Reporting to the Partnership Board, Andy has overall responsibility for the leadership of VOICES.  His post university career began in the voluntary sector working with people experiencing long-term unemployment as a manager within the New Deal programme in Northamptonshire.  Andy went on to work as a senior contract and quality manager in adult education before joining a Local Authority in 2003.  Here, Andy managed the commissioning and contracting for supported housing services as leader of a number of successful transformation projects. When he left the statutory sector in 2013, Andy worked as an independent management consultant for around a year.  During this time he helped to develop the implementation plan for what was later to become the VOICES project.  His interests outside of work include hill walking, reading, and motorcycles.  Andy lives locally and is a twice graduate of Keele University. [email protected]… Continue Reading

Bruno started working with homeless people in London as a volunteer in 2005. Since then he has worked in a variety client facing and management roles from care work with older persons, learning disabilities and supporting people with mental health and addiction difficulties. Bruno is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese and spent some time travelling and working in Central America where he taught English as a foreign language in Mexico City. Bruno became a Senior Manager for the VOICES partnership since the start of the project in 2014 and is responsible for overseeing service delivery. Throughout his career Bruno has specialised in working in homelessness, offending, mental health and addiction services. He is currently studying for a Masters at Keele University in Safeguarding Adults, law, policy and practice. Bruno lives locally and outside of work he enjoys reading, camping and watching Liverpool FC. [email protected]… Continue Reading

Sharon manages the VOICES Learning Programme and Evaluation, reporting internal and external data to the national programme evaluators.  Sharon has worked in community settings within Stoke on Trent for over 20 years in statutory, voluntary and private sectors and has completed university studies in Youth and Community and Business and Management.   She has worked in management and senior management positions supporting people from a diverse range of backgrounds; these have included Youth and Community, Residential Care for Refugees and Asylum Seekers, New Deal for Disabled People and the Staffordshire Mental Health Helpline.  One of Sharon’s career highlights was working as the city’s International Youth Worker, organising and leading on youth exchanges between Stoke on Trent and the twin town of Erlangen in Bavaria, Germany.  Sharon enjoys to travel and experience different cultures and when at home hobbies include upcycling furniture, cooking and cycling. [email protected]… Continue Reading

Margy joined the Civil Service straight from school and covered a variety of administrative and management roles in several government departments before taking redundancy in 2011. After a short career break Margy joined Brighter Futures in 2012 initially as Personal Assistant to the Chief Executive and later supported the Fulfilling Lives Project Board in their successful bid for funding from the Big Lottery which was subsequently used to set up the VOICES project. Since April 2014 Margy has been the Administrator for VOICES and more recently has been studying British Sign Language skills at Deaflinks. Margy was born in Stoke on Trent but moved to Leicester aged 12 with her parents and younger siblings and returned to Stoke in 2004. Outside of work Margy enjoys travelling both world and countrywide, spending time with her extended family, tracing her family tree, baking fabulous cakes and admits to being a Scrabble fiend. [email protected]… Continue Reading