Meat the Team

Dave Williams cares for his partner. He is also the Manager of Manchester Carers Forum, a registered charity, which works to promote awareness about the roles and responsibilities of unpaid carers.

Until 1995 Dave was a head teacher in the area of Primary Education. He took early retirement as a consequence of his own health breaking down due to the pressure of caring for his partner who has significant health and social care needs. He also cared for his mother who had developed dementia and two friends who were in the later stages AIDS related illness. During this time he learned the challenges that carers face in advocating for those they care for and for themselves.

Dave thought that as someone who knew the system he would be able to easily navigate his way through the health and social care sector. His experience taught him otherwise and this realisation motivated him to work on behalf of those carers who found it even more difficult than he had to get the services, which are needed. During this time he came into contact with Talbot House and has been massively impressed with the commitment of those who work there to support one another and to ensure that parent carers get the support, which they need. He gladly became a member of the board of Trustees and has the honour to have been asked to be its Chair. Our work is focussed on ensuring the long term future of Talbot House’s work and to ensure that parents in need will always find a place of safety where they can rest, get advice and be supported to get the energy, information, care, love and attention that they need in order to undertake the work which they do so readily on a day to day basis.

Andrew is Vice Chair of Talbot House, he has years of experience working in the people and organisational development arena, he is a highly skilled facilitator, bid writer and manager specialising in business development and strategic management.

Andrew graduated from the University of Manchester in 1993 with a Post Graduate Degree in Education and Special Education, before studying for an MBA (Distinction)

Within the Public and Charity Sector Andrew has held positions in Education and Health and Social Care as Group Business Development Manager, Regional Manager, Head of Operations and Development for Community Services, Programme and Project Manager and Teacher and Trainer.

As Group Development Manager for the North West of England, West Midlands, Wales and Isle of Man, Andrew holds responsibility for coordinating business development activities for the UK’s largest voluntary sector provider of care and support services for disabled people.

He takes a personal lead in the development of services in support of disabled people in the widest context. These services include supported living, domiciliary support, day services, resource centres, rehabilitation, respite care, personal support and training and assistance for those looking for work.

Andrew has also worked for Shaw Trust the UK’s largest third sector provider in the delivery of employment programmes for disabled and disadvantaged people, and for a local Groundwork Trust as Head of Operations and Development for Community Services helping people and organisations make change in order to create better neighbourhoods, where he managed numerous individual projects each year with focused activity on disadvantaged communities.

Lesley has been with Talbot house since 2008 when she arrived as a student social worker on placement through the University of Salford. Since then Lesley has been involved with setting up the art and craft group and a road safety awareness scheme at Talbot house as well as helping people to access services and funding. Lesley has now completed her degree and is a qualified Gscc registered social worker working in the area of Forensic Learning Disabilities. Lesley is working for a care provider company some may know who visit Talbot house namely UBU a company that works with anyone but does also specialise in Learning Disabilities; Mental health and Older people. Lesley’s role with UBU is to enable people back into the community and help them to reach their full potential and independence. Lesley’s role is to guide; support and encourage. Lesley became a trustee in 2009; she is passionate about assisting people who are disadvantaged and has experienced this herself being epileptic. While Lesley was bringing up her 3 children and working she was also caring for her elderly aunt who was partially sighted; hearing impaired and also had physical disabilities.

Lesley feels honoured to be on the board of trustees.