Penny Harris

Her role is:

Workshop Leader. Penny is in charge of leading workshops she attends and this means she will meet all the children at their school before they come to a workshop.  At the workshop Penny tells the group about the activities.  It is her job to make sure everyone knows what the activities are, to make sure everyone is comfortable doing them, and to explain how they may help with different feelings.  

Her background:

Penny was a secondary school art teacher.

Her hobbies are:

Painting outside with oil paints, going to see art exhibitions in London and walking in the country.

Her favourite part of working at Slide Away:

Penny likes meeting all the different families that come to Slide Away and watching them make new friends and enjoy creating things.

How the other members of staff would describe her:

Penny is very organised and conscientious. She is calm and warm to be around.

Nicky Whatling

Her role is:

I run the pre-bereavement group which meets monthly, work as a workshop lead and assistant and am a Workshop Assessment Coordinator. I used to work in a school and saw children attend Slide Away and when I saw the positive changes in them I decided to apply. My son has attended a workshop which allows me to have an understanding of how parents feel when their children are on a workshop. 

Her background:

I used to be a teacher and also used to give reflexology to people with cancer. 

Her hobbies are:

My hobbies include travelling, walking and spending time with friends and family. 

Her favourite part about working for Slide Away:

My favourite part about Slide Away is feeling to honoured that families allow us to work with their children and seeing the children transition over two day workshops. It’s amazing to be a part of this. 

Krysia Keeley

Her role is:

Workshop Assistant. I help to run various activities during the sessions and offer assistance and support to the young people taking part. Having fun and getting messy are pre-requisites! 

Her background:

I used to be a Police Inspector. After serving full time with Kent Police and experienced bereavement I changed my focus to supporting children and adults through difficult times.

Her hobbies are:

Dancing, gardening, travelling and learning a foreign language (Polish).

Her favourite part of working at Slide Away:

It is a privilege to see how the young people blossom and make new friends over the 1 or 2 days that they are with us.

Diana Pickard

Her role is:

Workshop Assistant. Diana leads some of the activities at a workshop and assists in various ways during the course of the workshops or memory days. Often she might be making drinks and checking that there are enough biscuits! At other times she is supporting the children or young people as they share their story and feelings. She also likes there to be some laughter and happy times as everybody makes new friends and memories . She is very good at getting in a mess with paint and glue.    

Her background:

Diana was a primary school teacher and SENCO.

Her hobbies are:

Beekeeping and walking

Her favourite part of working at Slide Away:

She likes reading the stories and having discussions with the young people and children.