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Board of Trustees John Burke (Joint chair) My background is local; I grew up and went to school in South London and North Kent. I started nursing in my early twenties and have always worked in the psychiatric area. I’ve spent some part of that time offering counselling skills in G.P. surgeries. I currently work with long term mentally ill in a Community Mental Health Team. I try to support groups that I believe are representative of human rights and values. I like music, general reading and films. I play guitar, have 2 cats and I’m unbelievably interested in DIY (don’t believe that last bit)! Margaret Eaton I have been a Trustee of Dartford, Gravesham & Swanley Mind for the past 6 years. For most of that time a member of the Housing sub group where I participated in a cookery course for the residents. I retired from Age concern as a Cook/Day Centre Supervisor some 9 years ago and remain an Executive Member of the Board. In 2002/03 I was Mayor of Dartford and a Borough Councillor for 8 years. I am Chairman of Dartford Volunteer Centre having been a member of the Management committee for about 12 years. I will be retiring as a very long standing Governor of both Fleetdown Infants and Fleetdown Junior Schools when they amalgamate and become one school in January. My hobbies include walking, swimming and bowling. Sandi Lowing I have worked in the charitable sector for nearly 30 years and spent 15 of those with Dartford, Gravesham & Swanley Mind, first as Development Officer and then as Chief Officer. I have been Chief Executive of Bromley Mind since 2000 and currently serve on the Mind Networks Committee. I live in Gravesend and offer the Board knowledge of mental health services policy and developments locally and nationally, strategic management skills and a tremendous respect for the contribution this Organisation makes to the communities it serves. Phil Matthews (Joint chair) I have been a partner in a firm of Consulting Civil Engineers for the last 20 years and became interested in mental health during my divorce realising it is an area that is often not given sufficient recognition. I have been a member of the board of Trustees since 1992 and serve as the director lead on the Fundraising Sub Group and serve on the Finance & Personnel Sub Group. I was involved with Gravesend Drop-In when it was formed and have also facilitated Groupwork for the Organisation. I ran in 1996 London Marathon to raise funds for Dartford, Gravesham & Swanley Mind. I am very much into motorbikes, scooters, old land rovers, collecting 7” vinyl records and trying to play the guitar. Pat North I was born in Dartford and lived here until 1971, returning in 1982. I have had a variety of jobs (Saturday girl in Woolworth’s, Burroughs and Welcome, cinema usherette, barmaid, shop assistant, factory worker). I have always been interested in mental health and was a Mind volunteer many years ago, working on the Advice line and running a Living Skills Group. I have worked in the mental health field since 1989 and currently work in a local Community Mental Health Team. I joined the Board of Trustees in 2007 and feel privileged to have this role in the Organisation. I enjoy sport (watching!) and support Charlton Athletic (from a distance, as they lose when I go!). My interests include music and researching my family tree. Andrew Upstill I was born in South London, grew up in Bickley and lived for 10 years in Swanley. I’ve had a varied work life as a Conference Production Technician (3 years, terrific job!), a video tape checker (2 weeks, rubbish job!), shop assistant, BT engineer, burglar alarm engineer, Franchisee milkman and recruitment consultant working on the YTS scheme where I got a young lad a placement as a trainee embalmer! I was a volunteer fundraiser for 2 years at DGS Mind and I now run a window cleaning/property maintenance business. In 1995 I became mentally unwell during my divorce and was a Mind tenant for a time. Resolving my problems has helped me develop as a person and the way I see life. Being part of Mind is a very humbling experience, develops you as a person and it always brings you back to what is really important, a real reality checker. I always enjoy going to Mind and really value the dedication, care and sense of purpose of the staff and volunteers. I have a male cat called Molly (don’t ask!), two kids that cost too much money and enjoy watercolour painting, music, opera, poetry and gardening. I have been a Trustee of DGS Mind for six years and sit on the Finance & Personnel and Fundraising sub groups. I am also a Board member of NWK CVS and a school governor of St Simon Stock RC Secondary School. |
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Dartford
Gravesham & Swanley MIND |
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