The Team & Trustees

Our Team at Richmond AID

We are a small and friendly team that will do our best to help you with any query you may have. As well as the paid employees listed here Richmond AID has around 30 active volunteers that enable us to achieve great results.

Name and Role	Contact Details	Profile
Chief Executive Officer Lucy Byrne	020 8831 6077l.byrne@richmondaid.org.uk	Lucy started in Richmond AID in January 2010. Prior to this Lucy worked at a Social Housing Landlord, as the Community Development Co-ordinator. Lucy has personal experience of disability as both her parents have disabilities.
Operations ManagerAlex Brining	020 8831 6071  a.brining@richmondaid.org.uk	Alex has been with Richmond AID since 2006 and has worked in the disability sector for the last ten years, with experience in social care, equality and discrimination and advice provision.
Receptionist & Administrative OfficerAndrew Harris	020 8831 6080  andrew@richmondaid.org.uk	Andy became the face of Richmond AID on our reception in June 2008. Previously, Andy had volunteered as a photographer for Richmond AID, and Age Concern and Richmond CVS.  Andy still assists us at numerous events as our ‘official photographer’.
Employment and Involvement Manager Jamie Cutler	020 8831 6072  j.cutler@richmondaid.org.uk	Jamie has been with Richmond AID for over three years and has ten years’ experience working in the disability sector – previously working for a charity supporting young adults with severe learning disabilities. Jamie also has personal experience of disability as his girlfriend has a physical disability.
Benefits AdvisorJo-Anne Atkinson	020 8831 6070  joanne@richmondaid.org.uk (Monday and Friday)	Jo-Anne Atkinson joined Richmond AID as a volunteer in 2005 and then became a Benefits Advisor in 2007.   She has a background in Housing, Housing Consultancy and Social Security Benefits.   She also part of a group that advises the Council on disabled access for new municipal buildings and urban areas. Jo-Anne became became disabled in 2005 after a long illness.
Benefits AdvisorYvonne Baxtrem	020 8831 6070  y.baxtrem@richmondaid.org.uk (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday)	Yvonne joined Richmond AID in February 2010. Her previous employment was with Age Concern Richmond, in benefits advice and also as a Finance Support Manager. She has previously managed housing projects for people with mental health problems in Inner London and worked across all ages and disabilities in the social care sector. Yvonne’s partner also has a disability
Children and Families Officer (Benefits) for children’s access serviceYvonne Baxtrem	020 8831 6079  y.baxtrem@richmondaid.org.uk (Monday and Friday)	This post began in June 2010. Yvonne’s previous experience includes work with disabled children, in children’s homes and with care leavers.
SPADE GardeningCo-ordinator Jean Loveland	020 8831 6415  j.loveland@richmondaid.org.uk	A keen gardener and part of an award winning community garden I joined the SPADE project in July 2010 and it must be a dream job.  I co-ordinate a fantastic team of enthusiastic gardening volunteers whose job it is to tend the gardens of disabled and elderly residents. We get to keep the gardens in shape and make people smile.
Information and Advice         Co-ordinator for children’s access serviceLena Vantol	020 8831 6076 l.vantol@richmondaid.org.uk	Lena joined Richmond AID in April 2012.  Previously, she worked for local charity Three Wings Trust providing information and advice for parent carers of children with disabilities and additional needs over a 6 year period.  Lena also trained to volunteer as a counsellor for young people at Off the Record in Twickenham for 2 or 3 years in the early naughties.

Our Trustees at Richmond AID

The Board of Trustees is responsible for all strategic decision making, including business planning. The Board is a voluntary board of trustees who are elected annually. As an organisation Richmond AID recognises the significance of ensuring that anyone joining the committee understands their duties and their responsibilities; financial responsibilities, accountability to beneficiaries, charities commission and funders and adherance to policies and procedures.

At Richmond AID staff, trustees and volunteers all work closely together. In line with our constitution more than half of our trustees must have a disability.

To contact our trustees, please call 020 8831 6080 or e-mail info@richmondaid.org.uk.

Trustee Name	Richmond AID Role	Profile
Sue Ball	Chair	After a career spanning twenty-eight years with British Gas in a management role in Sales and Marketing Sue joined Richmond AID as Director in 1996.  After retirement she was invited to join the Board of Trustees and was subsequently appointed as Chair.  Sue has a personal experience of disability having been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1982.
Pauline Hill	Vice-chair	Pauline has been a Trustee since 2005 following her retirement from the Citizens Advice Bureau for whom she had worked for 20 years.  She specialised in welfare rights.  For the last 6 years she ran a project bringing advice to people with disabilities and spent a day a week working with clients at Richmond AID which is how she came to asked to become a trustee.   She continues to have an particular interest in disability benefits and still volunteers with the Children and Families Project helping carers with form-filling.
Andrew Craig	Teasurer	Following his retirement from a management role at IBM Andrew became Treasurer of Richmond AID in 2010.  Andrew has always enjoyed volunteering and has been treasurer of several clubs and societies over the years.  From his time in industry Andrew has experience of tendering, quality standards and risk management.  Andrew is a keen sailor and supporter of Sailability, an organisation providing sailing facilities for disabled people.
Paul Jackson	Trustee	Paul Jackson has been a trustee since 2009. He is a Chartered Marketer and works locally as a marketing consultant. Paul has a son with a disability.
Venna Roden	Trustee	Venna was made a trustee in November 2012. She was medically retired from the Department of Work and Pensions, where for 10 years she worked as a benefit and disability employment adviser in a number of local Jobcentre Plus offices. She also has personal experience of physical disability issues. She continues to update her benefits and job seeking skills and looks forward to using her experiences to help at Richmond AID.
Sue Rice	Trustee	Sue lives in north Kingston and became a trustee in 2010.  She has worked mainly in central government including ten years as a senior manager in the Department for Work and Pensions, specialising in planning and performance management. One of her sisters has a learning disability, so she has personal experience of disability issues.
Theresa Rowe	Trustee	In Memoriam – In loving memory of Theresa who sadly died in Dec 2012. Theresa had been a trustee and policy officer with Richmond AID from 2010 and has contributed a great deal. Theresa’s varied career has included educational publishing, lecturer in community studies, information counsellor on a disability helpline.   The last 20+ years until retirement were spent in local government specialising in social security/welfare rights and with a remit for social inclusion.
Edward Boamah	Trustee	Edward was referred to Richmond AID through the RNIB for supporty with em employment. After a few months of being invovled with Richmond AID Edward was invited to become a trustee. Edward is also currently doing a Masters in Theology and is working as a music tutor.