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 Connor | Office Manager

Charley manages the office team and ensures staff receive appropriate guidance and support. He manages the Scheme’s database and is responsible for applying for funding grants and monitoring our current funding streams. He co-ordinates our Health & Safety requirements and is the Data Protection Officer monitoring 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 Wall | Community Support Worker

As part of her outreach role, Claire oversees projects supporting members and the local community such as our Enhance and Outreach in the Community projects. Claire provides one-on-one support and signposting at weekly drop-ins, groups, and local venues. She refers people for welfare and benefits checks, debt advice, and energy support. Claire also works on fundraising, securing sponsorships with local businesses and schools.  She is involved in the recruitment of new volunteers, ensuring they are DBS checked where their role requires this, and carries out their inductions as well as providing ongoing support.

Dianne (Di) Dines | Project Support Worker

Dianne helps provide transport and group activity support. She is passionate about creating meaningful and engaging experiences for our members and brings energy and enthusiasm to her role – especially Sandwich and a Song!

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

Dianne provides regular contact and support to our volunteer workforce and identifies any training needs.

Emily Baxendale | Group Support Worker

Emily works Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday to ensure some of our frailer members get to groups safely, she then offers 1-1 support at groups. Emily is also working with Charley on Wellbeing Calls. Emily is also responsible for ensuring the banking is done weekly and information is relayed to Charley.

Emily enjoys working at the scheme because it gives her the opportunity to offer help and support for the community.

Vanessa Anderson | Digital Support Worker

Vanessa provides IT support at both our Drop-in’s on a Tuesday and Friday mornings. Books 1-1 appointments on  a Thursday and Friday afternoon. Vanessa also delivers themed training sessions and support with Trip out offering 1-1 support to our members.

Jane Robinson | Communications Worker

Jane started working at Cross Gates in 2008 managing a 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 is now, supporting over 1,000 people and offering 28 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.

Janet Deighton  | Treasurer

Janet worked in office environments since she was 16 years old and was made redundant in the banking crisis. She saw the sign outside Good Neighbours about the Coffee Morning and thought she would see if they wanted any help. Due to her background she ended up on reception and applied for the office job when it became available moving up to Office Manager. Janet retired but continued volunteering in the office and just recently was asked if she would be interested in becoming Treasurer. She has three children and six grandchildren who she spends a lot of time with babysitting and playing.

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.”

Councillor Pauleen Grahame

Pauleen is Chair of Outer East Community Committee for Cross Gates and Whinmoor Ward. She is also Chair of Crossgates Forum and Governor at John Smeaton Community College, Swarcliffe Primary School, White Laith Primary School and Manston Primary School.

Anita Naylor

Over 18 years ago, 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. Eighteen years later, she is still making coffee and us 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 and Friday coffee mornings.

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 Trustee of Leeds Older People’s Forum.

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.

Councillor Debra Coupar

Debra is Deputy Leader of Council and Executive Member for Resources and the local councillor for Temple Newsam.