Meet the team

Our Staff

Jo Horsfall | CEO

Jo has overall responsibility for the management and development of the Scheme, its staff, volunteers and services and report to the Trustees, funders and local partners.

She manages the Scheme’s finances in collaboration with the Treasurer to ensure all our work stays within budget. She also works to secure funding for the Scheme writing bids and negotiating with funders.

She is involved in the recruitment of new staff members and oversees the recruitment of volunteers.

Charley Blankley-Connor | Office Manager

Charley manages the office team, providing guidance and support with some day-to-day tasks to ensure staff can perform their roles effectively. He oversees the Scheme’s database and monitors existing funding streams, working closely with the Treasurer to input all financial transactions.

Charley also coordinates the Scheme’s Health & Safety requirements and serves as the Data Protection Officer, ensuring compliance with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Nadine (Dee) Oliver | Lead Project Worker

Dee leads the day to day running, referral allocation and monitoring and recording of our Enhance and Adult Social Care project work, to meet funders’ requirements.  She supports members and their families with whatever help and assistance they need to enable them to live their lives to the fullest and get the most pleasure and benefit from the social activities and opportunities the Scheme offers.  She does this through homes visits, providing practical and moral support and signposting and/or referring to other agencies for specialist support, where required.  Dee works very closely with local health and social care colleagues and private home and personal care providers.

Dee also coordinates and oversees the running of our monthly Birds of a Feather dementia café.

Claire Pickles (née Wall) | Operational Manager

Claire manages the day-to-day operations of the Scheme and its projects, ensuring they run smoothly and efficiently. In her outreach role, she oversees initiatives that support members and the local community, including Enhance and Outreach in the Community.

Claire provides one-on-to-one support and signposting at weekly Drop-Ins, groups, and local venues, referring people for welfare and benefits checks, debt advice, and energy support. Operationally, she coordinates staff and volunteer schedules, manages resources, and monitors project outcomes to maintain high standards. Claire also leads fundraising efforts, secures sponsorships with local businesses and schools, and oversees the recruitment, DBS checks, inductions, and ongoing support of new volunteers.

Dianne (Di) Dines | Transport Co-ordinator

Dianne plays a key role in delivering transport and group activity support, helping to create meaningful and engaging experiences for our members. She brings energy and enthusiasm to everything she does—especially popular sessions like Sandwich and a Song.

As a member of the Outreach Team, Dianne oversees the smooth day-to-day running of the befriending service, supporting both members and the volunteer befriending team. She leads the Travel with Confidence project, including monitoring and reporting, and also organises Driving Assessments.

Dianne is responsible for the overall coordination and running of the transport scheme, ensuring services operate efficiently and meet the needs of our scheme. She maintains regular contact with our volunteers, offering support and identifying any training and development needs.

Emily Baxendale | Group Support Worker

Samantha Thompson Activity | Support Worker

Sam plays a key role in making sure all our groups are safe, supported, and well prepared. She helps some of our frailer members get to groups safely and provides one-to-one support to members and volunteers to ensure activities run smoothly.

Sam also leads on trips, coordinating arrangements and attending on alternate Thursdays to make sure members have the support they need throughout. In addition, she makes wellbeing calls to members, offering extra care and support.

Leanne Dunbavin | Outreach Support Worker

Jamiee-Lyn Wall | Support Worker

Jamiee-Lyn supports some of our frailer members by helping them travel to and from groups safely. Once at sessions, she provides one-to-one support to ensure everyone feels comfortable, included, and well cared for. Jamiee-Lyn also works alongside Charley on office administration and wellbeing calls, helping to keep things running smoothly behind the scenes while supporting the overall wellbeing of our members.

Jane Robinson | Communications Worker

Jane started working at Cross Gates in 2008 managing a one-year Lottery Funded Living History Project. She returned in 2012 to manage our communications, including our newsletter and website. Jane is also Operations Manager at People in Action.

Our Trustees

Lynda Pitts | Chair

Lynda joined the Scheme as a volunteer in 2015, after retiring from a career as a Nurse in the NHS. She became a Trustee in 2017. Lynda then took over as our Chairperson in 2022. Lynda is originally from a small community in North Wales, but has worked in Leeds all of her professional life.

Lynda is extremely grateful for the support given by the local community network who supported her parents in their later years and through significant ill health. Lynda hopes that drawing on her experiences, personally and professionally, that she can influence and support the day to day and long term running of the Scheme.

Jacki Lawrence | Vice Chair

With a background in volunteering since her early teens Jackie has been a trustee since 2005. She has seen the Scheme grow from offering coffee mornings twice a week  to what is  now, supporting over 1,700 people and offering 32 different activities. She is proud to be a member of a board which has people with such a diverse range of skills and experience all of whom are determined to make this Scheme one of the best Neighbourhood Networks in the city.

Tracey Shiels (Treasurer)

Tracey joined us as Treasurer this year, after two years of working in the office supporting our finance team. With 36 years of banking experience, she plays a key role in maintaining the scheme’s financial health. Tracey also volunteers her time helping with deliveries for the lunch club and enjoys dog walking and spending time with her family

Irene Midgley

Irene started volunteering at the Scheme in 2003 when she retired from NatWest Bank, after 33 years as a cashier. She was Treasurer/Trustee for many years.

She enjoys every minute working with and for everyone at the Scheme, “It has been a lifesaver for me over the years and I hope I can continue for many more years to come.”

Pauleen Grahame

Pauleen Grahame is a former Councillor for Cross Gates and Whinmoor Ward. Although now retired, she remains a committed Trustee of Cross Gates & District Good Neighbours’ Scheme CIO and continues to support us on a weekly basis at our Drop-in and Health Hub.

Pauleen remains very much part of our community and continues to give her time and support to local people.

Anita Naylor

When Anita suffered a slight stroke and had to stop working. She loved to read so called into Crossgates Library to become a member. She heard music coming from one of the side rooms and discovered a chap called Doug playing the keyboard. She was offered a coffee and got talking to him. Doug told her that he and a few other were trying to start a local coffee morning and she was asked if she would join them. Twenty three years later, she is still making coffee and is now on the Board of Trustees.

Anita has met some wonderful people over the years, and has lost some wonderful people too. She continues to volunteer at our Tuesday Drop-In coffee morning.

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David Smith

A retired scientist, David became a member of the Scheme in 2017, quickly joining the ukulele group and then becoming a volunteer befriender. He was appointed as a Trustee in 2018. Through his wider interests in the charity sector in Leeds, he is also a member of the Age Friendly Steering Group and the All Age Activists.

Brian Sugden

When his wife Audrey was diagnosed with dementia, Brian knew that he would need help and hearing that Cross Gates & District Good Neighbours’ Scheme CIO had a Carers Group, he headed over to the Centre to join. “Story of my life… the group was away on a day trip but Jo sat me down with a cup of tea and we talked for quite a time about where I could get help and what the Scheme had to offer.”

Brian and Audrey joined the Scheme and attended many of the activities, especially ‘Sandwich and Song’, his particular favourite. He was invited and accepted to join as a Trustee in 2021. He feels so indebted to the organisation that probably helped save his sanity while he was caring for Audrey. The staff were so kind to them every time they came in. He has also written the odd rhyme when asked to do so.