The Trustee Board

The Trustees volunteer their time and expertise to oversee the legal and business functioning of the Service. They have a range of skills, experience, qualifications and an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Certificate.  They all come from various walks of life and this provides the organisation with a firm secure structure from which it can operate.

Meet our Trustees

Liz Taylor- Chair

I worked for many years as a mental health professional with a particular interest in severe and enduring conditions. I was aware of the impact adverse life events such as sexual abuse had on mental wellbeing and this became a personal experience when a member of my family became ill as a result of domestic abuse. Contact with, and subsequent counselling, from the Birchall Trust marked a recovery turning point for both the victim and the rest of the family. As a result, I became a Trustee in 2018 to support the work done by the whole team and to further knowledge of the impact of sexual abuse on victims, regardless of gender or sexual orientation.

Graham Bassett – Vice Chair 

I have been involved in Birchall Trust for since 2014 s and have had the honour of holding the position of chair over the past 4 years until I recently stood down and became Vice Chair. During this time I have witnessed lives that have been changed through the courage of the survivors and through the great work of everyone involved in the Birchall Trust. I have spent the majority my career working with young people. I began my work with young people in the outdoor sector and it was here that I saw the transformation when young people were supported to challenge themselves and overcome their fears. These experiences often led to a deeper understanding of themselves and what they were capable of. From this, I pursued a varied and challenging career in youth work, leading on to my current position as a manager within Children’s Services with Cumbria County Council. During my career working in people-centred fields, I have learnt that the need to actively listen to those we are working with is paramount. I have found Birchall Trust to be an organisation that values this principle. It is a place where services are centred on the needs of the clients, as well as the wellbeing of those who work with them. This is why I want to continue to contribute to the ongoing development of this amazing organisation.

 Simon Hanson- Treasurer

“I believe that supporting survivors of rape and sexual abuse is a social imperative and from my own experience as a survivor I could see there was the need for greater provision of specialist counselling.” In order to pursue this ideal I became a Trustee of the Birchall Trust in 2009. During the following years I have been able to help the Birchall Trust to grow and provide support to more survivors and to extend our reach beyond south Cumbria into north Lancashire. I will continue to use my knowledge and experience to support the development of our service to the best of my ability. I have lived in Cumbria since 2005 and work in audio/visual arts. Prior to this I worked in senior managerial roles for a large multinational company. I have a wealth of experience managing organisations and working with people from all walks of life.

Sarah Bradley- Secretary

I returned to Barrow to live and work around 8 years ago after leaving the area 1989 to live in the East Midlands. I am a qualified Insurance Advisor and Accountant and it was whilst doing my day to day work as an insurance Broker that I came across The Birchall Trust. I was immediately struck by the level of need and excellent service provided so when I met Karen Greenhow again about 12 months later I didn’t hesitate when she asked if I would consider becoming a Trustee. I am very passionate about the charity and will try and help the organisation grow and develop so more people can be helped and supported throughout South Cumbria and North Lancashire.

Siobhan Weare – Trustee

I am a Lecturer in the Law School at Lancaster University, where my research is currently focusing on men who experience sexual violence from women. I am passionate about improving the legal and criminal justice responses to all survivors of sexual violence. I have been a trustee of The Birchall Trust for nearly three years and I am proud to be part of such an amazing organisation that delivers real and positive change and support to survivors and their families.