Summary:

We have a team of very dedicated, highly trained and amazing people. We all want to do what we can to make good things happen with and for young people and their families.

Andy Bacon

Name: Andy Bacon Background: Farmer and then Personal Advisor for Connexions Service Really Loves: Outdoor activities Something you’re proud of: Setting up my own farm shop (Coopers Farm Shop, nr Alvechurch)

Kate Cocker

Name: Kate Cocker Background/Occupation: Teaching background with many years teaching experience in secondary education. More recently has been involved in training people in mentoring skills and how to deliver Relationships and Sexual Health education Really love: eating out, holidays and spending time with her family, particularly my 3 young grandchildren Something I enjoy about mentoring: seeing a young person come through very difficult times knowing that you have accompanied them on that journey

Anna Cooke

More about Anna coming soon...

Roger Davies

Name: Roger Davis Background/Occupation: Architect working on schools and housing for the elderly. Been a school governor for many years both in primary and secondary schools. I have lived in Stratford for 30 years and have four children and 5 grandchilden. I play some golf and am a member of The Stratford Society. I enjoy going to the cinema with my grandchildren and the theatre with my wife and children (they are all adults now!). Really love: walking in the mountains especially with my family. Something I enjoy about mentoring: seeing that I am making a difference to a young person’s life.

Rachel Faulkner

Name: Rachel Faulkner Background/Occupation: Managing projects, developing teams, co-ordinating and facilitating training and development Really Loves: Spending time with my family, working in my garden, dancing and music. Something I enjoy about mentoring is... helping someone to look at things from a different angle or perspective

Mike Gibbs

Name: Mike Gibbs Background/Occupation: Counsellor/Psychotherapist Really loves: Travelling and being outdoors Something I enjoy about mentoring is .... Seeing young people's happiness as their lives improve

Jan Gill

Name: Jan Gill Background/Occupation: Area Manager/HR Consultant Really loves: Socialising with friends and family! Something I enjoy about mentoring – Supporting young people to become more confident and realise their potential.

Debi Harrison

Name: Debi Harrison Background/Occupation: Local Government Administration Manager Really Loves: Eating with family and friends, my home, my garden and running. Something I enjoy about mentoring is...watching my mentees grow with confidence as they begin to understand that they have some control over their lives

Phil Pattison

Name: Philip Pattison Background/Occupation: Company Secretary for an Advertising Agency Really Loves: Football Something I enjoy about mentoring is …encouraging young people to feel good about themselves

Val Payne

Name: Val Payne Occupation: Primary Teacher and Grandmother Really love: Creating things especially using textiles Something I enjoy about mentoring is... the challenge of helping the young person to see and successfully try out ways of changing their situation.

Ros Peace

Name: Rossalyn Peace Background/Occupation: Admin / youth worker Really Loves: eating with friends and family, travelling, reading Something I enjoy about mentoring is... Seeing young people make the changes that make their life better

Cathy Shearn

Name: Cathy Shearn Background/Occupation: Teacher/Youth worker Really loves: Italy, novels, theatre, cinema...people's stories. Something I enjoy about mentoring is... Helping young people to find a positive way forward in life.

Chris Spriggs

Name: Chris Spriggs Background/Occupation: Teacher/Coach Really Loves: Running marathons and reading stories to my kids Something I enjoy about mentoring is... Seeing young people feel 'hope-full' about their lives again

Dave Volrath

More about Dave coming soon...

Clare Welch

Name: Clare Welch Background: Hotel and leisure industry, now trained as a counsellor in emotional therapy and studying Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Really Loves: Tennis, keeping fit and travelling Something learned as a mentor: Working with Lifespace gives me the opportunity to interact with young people and help improve their lives - this can be challenging, but also very rewarding.

Phil Williams

Name: Phil Williams Background/Occupation: Many years in I.T., now publishing the Connection Magazine in Alcester & Bidford. Really loves: Football, golf and sport in general. Something I enjoy about mentoring is... seeing enthusiasm grow as a young person starts to feel different about an issue.

Nicole Woodyatt

Name: Nicole Woodyatt Background/Occupation: I am a Speech and language therapist by profession and have worked with lots of people who have faced challenges in their life as a result of having a road traffic accident or brain injury. My job is to work to improve communication and eating and drinking. Everyone is affected in different ways - but most of us have a lot more resilience than we first think. Really loves: I like being outdoors, walking the dog and taking photos. I run (a bit) and like being creative....whether it is in cooking or making stuff. Something I enjoy about mentoring. I get to meet some great young people- full of interesting possibilities. I really like listening to their stories and unpicking some of the challenges with them. It is great to work with someone and see them start to believe they can do what they really want to.

Who is who?
We have a small team of staff, most of whom are part-time.

We also have a growing team of volunteers who complete an accredited training course, are CRB checked, and are regularly supervised.

Click on the names left to see more
about them.