Our Team

ALAN
CEO & DIRECTOR

As Chief Executive, Alan has overall responsibility for the organisation as well as being our Safeguarding Officer. He has extensive experience in education and social care and is a Proud to Care Ambassador.

JUNE
CEO & DIRECTOR

June has been working with young people and adults with additional needs for over 20 years. She always brings to the team enthusiasm, art and creative skills and has a person centred approach to everything she does. June is a director alongside Alan and helps to run and co-ordinate the day opportunities from The Skills Centre, the social group and the new café space in Torre.

EMMA
NON EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Emma joins the board as a parent voice to give input from a carer’s perspective. She has supported families and been involved in education for over 7 years, is a mum of 4 and currently works with young adults with additional needs supporting transition to adult services. It is really important to her that all adults receive the best support and guidance to live as independently as possible.

MICHAEL

Micheal joins the team with considerable volunteering experience. He works in the week running Phab Club Torquay. Micheal loves pool and darts and is keen to take on anyone at the Skills Centre.

NOREEN

Noreen has experience with supporting special needs children ages 4 to 15, working in a Special needs school for past 11 years, where she also was a First Aider. Noreen also supported her 92 year old mum with vascular dementia. She qualified as a hairdresser after leaving school and worked as a supervisor at Marks and Spencer’s for 15 years. Her interests are walking her Labrador Ruby, being by the sea, gardening and eating out.

COLETTE

Colette has 20 years of experience working with children and adults with Special Educational Needs and Learning/Physical Disabilities. She is also a carer for her father who has Vascular Dementia. Colette loves getting creative with arts, crafts and in the kitchen as well as wearing fancy dress and really enjoy traveling. In her free time, Colette enjoys spending time with her husband, Garry; her 3 grandchildren and her 2 pet dogs.

ANDY

Andy is our Digital Skills advisor running twice weekly sessions at the Skills Centre. Andy has 8 years experience within a Special School environment as a mainly self-taught IT professional. Having also worked in the Power, Printing and laterly the Hospitality Industry, he has a good appreciation of the every day use of Digital Skills in many environments. Andy enjoys tinkering with his cars and is an overworked home DIY-er who comes to work for a rest.

OLIVIA

We are really pleased Olivia has joined the team. She has a wealth of experience in SEND and supporting individuals on a 1:1 basis and brings to the team lots of enthusiasm and creativity. Olivia also brings to the team the skills of working within the deaf community.

ANNA

Anna runs the social supermarket and also provides advice with financial support, educational resources and signposting to useful services. Anna has experience working locally with adults with additional needs. She values the importance of empowering people to meet their full potential and experience life without barriers. She has a passion for change and development within our local community for people who may need guidance to access services.

RHYS

Rhys is a lifelong Torquay United supporter. He is friendly, bubbly, outgoing and always has a positive outlook seeing the good in everyone. Rhys will be helping to run The Skills Centre and Social Supermarket.

ROSS

Ross joins our team at Victoria Park Methodist Church, working in the social supermarket and helping to run the Film Workshop group.

CHRIS

Chris joins our team at Victoria Park Methodist Church, working in the social supermarket, community cafe and also the recipe delivery service.

JONATHAN

Jonathan has been a volunteer for Turning Heads since September 2021 and carries out lots of jobs every afternoon ensuring that the centre is tidy, secure and that everything is correctly put away. He has lots of experience of working with Phab Club and is a brilliant role model to others.

SARAH

Sarah joins our team at Victoria Park Methodist Church, working in the social supermarket, community cafe and also the recipe delivery service.

SOPHIE

Sophie joins our team at The Windmill Centre helping to organise and run our events and activities programme.

JAMES

James joins our team at Victoria Park Methodist Church, working in the social supermarket and community cafe. He brings to the centre lots of amazing catering experience and knowledge.

DAMIEN

Damien joins the team at Turning Heads working up at the community kitchen, Windmill Centre and also helping out with the social group. Damien has lots of different skills and experiences and brings to the staff huge amounts of enthusiasm and energy.

JESS

Jess brings a youthful energy to the team. She is skilled in supporting adults with additional needs and helps provide support at both the Skills Centre and Social Supermarket.

EMMA

Emma assists with researching and putting together applications for funding for us. She enjoys being with friends and relaxing at home in her flat.

BRADLEY

Bradley joins the team at the social supermarket after successfully completing his supported internship. Brad is a big favourite at Turning Heads and is officially the tallest and person with the most hair at our church site!

CHARLOTTE

Charlotte joins the team at the social supermarket after sucessfully completing her supported internship. Charlotte loves working in the shop and we are really pleased to have her on the team.

KELLY

We are really excited to have Kelly join our staff team. She has lots of experience with working alongside children and adults with additional needs and brings many new skills to our expanding staff team. Kelly loves singing, dancing and shopping! This is a wonderful match to what we do.

CARLA

Carla joins us after many years of working in Health and Social care and the hospitality and events management. Carla enjoys crafting, cooking, board games, walking her dog and spending time with family.

MEGAN

Megs is really happy to be joining the team. She has recently passed the level 2 in Bookkeeping and loves maths and numbers. Megs is profoundly deaf and has cerebral palsy, but has never let that stop her from working hard and achieving her goals!

LUCY

Lucy has been a support worker for the last 3 years out in the community where she has supported clients with daily living tasks, correspondence, finances and accessing the community. She loves animals and has a horse called Ellie and 2 cats called Chicken and Nugget.

Robyn

Robyn joins the team after completing her supported internship with us. Robyn works at both the Skills Centre and the social supermarket and is keen to develop her pottery skills and get evryone making giant sculpture!

Mia

Hi, I am Mia and I will be working at the Café 2 days a week and the other days finishing my ‘Bridges to work’ course at South Devon College. I love drawing, listening to music and going out with my friends. I am really looking forward to working at the new Tea Leaf Cafe.

Mandy

I have worked in Education and the care sector for over 20 years and have a real passion for cooking. I also love to read and am looking forward to taking on this role at the Tea Leaf Café.

LUKE

Luke has been a chef for over a decade in busy kitchens across Torbay and Bristol. He believes cooking can be therapeutic and strives to create delicious food. Luke is a passionate advocate for mental health awareness.

Alfie

Hi, I’m Alfie, I’m 18 I go to Mayfield college and I’m in my final year there. I like going to the gym – I guess you can call me a gym rat. I also like playing Xbox with my mates and getting out and about walking my dog Coco.

I will be starting at the Tea Leaf Café in January 2025 and bring to this role lots of experiencing from working at The Toorak Hotel Kitchen.