Recognising that families may struggle to access traditional, in-person services due to:
The charity has developed a range of accessible support options:
This approach ensures that the charity is not only responsive to the practical needs of its beneficiaries but also fosters a sense of belonging and understanding within its community.
Chair of Trustees
Bio
Bob is a retired IT and telecommunications professional. He has worked his way up from trainee to engineering and project management, ultimately retiring as the head of engineering and service delivery for a global telecommunications organisation. With extensive experience managing projects and staff with budgets exceeding £1,000,000, Bob also possesses expertise in quality assurance and data security, adhering to ISO standards. He is excited to bring his skills to STRM and make a positive impact for our families.
Trustee &
Joint Vice Chair
Bio
With more than 25 years of HR experience in the legal services sector, Alison offers a wide range of experience in systems implementation, project management, process enhancement, and communication.
As a mother of a young autistic adult, Alison knows how difficult it can be to navigate the diagnosis process and secure support while balancing work and family responsibilities. She is deeply committed to STRM’s mission of providing comprehensive and holistic support to families in need and is eager to use her personal experiences as both a parent and a professional to assist families in overcoming challenges. Alison has a particular area of interest in the support available for neurodivergent young people as they transition from education to the workplace.
Alison is thrilled to join STRM as a trustee, having witnessed firsthand the profound impact of their services and support.
Trustee
& Joint Vice Chair
Bio
Brian is an IT Specialist Engineer who resolves issues for various companies. Brian previously served as a Councillor for his local area, where he made significant efforts to promote change, particularly advocating for SEND issues. He held roles such as Vice Chair of South Essex Homes and Vice Chair of the Appeals Committee and was involved in several committees, including Audit, People Scrutiny, and Development Control. Additionally, Brian is keenly interested in grassroots football and serves as the Club Coordinator for Corinthians Football Club. He is also the Chair of the St. Luke’s Resident’s Association. Brian also currently sits on the Southend Fostering Panel and is also strongly interested in the transformative power of the Arts for all. He is married and has two children. As the parent of a child with SEND—he has an autistic and ADHD daughter—he understands the challenges that families face. He recognises the difficulties that arise from gaps in services. He believes in acknowledging the many skills and talents of our neurodivergent children and advocates for them to be seen and heard.
Trustee
Bio
Clare is the mother of two boys. She has spent many years in recruitment, supporting a wide range of organisations, including Charities. She believes equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) is at the heart of building successful teams anywhere! As well as a flexible approach to continual learning and nurturing talent creates opportunities for individuals and their organisation. As an active participant in Pride and Parent support groups within her previous employer, she understands that mentoring and sharing experiences underpin truly inclusive cultures. Clare is keen to offer her skills in recruitment, training, sales and management to support our Charity.
Trustee
Bio
Vicki is a qualified British Sign Language Interpreter, professional trainer and parent of two neurodivergent children. As an ADHDer, she brings valuable lived experience to SEND the Right Message.
Trustee
Bio
Simon brings extensive voluntary service experience to his role as a STRM Trustee, having worked in areas such as homelessness, food banks, stewarding charity events, collaborating with the Cities of Sanctuary, and various office functions. He holds certificates in counselling, neurodivergence, Mental Health First Aid, Peer Support, and Suicide and Self-Harm Prevention in Young People’s Advocacy, as well as safeguarding. With a diverse skill set honed over a 35-year career, Simon also has personal experience with c-PTSD and navigating mental health services. As a Lived Experience Ambassador with EPUT, he is passionate about co-production, peer support, and neurodivergence. In his leisure time, Simon enjoys reading, attending live music events and theatre, and has a passion for cooking.
Treasurer
Bio
Caroline works as both an Accounts Manager and a Fitness Instructor, bringing a unique blend of professional and personal experience to her role at STRM. As a mum to a neurospicy child and being neurospicy herself, she has first-hand insight into the challenges and strengths within the neurodivergent community. Caroline is passionate about using her lived experience and skills to support STRM’s mission and to help create positive change for families.
CEO
Bio
Administrator & Business Support
Bio
Vicky has experience supporting children with disabilities both as an Early Years and Primary school teacher, and as a parent of a late-diagnosed autistic teenager. Having received invaluable support from STRM for her daughter and her family, she is now passionate about helping other parents navigating the challenges of raising neurodivergent or disabled children.
For the past 10 years, Vicky has provided administration and business support to several small businesses and charities, and she now brings this expertise to STRM.
Volunteer Coordinator
Bio
Hannah was recently diagnosed with ADHD, an experience she describes as both “eye-opening” and “validating.” She has worked in Early Years as a SENCO and Deputy Manager, as well as a Healthy Family Support Practitioner at the Essex Child and Family Wellbeing Service.
With professional experience supporting families, and having previously led a local SEND support group, Hannah brings both expertise and lived experience to her role. She is currently a mature student studying Health and Social Care at university and will be working with STRM alongside her studies.
Outside of her professional and academic life, Hannah enjoys reading, spending time with her dogs, and has a big love for rock music.
Volunteer
Bio
Joan volunteers at STRM and brings years of experience in supporting neurodivergent children and families, both in family law and within her personal life. She served as Chair of Governors at an inner-city school in Birmingham and has been an LEA adopted governor at a Southend School for the past six years. With a deep understanding of family law, Joan has provided assistance to families in a Pilot Project, helping eight families navigate complex issues such as housing, family law, and challenging medical conditions, shedding light on the intense challenges parents encounter in the SEND system.
Volunteer
Bio
Ann Harding has been Road Services Director at Quattro Plant, one of the UK’s largest plant hire companies, for the past 14 years. Alongside her career, Ann co-founded the charity HAE UK 15 years ago and became its Chair in 2021. She has played a leading role in raising vital funds and awareness, securing national media and TV coverage to improve care and treatment for patients living with this rare disorder. Known for her clear and straightforward approach, Ann has a strong ability to communicate key messages effectively — a skill that has supported her work in business, broadcasting, and parliamentary settings. Ann now joins STRM as a volunteer, bringing her professional expertise and first-hand experience of supporting children with special needs. “I hope my experience can help make a positive difference.”
Volunteer
Bio
Michelle is a mother of two who has transitioned from a career as a nail technician to becoming a passionate advocate for change within her community. Her personal experiences with Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) and hip conditions with her own neurodivergent family have inspired her to raise awareness, share her journey, and support other families. Michelle has been featured in local newspapers and news outlets, and more recently, she participated in a parliamentary group focused on eating disorders.
Volunteer
Bio
Kerry is a mum to two neurodivergent children and has plenty of lived experience with Autism, ADHD, and Dyslexia. She spent 18 years working in primary schools, supporting children with additional needs from early years through to Year 6. These days, she volunteers as a Therapy Dog handler with Essex Therapy Dogs, mainly visiting schools to support children who are anxious about reading or find it hard to communicate, especially autistic children and those with situational mutism. Kerry brings a calm, friendly presence to STRM and a great mix of professional and personal insight. She’s passionate about making children feel seen, heard, and safe, whether that’s through a listening ear, a wagging tail, or a reassuring chat with parents who’ve been there too.
Volunteer
Bio
Coming Soon
Volunteer
Bio
Santanna joined the team as a volunteer to assist with administering the Online Parent Support Forum. She enjoys helping parents access online support, especially since, as a parent of a child with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and understands the difficulties of accessing support due factors like not being able to leave the house or you work full-time. The Online Forum provides parents with an outlet to access support online rather than in person. Santanna has four children; and one is diagnosed Autistic and ADHD, and her other child is on the pathway.
Volunteer
Bio
Rebecca is a mother managing a busy neurodivergent household and has successfully operated her own businesses for much of her career. With a background in change management within the local authority, she is thrilled to bring her expertise to support the STRM team. Having lived experience with Autism and ADHD allows Rebecca to not only support her four children but also to offer support to friends and other parents. She brings a diverse skill set she has developed throughout her career and a sense of fun to the STRM team.
