Board and Management Team
The Board
David Coulter - Chair
Stacey Stanhope - Vice Chair
Jackie Driver OBE - Trustee
Jackie has been recognised by both The List and Shaw Trust’s Power 100 List as one of the UK’s most influential disabled people. She was awarded an OBE in the 2021 Queen’s Birthday Honours List for “services to hearing impaired people, equality, diversity and inclusion”.
Jackie is currently the Strategic Lead for Inclusion at Manchester Health and Care Commissioning (MHCC). Jackie previously held a senior role at the Equality and Human Rights Commission, leading programmes on identity based violence, hate crime, freedom of expression, diversity in broadcasting, disproportionate stop and search, and LGBT equality.
She has been secretary to the Board of Trustees of Manchester Deaf Centre and advisor to the Homes and Communities agency on equality and diversity. She is currently part of a Fundamental Rights Agency experts’ platform aimed at addressing hate crime across Europe, and supports an international research project into people with learning disabilities in the criminal justice system.
Jackie is also a board member of the Deaf Education Advocacy Partnership.
Kirit Patel - Trustee
Kirit is a manager and trainer with over 20 years’ experience working in the voluntary and community sector.
Previous roles include leading Oxfam’s Race Equality Programme in England, Services Manager for the Black Health Agency (now BHA); managing the Kath Locke Centre (part of the Big Life Group); and as Project Co-ordinator for Southern Voices promoting global education and equality issues in schools and communities.
Kirit is a member of the Steady State Manchester, a policy group interested in a viable and sustainable regional economy; West Point Residents’ Association; and Can-Survive UK, a cancer support charity for ethnic minorities in Manchester. In 2018, Kirit completed a part-time MA in Creative Education at the University of Salford.
Councillor Basil Curley - Trustee
Basil is a Councillor for Charlestown ward in North Manchester, and an employee of Manchester College. He is Chair of the Communities and Neighbourhoods Overview and Scrutiny Committee and is closely involved with Work Solutions.He is a champion of dignity and care and his main focus is on people who have mental health issues, giving support where it is needed whilst showing personal respect to people in all the different circumstances.Previously, Basil has been Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Health and Housing. He organised a partnership of Manchester NHS Trusts and the Primary Care Trust to investigate employment opportunities for local people.
Terri Balon - Trustee
Jennifer Daniels - Trustee
Paul Fairweather - Trustee
Kirsty Hutchison - Trustee
Laurence Webb - Trustee
The Management Team
Paul Berry - Finance and Business Manager
Elaine Astley - Policy and Research Officer
James Gasarah - Business Development and Partnership Lead
Brian Burgon - Business Development and Partnership Lead
We also have a team of staff including frontline workers who work directly with our clients – disabled adults in Greater Manchester – providing personalised support.