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My career began in Sheffield when I started working for the Children and Families social care department before moving on to manage housing related support services for older people , this time working in the voluntary sector. Both jobs made me realise the importance of good quality housing and support and the difference this can make to people’s lives.
My journey at Rush started in January 2009 when I joined a well-established team providing supported accommodation and Employment & Education support to homeless and vulnerable young people in and around the Rotherham area. In 2015 I was delighted to be appointed to the role of CEO and alongside our trustees, staff team and young people set out a strategic plan to move the charity forward and develop our services to meet the needs of young people in our community. Our staff team at Rush are clearly committed and devoted to the ethos of the organisation and this shows clearly in the outcomes achieved with the young people we support. Alongside my role at Rush I am also the joint Chairperson of Rotherham Children, Young people & Families consortium and in 2018 became Chair of South Yorkshire Police, Rotherham Independent Advisory Group. My spare time is largely dominated by my family of which I have 3 children, 3 step-children and 2 grandchildren. Weekends are usually spent watching my youngest son play football, taking part in Park runs, walks in Derbyshire or babysitting!
I was born and raised in Rotherham but left in 1998 to go to Huddersfield Uni where I achieved a 2:1 BSc degree in Psychology. I started my career at Rush back in 2003 as a Project Worker at our 24-7 accommodation before making my way through various roles with increased responsibility until most recently I became Head of EET & Lifeskills. This role means I oversee all education, training and employment programmes at Rush as well as overseeing numerous other short term projects such as our Community Outreach programme and taking a lead on how we deliver lifeskills training to vulnerable young people. I am also proud health and wellbeing lead at Rush, offering support to our valued team where I can in times of need. I am very passionate about women’s health in particular and was pleased to become a South Yorkshire ICB Menopause Champion back in February 2025.
It’s no exaggeration to say Rush has been my passion and focus for the last 22 years and continues to be as we continue to develop and grow our services to best meet the needs of those most vulnerable and excluded in society. Whilst I am a massive champion for Rotherham and particularly our VCSE sector, I am excited to see where our organisational growth will take us with sure and certain hope that our services will soon cover the wider South Yorkshire area.
Away from Rush I am a massive fan of music and dance and take every chance I get to see live performance. In my spare time when I’m not spending time with my beautiful daughters and family, I love any chance to get outside and wander. I really love being in nature – particularly next to water and watching the sun set.
I have worked for Rush House from 2015. I manage the admin team. We look after all admin and finance areas within Rush House. As part of my role as Company Secretary I deal with all board meetings and liaising with the board of directors.
Previous to this I worked in the travel industry for over 13 years. Throughout my career in travel I started as a modern apprentice, worked my way up to travel consultant, worked abroad as an overseas rep, and then worked my way up to senior management level.
After being made redundant in 2013 I went back to College to study accountancy. I had already achieved a NVQ level 3 in Management from my previous role and thought that some accountancy qualifications would go well with that. I achieved my AAT level 2 certificate and level 3 diploma in accountancy. After achieving these qualifications, I applied for and was appointed in my current position with Rush House.
I really enjoy working at Rush House, it’s a very friendly and supportive environment to work in and my role is really varied from day to day which I really like. It’s also nice to work for a company that provides the services and support that we do.
Outside of work I like travelling abroad with my family, spending time with my family, walking and watching sports and films.
I am Registered Service Manager at Rush House, managing the support and accommodation services. Now that Rush has become Ofsted registered, my role is also to ensure that we are adhering to standards set out by Ofsted legislation with regards to accommodation, support, safeguarding, leadership and management.
I have worked for rush since 2014 in a variety of roles, starting as a key worker at Rush (which I loved!), then gradually moved up the ladder into a management role. I have managed several projects within Rush, from working with Ethnic Minority Communities offering housing advice and support, Project Management on ‘Anything’s Possible Rotherham’ supporting Rotherham residents to obtain Education, Employment and Training opportunities and developing and delivering Rush’s very own ‘A.P.O.Y.O’ (A Place Of Your Own Pre Tenancy Course).
I have worked in supporting housing for over 20 years and have worked in many different area’s within this field, from working in an adults homeless hostel, supporting offenders back into the community, supporting those with substance misuse issues, working in tenancy support teams across the borough and working with young people.
Prior to working in the housing sector, I worked for DWP for approx. 10 years in a multitude of roles from specialist benefit advice to benefit fraud investigation.
A bit about me…
Anyone who knows me, knows that music is my big passion, having played in bands as a drummer for many years. I love live music, attending as many gigs as I can afford (as well as many I can't afford but hey ho) I am very fond of red wine and cheese, and also ‘Dem Blades’ (The mighty Sheffield United), but most importantly my family...my kids are my world!
I love what I do, I love what Rush is about and what it stands for and the difference we can make to young people’s lives and am so proud to be a part of the Rush family.
I have worked at Rush House for 15 years…. “It may even be 16 years,” just look at the wrinkles and grey hair, “your guess”, starting as a key worker and I worked my way up to where I am today within the organisation. I have always worked with young people, previously as a youth worker, sports instructor, Leader on the Rotherham prince’s trust development programme, and a college tutor for young people with learning difficulties at Rother Valley College. I am very passionate that Rush House clients live in an environment that is safe and suitable for them. “If our properties are not to a standard that I would be happy for my own daughter to live in then it is not good enough for our clients”
My interests involve spending time with my family, my partner, 2 kids, 1 daughter in law, 1 son in Law, an amazing granddaughter, 2 dogs and 3 great grand-doggies, we all love paddle-boarding together, yes that includes the dogs and my 4 year old granddaughter. I love what I do at Rush House, and I am proud to be part of our amazing team.
I have worked in specialised supported accommodation for many many years. I have had the privilege of delivering support to various vulnerable groups, including young people.
I eventually led a team delivering support to some of the most hard to reach tenants and developed my skills as a manager. After numerous years, and some resistance from me, I moved into senior management.
I need not have resisted, I found that with a comprehensive understanding of the sectors needs, both from an organisational and commissioning perspective, along with the genuine desire to understand the needs of clients, business development within the third sector was where I belonged.
Having steered my last employers to thrive and grow, I am determined to assist the management team here at Rush House, so that they can reach even more people in need of the unique support that Rush House offer.
I joined Rush in January 2018 as support worker. Progressively, I was later appointed Tenancy Support Worker, Senior Support Worker, then bringing me to where he I am today as Team Leader; following a developmental route and utilising opportunities offered. Before that time I had experience as a councillor and a campaigns organiser. I have considerable experience in the front line delivery of the service and support offer and I am passionate that this is offered to a standard that all can agree as exemplary. I lead the Support Worker team and deputise to Steve Harris in the delivery of the service.