James Blakey (Company Secretary) Expand James is currently the Head of Credit Risk at Oakbrook Finance, a loan provider based in the centre of Nottingham. After graduating Warwick University with a BSc in mathematics, James joined the Capital One graduate programme where he spent 4 years as an analyst. James then moved down to work in the City of London for 18 months before returning to Nottingham to join Oakbrook Finance. Once James returned to Nottingham, he joined the Headway Nottingham board of trustees and currently holds the role of company secretary.
Gill Perkins Expand Gill Perkins took early retirement 10 years ago and has been a volunteer at Headway Nottingham for a number of years. She was a microbiology graduate and her early roles were working in public health medicine at a number of locations following promotion. After a break to raise her family Gill became Microbiology Manager at Boots. This role was followed by 3 years as a Production Manager running the Sterile Products Factory, then, after a 2 year period working as Quality Assurance Manager for the international healthcare division, finally becoming Head of Quality for the UK Manufacturing Division. Her career at Boots spanned 20 years during which she gained experience in managing service and production facilities, developing and delivering quality management in a highly regulated areas, meeting both European and International requirements, as well as auditing in the UK and Overseas. She was also Chair of the Microbiology Committee of the Cosmetics, Toiletries and Perfumery Association CTPA) for several years before moving to production. Throughout her career at Boots she was responsible for business winning, budget and staff management and was also a member of a number of working parties responsible for delivering business improvements.
Sam Harris Expand Sam Harris is a Registered Nurse and the Managing Director and Senior Case Manager of HACM Limited. Sam has worked as a Case Manager for the past 14 years where she has specialised in the coordination of rehabilitation of individuals with complex brain, orthopaedic and spinal injury. Sam coordinates complete rehabilitation programmes for adults and children with complex and multiple physical difficulties. Prior to this Sam worked within the NHS for 15 years where she gained extensive experience in a variety of trauma and rehabilitative settings. Upon qualifying as a General Nurse Sam worked within the post acute settings and specialised in Trauma and Orthopaedic roles which included neuro and spinal rehabilitation. Sam is registered through the Nursing and Midwifery Council and is a member of the Royal College of Nursing. Sam is a Director of Case Management Society UK and previous Chair of the Society. Sam is an Advanced Member of the British Association of Brain Injury Case Managers.
Nina Offord Hall Expand Nina has a long history with Headway Nottingham. Initially volunteering in 2001 for a three month period and falling in love with the service. Nina firstly joined the board of trustees in 2002 had a break when she left to undertake a degree and then returned to the Board six years ago. Nina has seen immeasurable changes during the last 17 years and has been part of the development and growth of the service on a strategic and practical level throughout this time. She has done everything from stewarding at events, playing Scrabble with members and being the link between members and the Board. Nina also has personal experience of members of her own family who live with the day to day effects of brain injury and is passionate about raising awareness of protective head equipment when undertaking sport. Nina was the Treasurer for Nottingham LGBT Pride in 2010 and currently manages a Trussell Trust Foodbank in the Nottingham City area and has volunteered in an Oxfam clothing shop for the past 7 years.
Jennifer Ditchfield Expand Jennifer has a longstanding commitment to understanding and supporting the psychological needs of individuals with brain injury and neurological illness. She is a clinical psychologist with additional training in neuropsychology and has been qualified for nearly 10 years. She has worked in both community and inpatient neuropsychology services, in addition to mental health services in the NHS.
Melissa Roe Expand I achieved a BSc (HONS) in Occupational Therapy from the University of Northampton in 2004. Since qualifying as an Occupational Therapist I have worked within Nottingham University Hospitals in various clinical areas. I have worked within neurology, both within the acute setting, inpatient rehabilitation and community setting. I now work for the Nottingham Traumatic Brain Injury Service at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS trust and provide rehabilitation to survivors of brain injury. My work includes increasing independence in life skills, cognitive rehabilitation and vocational rehabilitation.
Ken Bird Expand Ken joined Headway Nottingham as a volunteer in 2016, came to know and appreciate the good daily work being done, and became a trustee in 2019. On the route to retiring from regular working life 10 years ago Ken graduated in Chemical Engineering, eventually directing the creative engineering design for a global business before becoming MD of the engineering division. Over many years this included design, manufacturing, finance, HR, facilities, patents, and future planning. It also included a lot of international travel...... now being somewhat rectified through being involved in Nottingham based activities.
Rob Allan Expand Rob Allan MA LLM FCIPD Rob retired a year ago from the position of Director of Human Resources at Loughborough University, one of the UK’s top 10 universities, a position that he held for 10 years. He is a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD with extensive management experience within the NHS, Police and Higher Education sectors, both at operational and strategic levels, including some 30 years as a board level Director. A skilled negotiator with significant experience in heavily unionised environments, Rob has substantial experience in leading organisational change, managing performance and developing positive and constructive employee relations. Rob has a strong interest in legal issues, with particular expertise in employment law, including Employment Tribunals and professional conduct/regulation. He has Masters degrees in Employment Law, Medical Law and Sports Law, as well as a Post-Graduate Diploma in Healthcare Law Rob has been a Lay Member of the Employment Tribunals for over 20 years and is also a Lay Member for the Teacher Regulation Authority Professional Misconduct Panels. Originally from Felixstowe, on the East Coast, Rob lives in Loughborough and in his spare time likes watching sport and trying to keep reasonably fit.
Adam Sutcliffe Expand Adam is a qualified Psychiatric Nurse. He started his career working as a Nurse for Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, specialising in substance misuse. In 2018 Adam left the NHS to join Framework to set up an inpatient detoxification service that he now manages, providing treatment for service users throughout the East Midlands. Over his career he has been witness to the challenges posed to individuals who have suffered with a brain injury, in particular those suffering with an alcohol related brain injury. He is keen to contribute towards removing barriers for those wishing to access care and treatment, whilst providing support and education to individuals and their families.