Management and Governance

Our service is managed by a board of Directors made up of volunteers from many walks of life. The Board is supported by a Fundraising Group and a Staffing Group both chaired by a Director. Each meeting the Board receives reports from both groups in addition to a report from the Service Manager and a financial report from the Treasurer.

We are always pleased to hear what those who use our Service think of us, so please let us know! If you have a formal complaint, it will be dealt with according to our Complaints Procedure. We are happy to provide details.

We have a commitment to Equal Opportunities regardless of race, gender, sexuality, disability, age or financial position and a resolute opposition to discrimination in any form. We are working towards total implementation of the policy.

Management Team

• Liz Copas
• Tim Evanson
• Penny Jones
• Andrew Marshall
• Barbara Packer
• Sheenagh Powell
• Joanna Russell
• Frank Shackleton

Management Resources and Links

Liz Copas trained in Child Care with specialisms in Early Years and Special Needs. She has headed up pre-schools and worked in special schools. Liz currently works jointly for NYCC, as an Adult Education Teacher (Early Years, Play Work, Child Care, Parenting etc), and with the Voluntary Sector in co-ordinating and facilitating a Family Support/ Family Learning Project. This involves some joint working with NYCC in the establishment and development of the Ripon Children's Centre. The work involves inter agency networking, consulting with groups, and bodies, and equally importantly much one to one interaction with children and families, both as individuals and in group settings. Liz is married with four children and lives and works in Ripon. She has a heart for children and families and the difficulties they encounter. Liz believe the work of Keep Talking to be vital for people in crisis, and has a passion to assist in any way she can.

Penny Jones has been the Chair of Keep Talking since May 2007. She is also a member of the fundraising group. Penny works independently as an executive coach and facilitator in her business, Azurite Coaching. Prior to establishing Azurite in 2007 she worked in a variety of senior leadership roles in Social Services and the NHS, most recently as Chief Executive of Craven and Harrogate PCT. Penny has always supported work with children and families, initially as a Child Protection Social Worker and subsequently through NHS strategic planning for Children and Families. Penny lives at Cold Cotes where she also supports Keep Talking through annual events such as a cooking demonstration with lunch as well as fund raising through teas at the open garden for the National Garden Scheme.

Andrew Marshall has served on the Management Committee and been involved in fund-raising for Keep Talking (previously Family Mediation) for the last eight years. Prior to this he had a long career in Banking, holding a number of Managerial posts. Since retirement he has also been a Governor of a Special School in West Leeds and also a Trustee of a number of other local charities. He is also a part-time chaplain at Wetherby Secure College of Learning.

Barbara Packer has been a member of the Management Committee since 2001. She had previously been a Trustee of Relate. As the wife of a clergyman and as a mother she has seen the importance of maintaining communication between families, and also expresses this through work with the Mothers' Union. She has been able to host a number of fund-raising events for 'Keep Talking'. As a Maths tutor in Adult Education for NYCC, she enjoys offering a second chance of learning and achievement to adults and older teenagers.

Sheenagh Powell, Honourary Chair of the Fundraising Committee, has been involved with Keep Talking as a trustee since summer 2007. She is a qualified accountant and works as a Director of Finance in the NHS. She has over 30 years experience working in various parts of the NHS and was, until October 2006, Finance Director of Craven Harrogate and Rural District Primary Care Trust. She now works in Doncaster. She lives in Harrogate and has 2 children aged 22 and and 19. She is committed to the continued work of Keep Talking as she understands the importance to children of helping families through the difficult time of separation and divorce.

Joanna Russell joined the management committee of Keep Talking in June 2008. She currently serves as Honorary Secretary to the Management Committee, Honorary Treasurer and web master. Joanna has a background in information technology and business administration through her work for Information Technology Services at the University of Texas in Austin where see lived for over 20 years. Joanna returned home to North Yorkshire in June 2006 to work with her family at Cold Cotes where she is the events coordinator and chef. She holds an M.A. in Spiritual Psychology from the University of Santa Monica, California.