Doug Mason

Chairman

Email: chairman@westessexmind.org.uk

Born in Surrey in 1944. I enjoyed the sciences at school and graduated in civil engineering from Surrey University.

I indentured to John Laing to become a Member of the Institute of Civil Engineers and then worked for Ford Motor Company for thirty odd years. Mostly worked abroad in Germany, Spain, Portugal, India and Brazil; managing large construction sites for new factories.

I retired in 2002 to pursue my principal hobbies of vintage cars and fly fishing and of late, to enjoy our grandchildren with my wife.

I became involved in Uttlesford Mind as a trustee five years ago and have immensely enjoyed providing some support to the organisation and working with the other trustees and staff.

Robin Strube

Vice Chairman

Born in London, I have lived in and around Saffron Walden since infancy.

I was educated at the Perse School in Cambridge, however academia was not for me and I was absorbed by watching tradesmen at their craft from Thatchers to Sheet metal workers and found that I had a practical mind and could turn my hand to most things. Apprenticed to a toolmaker at the age of 16, Most of my working life was with an international Chemical company, where I held a number of positions in manufacturing, Quality control, Logistics and IT.

I took early retirement and redundancy in 2005, when my job transferred to Basle in Switzerland, giving me an opportunity to take up voluntary work with a Reiki clinic in 2006 and was introduced to Uttlesford Mind through their 'befriender' course, joining the Trustee Board in 2009.

I have diverse interests, being a Reiki Master, avid reader, enthusiastic DIY'er, mediocre gardener and plain cook.

Sarah Knights

Trustee

Born in Ayrshire, I moved to Putney in 1964 to work in London for a year. I am still "Down South" but I still miss Scotland sometimes. I moved in to Uttlesford in 1980 (Newport). I have three lovely Daughters and six grandchildren, who are a great source of joy to me.

I served as a Deacon in the Saffron Walden Baptist Church for 3 years and I have been active in the Church lunch club since 2004, catering for 35-40 elderly people, twice a month, who enjoy a cooked meal, in a relaxing atmosphere, meeting old friends and making new ones.

I joined Uttlesford Mind in 1993 as a volunteer. Later, I was employed as Drop in leader, running sessions in Dunmow, Stanstead and Saffron Walden until I retired in 2005.

I became a Trustee in 2008 to support the work of this very worthwhile Charity.West Essex Mind is much larger now, reaching many more people and helping in a various ways and I am proud to be part of this amazing organisation.

Alan Wellbelove

Trustee

Although born in London, I have lived in Harlow since infancy, living in the Bush Fair area of Harlow till age 11. Currently unemployed, previously I had worked in administration and Finance all my working life. With a history of starting things, but never quite finishing them, I trained in accountancy and counselling, dropping out of both in the final year.

My introduction to West Essex Mind was initially through their Employability wing as a service user in 2008. Partly ‘to give something back', I was looking for ways in which I might work, or volunteer at WEM and it was suggested I consider becoming a trustee of the organisation, which I duly did in January 2012.

I am also a befriender for WEM and find the trustee work and befriending very rewarding.

Outside of Mind I have wide and varied interests, including, cinema, family history, sport, psychology, walking, socialising, reading

Sylvia Hayes

Trustee

Born in Hampshire I came to live in Essex in 1970 and have lived in Stansted for the last 26 years.

I have just retired after spending all my working life in the NHS mainly for the Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust Harlow. I qualified as a Biomedical Scientist in 1974 and then worked in Pathology for many years.

During this time I became a trade union representative and progressed to Staff Side Secretary in 2004 working in partnership with management and Human Resources helping to introduce the new national NHS terms and conditions.

I firstly became involved with West Essex Mind as a service user and became a trustee just over a year ago.

The rest of my time is now spent gardening, walking, reading and trying to trace my family history. I also have two young grand-daughters which keep me very active.

Norman Greig

Trustee

I run a Management Consultancy specialising in process improvement, quality and environmental management. Previously I was an executive in a Consulting Engineers and construction laboratory. I spend quite a bit of time working overseas in Turkey, Malta and elsewhere.

I am a Materials Engineer and Concrete Technologist by training and I have a Master's degree in evaluation of concrete structures and non destructive testing. I am a Chartered Quality Professional and a Fellow of the Chartered Quality Institute and a Fellow of the Institute of Concrete Technology.

My main hobbies are swimming and golf and playing with my two grandchildren.

I have had experience of friends and relatives suffering from mental illness. I became a Trustee in 2011, because I wanted to use my experience to help the organisation and its stakeholders and to give something back outside of business.

Tim Westgate

Trustee

Born in Brighton in 1947, I was always interested in and closely connected with work with different cultures and religions. My musical skills played into this.

I taught music and geography in Dagenham after working in aircraft insurance in The City. Through my voluntary work with international development organisations, I became a Community Relations Officer. I then worked as the Education Advisor to the London Borough Greenwich and finally became a civil servant in the Home Office until retiring in 2007.

My interest and qualifications in wine and its wide cultural associations supported me in working in the wine trade after retirement for a while. I am passionately interested in all aspects of international affairs and work as a volunteer with another charity doing health and safety inspections.

I am a keen supporter of MIND, having come to it as a service user. Widening access to MIND for all communities is close to my heart.I enjoy spending time in simple social activities with my wife, two sons and grandson and some very dear friends.

Fiona Burgoyne

Trustee

I am 29 years of age and I am by nature a gregarious and effervescent person, with good organisation skills and I like being around people and working in groups.

I have suffered with depression and anxiety for 4 years. I have up and down days, but with help from my friends, family and West Essex Mind I have come to understand and learn how to handle my Black dog.

The support I received from the staff at Mind has helped me to value myself and to start getting back out in to the world again.I love to help people in any way I can and volunteered to become a Trustee so that I could give something back to the organisation that provided me with help when I needed it.

I am the newest Trustee, being proposed for Trustee ship at the November Trustee meeting and I look forward to working with the Board to manage and grow the activities of the Charity in the future.