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Head Office

Beneficiary Support Session Facilitators

Board of Trustees

Supporters

Supporting Companies and Organisations

Volunteers

Head Office

Thomas Memery LL B
Development Director
Committed to raising standards in the Third Sector; longstanding interest in eradicating poverty and encouraging young people to reach their potential. Previously managed an award-winning social enterprise helping members of BME communities to start their own businesses.

Gavin Martin
Development Coordinator
Holds First Class Degree in Film from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth; has a natural aptitude for media, communication and design.

Janet Wood
Project Manager - Administration

Pearl Allis-Smith
Volunteer Coordinator
Pearl is qualified as a Registered Nurse in Mental Health and has worked within the NHS for more than 30 years. As a Ward Sister, she specialised in care of the elderly, with a strong commitment to raising standards in care for terminally ill patients.

Margaret Gallagher
Hailing from Australia, Margaret has lived and worked in the UK since 1994. Qualifications in Psychology; extensive work on social care, disability and long-term illness projects. With personal experience as a carer, she is committed to empowering those in need.

Helen Rowe

Beneficiary Support Session Facilitators

Annie Baker
Psychotherapist with experience of working in Private Practice, NHS, Education and hospices; working with palliative care patients and their families. Runs training courses on Bereavement and Loss.

Sharon Bird
Previously an Assistant Director of Nursing. Was, until recently, engaged as a Lecturer and Project Manager for Emergency Preparedness. A former carer. Sharon has represented carers by serving various strategic planning and development groups both within and outside the NHS. Sharon is an active Soroptomist.

Jan Donnelly
Background in social and youth services, and community education; supporting people with learning disabilities through training and advocacy. Coordinated a team of disabled trainers teaching social work students and support staff.

Jane Hunt
Former Business Manager for an international chemical company, running three product lines in Europe. First-hand care experience.

Louise Jackson
Graduated University of Manchester with
BSc (hons) Chemistry with Medicinal
Chemistry. Shifted career from the
pharmaceutical industry to working for a
national health charity. For the NHS,
Louise delivered self-management
programmes for people with long-term
health conditions and their carers.

Rosie John-Baptiste
Rosie John-Baptiste is an experienced trainer, facilitator and freelance consultant; specialising in volunteer development and befriending services. She supports third sector organisations to create their own volunteer programs and promotes good practice in volunteering.

Maggie Kristiansen
Twenty years experience in complementary practice. Presently engaged in hospice work with individuals and their carers. Studying Public Health at Edge Hill University.

Ann Lake
Previously Secretary to the Lead Cancer Nurse at Dudley Group of Hospitals, progressing to Secretary to the Associate Nurse Director. Currently working as the User Involvement Facilitator for Greater Midlands Cancer Network.

Fiona Mallinson
Trained as a teacher, Fiona has over twenty years experience in the community and voluntary. Qualified counselor; spending two years volunteering for a hospital-based counseling service. Currently studying for a Diploma in Life Coaching.

Tania Mathias
Works for a medical charity in London. Much of her work as a medical doctor has been spent abroad, including work with the United Nations. Trained actress and award-winning amateur documentary film maker.

Jackie Taylor
Worked across the public and voluntary sector with young people, and individuals with learning disabilities and mental health issues. Jackie has taught psychology and literacy and undertaken counseling.

Wendy Thompson
Now retired from her role as Team Leader of the Hamar Help and Support Centre, Shrewsbury; a support service for people with cancer and serious illness, and their carers. Wendy trained as a Regional General Burse, holds a BSc in Health Studies, and counseling qualifications.

Jill Tiernan
Extensive career working in the Health and Social Sector for Staffordshire County Council, including a secondment to Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust as the Lead Manager for Older People. Currently a Joint Commissioning Officer for carers.

Board of Trustees

Dr Teresa Griffin
Joint Chairperson
Teresa has been a GP for thirty years, working with the Gold Standards Framework team in both primary care and care homes.

Henry Heath MBE
Now retired, Mr Heath Published two major books on flavour technology and chemistry. Previously engaged in lecturing; running symposia and writing technical articles in multiple countries. Played a significant role in technical food associations; a proactive Fellow in their foundation and growth.

Rod Clark OBE
Consultant to the voluntary sector, Rod built an internationally acclaimed charity, Sense; The National Deafblind and Rubella Association, from its inception. Retired from Sense in 2001. The Charity currently generates approximately £80 million and employs almost 3000 people. Is actively involved in a number of African projects.

Linton Waters

Supporters

Helen Meehan RN, RM, Bsc (Hons) Community Health Nursing
Lead Palliative Care and End of Life Care Clinical Champion for Solihull NHS Care Trust. Clinical Lead, Community Macmillan Specialist Palliative Care Team; leading on palliative care strategy and service improvement for Care Trust Community Services, clinical advisor to commissioning.

Helen Bowden MB ChB FRCGP Diploma in Palliative Medicine
Over ten years experience in palliative care. GP Principal at Hull's Faith House Surgery for six years, leading on QOF with responsibility for epilepsy, thyroid, cancer and palliative care. Actively involved in enhancing practice standards and promoting improvements in end of life care.

Tom Tanner
Tom has provided Omega with public relations advice and continues to support the Charity.

Nikki Sawkins
Trained as a Registered Nurse at University College Hospital, and midwife at Norfolk & Norwich Hospital. Worked as District Nurse / Midwife in rural Suffolk, and Great Yarmouth & Waveney PCT. Specialist Practitioner District Nurse in Halesworth, and Primary Care Cancer and Palliative Care Lead. Led on investment plan for Norfolk & Waveney Cancer Network.

Helen Harris

Phil Harris

Sue Harris
Trained at London Hospital, Whitechapel and worked at Myton Hamlet Hospice, Warwick; setting up the Solihull Macmillan Service in 1986. Retired in 2008, Sue remains active in raising standards of care in Nursing Homes.

Rosaleen Bawn
Trained as a Registered Nurse in Huddersfield; working as Sister on CCU, and as a District Nurse before helping to set up the first Macmillan Nursing Service in Huddersfield. Currently engaged as Macmillan Nurse Specialist for Care Homes.

Megan Greenhalgh
Extensive work with voluntary organisations in Ethiopia, Cambodia and Nepal; supporting children with HIV and AIDS. Now actively pursuing a long-term career in charitable work. Megan participated in Run to the Beat in 2010 to raise funds for projects benefiting carers.

Pf. Allan Kellehear

Pf. Collette Clifford

Stephanie Waters
Revelatory experiences travelling internationally; encountering hardship in foreign cultures, prompted a career shift to the voluntary sector. Working towards degree in International Studies.

Geoff Forgie 1940 - 2011
Omega mourns the loss of an inspirational local activist, with whom we have worked for more than 2 years. Geoff Forgie Chaired Shropshire Disability Network (www.shropshire-disability.net) and worked closely with Omega Development Director Tom Memery, who serves SDN as Treasurer. Geoff had the ability to bring people together and make things happen. He died August 7th 2011. We shall miss him. You can read SDN Patron Emma Suddaby's euolgy to Geoff here.

Harry French

Leena Cowell
Omega Supporter Leena Cowell took part in the annual 50 mile Long Mynd hike to raise funds for the Omega MND iPad Appeal on October 1st 2011. Leena works as a receptionist at the Meadows Surgery in Clun, South Shropshire. Omega MND iPad Appeal

Mr and Mrs C Harris

Pam Trewin

Volunteers

Nicky Peck
Over 29 years experience of developing and delivering young people’s services and community engagement programmes. Nicky believes passionately in working with volunteers and supporting organisations in creating their own volunteer programmes. Outside paid work Nicky has had firsthand experience of the caring role.