The Team

Directors

We Are Aware has a board of 4 directors.

Becci, Sally, Alan, and Nicola  From a range of backgrounds, the directors have a great deal of experience in mental health- through work, volunteering and lived experiences

Volunteers 

Besides the 4 directors We Are Aware has a small, but growing group of volunteers supporting the work of the board and just as involved!

This is a team project and all help is valued

The Team  

Becci 

Vice Chair & Director  

I ran the Clevedon mental health centre for Friend and 1in4 for 11 years. I'm a Connect 5 Trainer for North Somerset Council and now work for Somerset NHS Relational Recovery Team working with people with developmental trauma and borderline personality disorder diagnoses to build a better life for themselves

 

Sally

Secretary & Director

Before retiring I worked as a manager in a customer services sector of a local authority,.

I have had a number of voluntary posts supporting people in challenging circumstances. I volunteered at 1in4 people, and that led to me becoming involved with Aware.

I like to balance my social relationships with time for myself to swim, read and work on craft projects

 

Pauline

Treasurer

 

Info to follow...

Alan

Chair & Director

 

Independent Mental Health Advocate. Previous hypnotherapy practice, I've also worked in health and social care for over 20 years, with 15 years in mental health..

 

Nicola

Director

I had a 30 year career in London working for a national charity supporting woman and children affected by domestic abuse. 8 years ago, after being made redundant I trained to be a yoga instructor and relocated from London to Portishead. My initial involvement with We are Aware was teaching a fortnightly yoga class for the members which I thoroughly enjoy as my approach to yoga is very much about optimising emotional as well as physical health and wellbeing. I am very excited about now also being. a Director and hope to bring my life and work experience to support We are Aware and be a part of its ongoing development.

John G

Walk&Talk Leader and Core team Member  

My working life was 50 years of software development in various forms. Unsurprisingly, 50 years ago software development was VERY different to software development today. After those years of seeing software being developed I thought I ought to try to make a positive contribution to people’s lives – and so became a Walk & Talk volunteer as I can walk and I can certainly talk.

 

Janet

Walk&Talk Leader and Core team Member

 

Under Construction

 

Percy Vera

Mascot

 

A true rescue dog! Aware gave the dog a home after the demise of another good cause.

Often at events and always promoting good mental health

 

Yvonne


Core team Member  

 

I have worked in mental health for the last 28 years.

My counselling career started when I volunteered as a trainee counsellor with a MH charity. 

I am a walk leader for We Are Aware and Let’s Do and I am passionate about the correlation between exercising and mental health.

 

April


Safeguarding Lead & Core team Member

I am passionate about mental health and wellbeing- and particularly taking a holistic approach remembering that we don't all fit inside the same box and care should be tailored to each of us in our own unique ways.

I have been working in mental health for 14 years as a Health care assistant and I'm soon to finish my nursing degree as a mental health nurse. 

In my spare time i enjoy walking in nature, hiking mountains and taking pictures of nature along the way. 

 

Rhona


Core team Member

 

Charismatic, resilient & approachable with a passion for mental health. Over 30 years NHS experience both as a senior nurse & senior manager. Enjoy sport especially football, theatre, travelling & entertaining 

 

Norma


Core team Member

 

Under Construction

 

Maddie


Fundraiser

As well as completing a 5k run, Maddie has also shaved her head! 

All in the name of fundraising for We Are Aware

 

Bea


Fundraiser

 Part of the running duo completing fundraising runs in memory of her cousin, Max. 

So far they have raised over £1.4k for We Are Aware

 

Anna


Fundraiser

Part of the running duo completing fundraising runs in memory of her cousin, Max. 

So far they have raised over £1.4k for We Are Aware

 

Thanks
Nick
Knowles!

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Friends of Aware

Aware is always pleased to work with other great people and organisations. We feel it only right to acknowledge them to show our appreciation of their involvement. The list will be getting longer, as the website gets completed!
Ambling Band

Ambling Band

A wonderful group of people. A brass band with attitude, and bringing a ray of sunshine to any event. The South West's Number #1 Mental Health Marching Band! The Ambling Band helped to make our lantern walks a huge success, including 2019 and 2021 Portishead Hopewalks
Barnacle Buoys

The Barnacle Buoys

A great local shanty singing group. Adding local seafaring charm to anything they touch. A great Finale at 2019's Feelgood Festival. We hope to work with them again soon!
Clevedon Rock Choir

Clevedon Rock Choir

An amazing collection of people making a great sound. They bring a huge buzz to any occasion. We hope to see them back at Feelgood 2020?
Salthouse

The Salthouse

Gary and Andrea and their team were brilliant hosts for the 2019 Feelgood Festival- so much so that we're planning to go back and do it all over again this year! 
Special thanks to Chris who did so much to help organise it last year and has since moved on to new ventures.
Now Yoga

Now Yoga

Jo Derrick from Now Yoga kindly put on a Yoga taster session at our Winter Wellbeing event in Nailsea. She has also provided short yoga clips during lockdown for our Facebook isolation group to help keep them grounded. Jo makes Yoga very accessible and down to earth. 
Chris Briggs

Chris Briggs

 A massage therapist with an infectious personality and a good ethos.
Princes Hall

Clevedon Community Hall

Host to our first in-person Peer Support Group. They have been amazingly supportive in ensuring those with mental health conditions have access to in-person support throughout lockdown and beyond
Alliance Support

Alliance Homes

Alliance generously supported the Nailsea Talking Point bench project into development- with the support of their contract partners Jones Building Group, Crown Paints, and Ark Plastics
Portishead Lido

Portishead Lido

A lovely outdoor pool. Opened especially to provide refreshments at the end of the Portishead Hopewalks. 
Run by a wonderful bunch of people
Clevedon Community Bookshop

Clevedon Community Bookshop

A pillar of the Clevedon Community. Key part of the More Than Words Clevedon Literary Festival, and supportive funders of the We Are Aware Book Group
Strawberry Line Cycle Project

Strawberry Line Cycle Project

An amazing project run by some amazing people. Many of our We Are Aware Peer Community have been able to make use of their Cycle Minded Groups- supporting people to rediscover cycling
Clevedon Marine Lake

Clevedon Marine Lake

 Clevedon Marine Lake hosted our cold water swim taster session for the Feelgood Festival 2019. Many of our We Are Aware Peer Community have now joined the Mental Health Swimmers in the lake for their regular sessions.
A Clevedon Institution!
Rowan

Rowan from

Swimmable

Rowan from Swimmable Clevedon helped organise the morning outdoor swim in the Marine Lake for Feelgood 2019. Cold water swimming has great evidence for helping with good mental health
Curzon Cinema

Curzon Cinema

One of the oldest continually running cinemas in the world!
Also a great venue for meetings and has hosted Aware film showings. The Curzon has kindly hosted the We Are Aware Book Club meetings
Somerset Wood Recycling

Somerset Wood Rcycling

A brilliant organisation. Supporting those with addiction and mental health issues to learn skills and gain stability, whilst recycling wood to make amazing projects. We invited SWR to design, construct and install our Clevedon Talking Point
North Somerset Council

North Somerset Council

 North Somerset Council have supported us in many ways- not least of all with a grant to raise awareness for mental health. Whilst we have gratefully received donations from many other corners, we would not have got so far in such a short space of time without North Somerset Council, and in particular the support of Helen Yeo and Ed McKay- Thanks!
Clarity-IMHN

Clarity-IMHN

A great service user voice in North Somerset. Attended Feelgood 2019- hope to see them at future events.. 
Hoping to work with them on other projects too!
Outdoor College

Outdoor College

Green spaces are so important for grounding and good wellbeing. The Outdoor College is a great space for workshops, courses and just getting back to nature
At Play In The Woods

At Play In The Woods

A forestry school and generally fun area to regress back to toasting marshmallows and building a camp fire. Immensely therapeutic, educational and rejuvenating.
We were able to work with Sam during lockdown to provide a safe outdoor support group for those with long term mental health conditions
Goblin Combe Adventures

Goblin Combe Adventures

 A group from We Are Aware were able to make full use of the Community Learning course run by Alice of Goblin Combe Adventures
 We are always looking for support, ideas and involvement and welcome any feedback through the Contact page