well-being to people with nursing care needs and people living with dementia. She has a passion to provide meaningful person-centred activity by recognising individuality and working in a way that enables people to make choices. Nothing makes her happier than to see people enjoy themselves doing the things that they love to do and to have a smiles on their faces.
Michelle has a keen interest in fundraising and has raised thousands of pounds over the years for various charities. You can quite often see her behind a tombola, teddy bear or cake stall. She has also spent time volunteering as a fundraiser at a retirement village, prior to the pandemic and was a COVID-19 support volunteer throughout the pandemic in her local community.
In her spare time, Michelle loves to bake and it gives her great pleasure to share her delights with family and friends. She also enjoys travelling, history and crafting.
Mike retired as a Medical Practitioner in 2018. He had worked as an NHS GP for 25 years having previously worked as a hospital doctor in the UK and Hong Kong. He also had an interest in Gastroenterology and helped found Prime Endoscopy Bristol which was an award winning, innovative Community Gastroenterology Service.
As a GP he regularly visited nursing and care homes and was acutely aware of the challenges that declining memory brings to older people.He is delighted to involved in the charity and hopes his expertise can contribute to its work.
In his retirement he enjoys keeping active, being involved in the local acoustic music scene and playing a bit of golf.
Nadja joined Alive as Volunteer Coordinator in 2021, connecting the community with Alive's wonderful and rewarding projects.
Born and raised in Germany, Nadja spent the last decade traveling, working and studying across the world, following her interests in arts, culture, psychology, wellbeing and community engagement. She has a background in Cultural Studies and Environmental Psychology, with a focus on natural environments. Having worked as a Wellbeing Coordinator in a nursing home during COVID-19, Nadja knows just how important meaningful engagement is, and has experienced the joy Alive's activities can bring to everyone involved.
Nadja has volunteered extensively herself, for example at a homeless shelter in Massachusetts, USA, at a soup kitchen in Leipzig, Germany, at the conservation charity Grow Wilder in Bristol and as a volunteer translator for TED. She has also spent some months WWOOFING in Norway, Italy and Scotland and is always keen to travel off-grid (preferably by foot). Her favourite place must be Joshua Tree National Park in California.
If you are curious about getting involved with Alive, please reach out to Nadja at volunteer@aliveactivities.org
Job Titles:
- Meeting Centre Activity Worker
Prior to joining us at Alive, Naomi spent a number of years in the Care Sector and the last seven working as an Activities Coordinator. Possessing a passion to provide person-centred activity, she enjoys using Art and Music Therapy to help people express their emotions, lower stress, and promote wellbeing and mindfulness. Naomi is also an advocate for intergenerational work, believing in the importance of keeping community links open so that people of all ages can not only foster support networks, but share and have fun too.
A lover of the outdoors, Naomi enjoys walking with her dog, gardening, and a coffee by the river, as well as travelling with her family. An avid reader and fan of knitting and crochet, she likes to learn and spend time with her loved ones. "There is no greater gift than time".
Job Titles:
- Trainer
- Training and Delivery Manager
Prior to working for Alive, Nicola worked in care settings for over 25 years as a Care Co-ordinator and Activity Co-ordinator with people living with dementia. She believes passionately in the importance of meaningful activities and positive engagement as an essential part of personhood and well-being.
Nicola is an experienced Trainer and Speaker in Meaningful Engagement, and has provided training in care homes all over the UK. As part of the Alive Meaningful Activity Coaching Programme, Nicola has coached whole care teams, to embed the whole home approach to person-centred activities. With her years of experience in care homes she is able to relate to the challenges care staff face realistically, and support them to make positive changes.
Nicola is never happier than when she is meeting older people and finding out about their life stories, and sharing banter and a good giggle. She loves working for Alive because she gets to do this every day and get paid for it!
Nicola lives with her family in the Cotswolds where she enjoys walking the hills with her dog and stand-up paddle boarding on the canals and rivers.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of Trustees
- Trustee
- Retired Solicitor
Philip is a retired solicitor with over thirty years experience working primarily in the field of commercial dispute resolution, business breakdown and insolvency. He has a particular interest in mediation, arbitration and other forms of alternative dispute resolution. He is Chair of the Board of Trustees of Alive and was instrumental in assisting Tim Lloyd Yeates set up the charity in 2009. He is a passionate believer in the right of older people to continue to enjoy full access to matters of interest and value to them and to engage in meaningful activities of their choice.
Richard is a healthcare professional with over 25 years of experience working in the NHS specialising in Urgent and Emergency care. His grass roots are as a clinician, a Paramedic with the Ambulance Service, before moving into NHS commissioning and contracting, as Associate Director for Urgent and Emergency care.
He is currently a Director of a small Care Home Group. He has a strong interest in the provision of meaningful engagement and activity and is keen to bring his expertise and experience to help and support the growth and development of Alive.
Job Titles:
- Bristol Meeting Centre Manager
Sally is very excited to have joined Alive as Bristol Meeting Centre Manager.
With an extensive background in mentoring and education roles, Sally has worked in secondary school provision, criminal justice and more recently adult social care, where she has supported all forms of learning, activity and engagement. Working with people who may be deemed hard to reach, Sally has developed many projects that address inclusion and identity.
Sally is very passionate about working directly with older adults and developing support networks for family carers. As well as intergenerational work, Sally enjoys bringing music-related activity to individuals and groups.
Outside of work, Sally is a vocalist with community ukulele band ‘The Kooky Ukes' and she has entertained at many care homes, services and festivals in Bristol. As well as Sally's husband, the band comprises older adults and was formed as part of Bristol's Celebrating Age Festival in 2010.
Citing genealogy, gardening and grandchildren as her passions, Sally enjoys nothing more than delving into records of social history at Bristol Archives, getting earthy at her vegetable patch, or finishing the day with a hug (or two!) from her grandchildren.
Believing that we are never too old to try something new - Sally brings this philosophy to her work, as well as to her personal life.
Job Titles:
- CHARITY WORKER
- Director
- Network Manager
- Trustee
Suzy Webster is the Care Home Network Manager at Age Cymru and has worked in the Social Care sector all of her working life.
Suzy has a passion for dementia care and brings her personal experience as a family carer to the board.
Trish is an experienced Human Resources and Organisational Development Consultant. Her expertise includes Coaching, People Management, Employee Engagement, Organisational Design and Change Management.
She joined Alive in 2020 and enjoys bringing her professional expertise to support Alive in its day to day operations.