ARK AT EGWOOD - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Expressive Arts Therapist and Dementia Lead
Jemma has been an infant school teacher since 2014, gaining a PGCE with SEN specialism. She has worked with both Year 1 and 2 children within the past seven years; despite being a mainstream setting, Jemma has used her SEN skills within her classroom every year. She feels very blessed to have had the opportunity to work with so many wonderful children and believes they have taught her as much as she has taught them!
Prior to embarking on her teaching career, Jemma studied for a Fine Art BA (Honours) degree at SCAT in Taunton. She specialised in photography and installations but, since being at Ark, her art knowledge has been expanding at the rate of knots! If someone gives her an idea, she will always try to make it happen with the integral help of Ark's volunteers.
Jemma joined Ark at the end of July 2021 as a part time team member and thoroughly enjoys the two days a week she spends with the volunteers and staff.
From January 2022, Jemma will be joining the team full time. She admits she hasn't always been ‘green fingered' but nature is becoming a firm friend.
Jon served in the Royal Navy for 23 years, initially in the Fleet Air Arm, then in the Royal Navy's Welfare Branch, where he qualified as a Social Worker, ending his career as the Practice Supervisor at RNAS Yeovilton. During this time, Jon supported Serving Personnel and their families with a wide variety of personal, work related and social issues.
Leaving the Service in 2015, Jon went to work in fostering where he really enjoyed working alongside young people and their foster parents, supporting them with providing safe and nurturing environments where young people are able to thrive in all aspects of life.
Jon joined the ARK team in January 2024 as the Armed Forces Lead with the task of establishing an Armed Forces Hub within Somerset. Jon has a passion for working within mental health and has recently been working with a local charity (also part of Open Mental Health) who specialise in Peer Support. Jon loves being outdoors and is looking forward to using his learning and experience in the ARK environment. Jon is also a massive science-fiction fan and is always happy to be drawn into chats over a cuppa!
Job Titles:
- Operations Manager / Social Worker, Young Person & Safeguarding Lead
Matt has worked with young people and adults all of his working life, initially delivering outdoor education and adventurous activities as part of the education team for Exmoor National Park Authority. Matt then worked as a parent support advisor in a secondary school in Taunton before joining the South Somerset Local Service team as an Education Attendance officer, supporting children and their families to access education. Matt then trained as a social worker, working in Somerset's child protection, children looked after and children with disabilities teams. Matt has also worked as a supervising social worker for an independent fostering agency.
Matt enjoys all aspects of being outdoors from being at the top of a cold, wet, windy mountain to sitting in a field watching strange mystical festival creatures dance to whichever band is playing on the stage.
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Director of Business Development
Nigel is responsible for the strategic direction and development of partnerships across corporate and public sectors