About us

Meet the trustees

Tor Berry

Tor has over five years of experience in fundraising, focusing on community infrastructure and partnerships. She raised £200,000 to renovate a local building into a community center and secured a grant for a five-year Community Outreach Service for her local Headway charity. Additionally, she collaborates with Astriid to support their charitable aims. Tor is the president of her local WI, a member of International Rotary, volunteers at a soup kitchen, serves as an NHS community ambassador for research, and is a trustee for the South Leicestershire Dementia Community.

Treasurer

Allan Heggs

Born and bred in Leicester. Attending Gateway boy’s school before taking up an apprenticeship in the printing industry. Spent the last 40 years in Financial Services when I ran my own Independent Financial Adviser practice. Married with 5 children between us, 12 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. Now retired but I like to keep active. Frances, my wife, has dementia and attends a number of weekly sessions at Our House.

Lizzie Keenan

I have over 25 years experience of working in the Voluntary sector, starting my career working for a national disability charity and then moving in to community development, supporting local communities in Leicestershire and Northamptonshire to set up new projects and charities, and advising them about fundraising. In recent years I have been working as Fundraising Manager for a local youth charity and also assisting Home-start south Leicestershire with their fundraising.

I became aware of the valuable support that is being offered by SLDC when a family member started attending the care and share group after a dementia diagnosis in 2022, so when I was asked to become a trustee I was keen to get involved and support their work.

Dom Lane

I am Headteacher of Lutterworth College, the local secondary school which is also home to the Academy for Dementia Research and Education (ADRE). I've lived in the area for many years, and I am passionate about supporting the wider community and helping it to thrive. Dementia is a cause close to my heart. My nana was a long-term sufferer, and I have seen first-hand the emotional and practical challenges it brings not only to those diagnosed, but also those closest. I am proud to serve as a trustee and contribute to the vital work of the charity that makes a real difference to families like mine.

Maggie Pankhurst

Chair

I have experience of working in education and the voluntary sectors and spent the last 15 years of my working life as an organisation development consultant working mainly in international development. I have also acted as a trustee on a number of international and national charity boards. Alan, my husband, has frontotemporal and vascular dementia and has been attending the sessions at Our House since 2019.

Jackie Parkes

Jacqueline Parkes is the Professor of Applied Mental Health in the Faculty of Health, Education & Society at the University of Northampton (UON).

Jackie is an experienced mental health nurse. She is the Founder and co-Lead of the Northamptonshire Dementia Research & Innovation Centre (NDRIC) at UON. She works extensively with local organisations to evaluate their provision of health and social care services, including community-based interventions for people living with dementia. She is the Chair of the Northamptonshire Dementia Action Forum (Formerly the Northamptonshire Dementia Action Alliance) and Chair of the Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland Dementia Friendly Community Forum. Jackie has also established four community-based social groups for people with dementia; the Forget-me-nots Social YOD Group, Qualified by Experience (QBE) for former carers, and the Post-diagnostic Support UnityDEM Centre in Northamptonshire; and the Lutterworth Share & Care Group for people with dementia and their carers in South Leicestershire. Jackie is the Founder and Director of the Academy for Dementia Research and Education Ltd (ADRE).

Sara Poultney

My name’s Sara. I’m 52 and have lived in Lutterworth for the past 23 years. I grew up in Leicester and then moved to Cardiff to pursue Modern English Studies at University. I then trained as a primary school teacher and taught for 6 years in Berkshire before starting a family. My career has then taken a number of different turns from Deputy Library Manager, School Business Manager to my current role as Assistant Practice Manager at a GP surgery. I love the variety and busy-ness of my role! In my free time I enjoy reading, walking with our greyhound Kit and sewing; I’m a quilter and never have enough fabric!

I became involved with ADRE and subsequently SLDC as my Dad had a dementia diagnosis and was one of the founding members of Our House. The support he and my mum received was phenomenal and I want to support the team in providing this for all the potential members and family that are lucky enough to be involved with ADRE and SDLC.

Carol Taaffe

I have always enjoyed working with people who had mental health challenges, to prove that their voices needed to be heard, and gaining self worth, within a safe environment, also giving their love ones, time to have a break, time to be ‘me time ‘ have a hug . I am a member of the Methodist Church and volunteer at Our House.

Meet the board attendees

Jane Beaumont

Director of ADRE and Manager of Our House

Jane was a secondary school teacher teaching locally for 17 years and was part of the team running The Enterprise Centre for Lutterworth College. She also ran the Community Computer Centre at the One Stop Shop, the home of voluntary and community organisations, for several years. She is now the Project Manager for The Academy for Dementia Research and Education Ltd and runs the gardening group for the Lutterworth Share & Care Group. She is trained in Cognitive Stimulation Therapy and leads the Brain Gym sessions for group members with early stage dementia and completed a Level 7 course in Advanced Dementia Care with the University of Northampton in 2019.

She has been a leader for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme for many years and really loves camping (although she much prefers her camper van to a tiny tent these days). She is also a volunteer driver for Lutterworth Community Transport and a Dementia Champion.

Claire Davies

Secretary

Claire is PhD student at the University of Northampton her area of interest is the experience of becoming a carer for a partner who has been diagnosed with dementia. Claire is also an academic researcher, provides administrative support to a national young dementia group DEFIN, and volunteers at carers groups at Our House. Claire has lived experience of dementia as a carer for her dad, Michael and is proud to support SLDC.

Kay Wilson

Finance

I am married with 3 children who all grew up in Claybrooke Magna, where I have lived for 46 years, and I cared for my mother when she developed dementia.

After graduating from Lancaster University with a degree in International Politics I worked for Coopers and Lybrand (now Price Waterhouse Coopers), qualifying as a chartered accountant.

During my career I worked as an accountant in industry and after 2000 I had a portfolio career with three part time jobs – at a housing association, an engineering company and a Rural Community Council (an organisation supporting rural communities).

Since retirement I have volunteered at a riding for the disabled group, contributed to the formation of a local history group in Claybrooke, and belonged to and been treasurer of Lutterworth Inner Wheel and Lutterworth Twinning Association, as well as book keeping as a volunteer at ADRE. I have also acted as an Independent Examiner of charity accounts for various small local groups.

My hobbies include sailing, riding and helping my grandchildren pursue their interests.

Meet the staff

Deb Tuke

ADRE Project Worker and Care Co-ordinator

Lee Reading

ADRE Project Worker and Coffee Shop Co-ordinator

Lee has previously been a carer and is also a qualified riding teacher. Lee supports the Brain Gym sessions and is trained in Cognitive Stimulation therapy. He is an experienced chef and does the catering for Adre and runs the community café. Lee runs the very popular Love to move sessions at the Lutterworth Sports Centre on Tuesday afternoons. This session was developed by the British gymnastics Foundation and includes cognitive exercises and seated music, rhythm, and movement. Lee also runs the Fun in Mind sessions on a Thursday afternoon at Our House, this is a popular relaxed session and includes cognitive games and puzzles.

Mandy Harvey

Lutterworth Share and Care Co-ordinator

Mandy has a background in care as both an experienced Registered Manager and a NVQ Assessor in Health and Social Care. Mandy supports the ADRE Brain Gym sessions and is the Co-ordinator for the Lutterworth Share and Care Group.

This role means that for people in Lutterworth and the surrounding villages she is the first point of contact for those enquiring about the Share and Care Group and responsible for its day to day running.

She has a NVQ Level 4 In Health and Social Care and CACHE Level 2 In the Principles of Dementia Care

Rick Orton

Share and Care Project Worker

Rick is a CST trained support worker for the Brain Gym and also works alongside Mandy with Share and Care Groups. Rick has spent 30 years in the equestrian industry as an instructor working with a range of ages.

Katherine Jenkins

ADRE Music Facilitator

Katherine is a musician and music teacher who has 25 years of Secondary classroom music teaching experience at GCSE, BTEc and ‘A’level. She has also taught piano to all levels of ABRSM for 30 years.

She has been using her skills in education and learning to develop a programme to support cognitive maintenance and enhancement for ADRE members who are living with dementia and mild cognitive impairment. She works particularly with individuals and small groups, focusing on Music in Mind, rhythm and pitch to stimulate focus, engagement and enjoyment.

Singing is an all inclusive activity which most people enjoy and can take part in. She plans to establish a singing group and choir for ADRE using her many years of school choir experience in preparation and performance.

She is trained in Cognitive Stimulation Therapy.

Katherine has been invited to and presented at conferences in Lutterworth, Malta and at Northampton university. The Music in Mind programme is now a recognised part of cognitive support in ADRE’s Brain Gym interventions.