Home-Start Bristol
There for parents when they need us most, because childhood can't wait
Meet The Team
Meet our Staff
Terri Fletcher
Manager
I am new to Home-Start Bristol but have been working for charities supporting families and children for over 25 years. I qualified as a social worker back in 1995, but my career has been focussed on preventative services because I believe that can make the biggest difference to families.
Alex Wyatt
Coordinator
I joined Home-Start Bristol as a volunteer and have since worked as an administrator and now coordinator for the team. I am passionate about supporting volunteers who are the lifeblood of Home-Start.
Ina Hume
Coordinator
I have been with Home-Start Bristol since 2015. I have a particular interest in domestic abuse and also outdoor projects and am one of the lead coordinators for our volunteer training course
Susannah Holmes
Coordinator
I joined Home-Start in 2020 and have a background in teaching. I have experience in working with families who have children with special needs and I am the team go to person for benefits advice.
Katherine Stephens
Administrator
I am the person you are likely to speak to if you phone into the office. My job is to support the team to support families so I am involved in everything from marketing to sorting our all the forms for recruiting volunteers.
Beth Milne
Coordinator
My background is in early years. I have a strong interest in perinatal mental health and all things early years’ related including breastfeeding, sleep training and school readiness.
Marie Wathen
Support Worker
I began volunteering for Home Start Bristol before joining the staff team as a Family Support worker. I am able to work with the whole family and work alongside the volunteer where needed. I am a trained Sleep Practitioner and have the knowledge to assist with toilet training.
Meet our Trustees
Kate Oliver
Chair
Born and raised in London, and after stints at universities in Nottingham, Toronto and London, I raised my two children in Warwickshire while working in strategic policy for Coventry and Birmingham City Councils and volunteering as a school governor at the neighbourhood primary school. I moved into the voluntary sector to provide preventive services for children and young people, researching the needs of young separated refugees for Save the Children and then setting up Birmingham Children’s Fund for NCH (now Action for Children). In 2005, I moved to Bristol, since when I have worked for three local charities, helped to found and run Bristol Refugee Rights and Wernbrake Community Woodland, and until recently led on governance and HR as a non-executive director of The Bristol Cable. While this experience can be put to good use as a trustee and chair of the board of Home-Start Bristol, it is my family life as a parent, grandparent, foster carer and carer for elderly relatives that really accounts for my joining Home-Start Bristol.
Katherine Martin
Trustee
I studied theology at Bristol University – Bristol turned out to be a good place to spend the rest of my life, theology was more of a dead end. I had two children and got involved as a volunteer in running the YHA, which gave me a lot of experience in managing buildings, finance and staff. When the children were older I ran the local community centre and then became a comprehensive school business manager for the next 26 years. When I retired I wanted to do something useful and being HR trustee for Home-Start uses the experience I had at school. I’m also a trustee of the Gatliff Trust, which runs travellers’ hostels in the Outer Hebrides, and of the Friends of Bristol Museums, Galleries and Archives, which runs trips to interesting places, raising funds at the same time. And I play various percussion instruments in various music groups, for which the chief qualification is being able to lug lots of ironmongery around.
Trevor Leonard
Treasurer
After leaving university with a mathematics degree, I began my career at Clerical Medical Investment Group, eventually becoming Finance Director of HBOS Financial Services. Through my wife’s involvement with the Scheme, I had been aware of Home-Start Bristol’s wonderful work for a long time and joined the Board as a Trustee in 2013. I later took over the role of Treasurer which suited my background in finance. As well as serving as Treasurer of Home-Start Bristol, I am also a Trustee of Quartet Community Foundation.
Helen Greer
Trustee
I joined Home-Start Bristol as a trustee in December 2020 having become aware of the network through my job as a Grants Manager for a funding organisation in which we support many Home-Start schemes across the UK. I love the ethos of the network and believe passionately in the importance of giving children the best start in life. When I’m not working I can usually be found in one of Bristol’s parks with my son.
Rita Deegan
Trustee
I joined Homestart Bristol in October 2014. Having started my career as a science teacher I moved into science advisory work and later held a senior role within a careers company where I managed careers and work related education in schools across S. Wales. I became involved with HSB because its aims and objectives are closely allied to my particular interest in education and in helping young people to achieve their potential. This often depends on having a good start in life and a stable family background. HSB plays a significant role in helping to achieve this with the families it supports. As well as being a trustee of HSB I currently serve as a school governor and as a generalist adviser at the Citizens’ Advice Bureau. (Trustee lead for quality assurance).
Linda Hunter
Trustee
I was brought up on the East Coast of Scotland and later moved to Bristol to complete a PGCE course. I have taught both in the inner city and on the outskirts of Bristol for 35 years. I have been involved with young people and families all my life and am an honorary aunt and big sister as well as an actual aunt and great aunt. One of my colleagues at my last school was and is involved with Home-Start so I gradually acquired an understanding of and admiration for the work being done by the organization. Once I had retired I decided to help with fundraising by abseiling down the Avon Gorge. After which being a trustee didn’t seem quite so scary! I am now the Safeguarding Trustee – trying to keep myself informed of any developments in that and helping to monitor how we support staff, volunteers and families where there are child protection concerns. (Trustee lead for safeguarding)
Cath Potter
Trustee
I joined Home-Start Bristol as a trustee in May 2021. I have a background in journalism and have spent most of my working life in multi-media publishing, leading creative teams to produce content which really connects with its audience. As a trustee I’d like to help build awareness and understanding of Home-Start Bristol’s work externally, so we can reach more families and attract new volunteers and funding. I’m also a mum to three boys – almost grown – and believe passionately in the importance of the early years.
Board Advisers
- Jenny Harris: Adviser
- Jim Harris: Adviser
- Sarah Birch: Adviser
- Janet Leonard: Volunteer Rep and Adviser
- Celia Ellis: Volunteer Rep and Adviser
- Maroussia Rochigneux: Volunteer Rep and Adviser
- Chris Williamson: Adviser
- Beth Campbell: Adviser
- Kate Innes: Adviser
- Jules Appleby: Adviser
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