Our Trustees

The Board of Trustees is composed of a dedicated team of people with personal knowledge and experience of disability matters as well as backgrounds in a diverse range of business and community issues.

Dave Thompson MBE DL

Chair of WDP since the launch

Special interest: Social inclusion, equality and diversity, information, access, representation, and partnerships. Dave was founder and chair of Warrington Disability Information Service and the chair of the Warrington Committee for Disabled People. He was the founder and a trustee of Shopmobility and the founder and vice chair of Warrington Disability Sports Forum before all 4 organisations joined to form WDP.

He is the founder and current Event Co-ordinator of the North West Disability Awareness Day Europes largest and longest running voluntary led independent living exhibition, and was a founder and past chair of the Cheshire Disabilities Federation and the founder of the North West Positive Action Awards . Dave has travelled widely across the UK and Europe promoting the development and sustainability of partnerships involving disabled people and carers. He is the Assistant Director of Inclusion and Partnerships at the 5 Boroughs Partnership NHS Trust and leads their Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Unit covering patient and public involvement, equality and diversity, and social inclusion . In June 2001 Dave received an MBE for services to disabled people and the NHS, in October 2006 he received an invitation to become a Deputy Lieutenant of Cheshire. Dave chairs the North West NHS Equality and Diversity Forum, he is also a trustee of the Tim Parry Jonathan Ball Foundation for Peace and Trustee and Chair of the Griffiths Court Foundation.

Audrey Rogers

Secretary of WDP

Special interest: Finances and Disability Awareness Day. Audrey worked as a financial administrator until she took ill health retirement. She is a member of WDP's Human Resources and Finance Committees.

She is a member of the DAD Management Team and was the treasurer of Warrington Disability Information Services and Warrington Committee for Disabled People until the launch of WDP. She had previously held the post of treasurer for Shopmobility in the late 90's.

Sue Abbott

Treasurer of WDP

Special interest: Communications, IT and websites. Sue manages five websites for WDP and also produces a monthly electronic newsletter, as well as carrying out the tasks associated with Treasurer. Sue is Commercial Director of Skill Zone Ltd, a web development company based in Runcorn. Prior to founding Skill Zone she worked as a Training Centre Manager for a Cheshire-based Microsoft Solution Provider, and a Technical Sales Manager in the CCTV industry. Educated to degree level with twenty years of commercial experience, Sue is a Certified Microsoft Professional in Windows and a published writer of web site and product review articles in the trade press, and an active member of the Women's Institute.

Simon Banks

Board member since 2006

Simon Banks joined Warrington Disability Partnership as a Trustee in December 2006. He and his wife Vicki are the parents of three children, one of whom has complex and multiple disabilities. Simon has an interest in all aspects of the work of WDP, but is particularly interested in developing the organisation’s product/service offering for younger children.

Simon works in the NHS as a Specialised Commissioning Manager with the North West Specialised Services Commissioning Team. In his career Simon has worked in the not-for-profit sector for the Citizens’ Advice Bureau and for Age Concern Cheshire. He joined the NHS in July 2000 as Chief Officer of Warrington Community Health Council and subsequently moved to Warrington Community Health Care (NHS) Trust and 5 Boroughs Partnership NHS Trust in senior management roles, during which time he was seconded to work on the NHS Freedom of Information Act project and on the establishment of the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health.

Simon has recently attained a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Liverpool John Moores University, passing the course with the award of a distinction. Simon intends to apply the experience and knowledge from this course and his working life to support the WDP team.

As well as a busy family and working life, Simon enjoys football, rugby (both codes) and cricket. He also has a keen interest in modern history, current affairs and real ale.

Dave Cheetham

Board member since July 2009

Special Interest: Disability awareness, inclusion, equality.

One of Dave's daughters has a mobility impairment and whilst having an overall interest in the development of WDP, is particularly focussed on promoting the benefits of inclusion and equality, both to individuals themselves and the value of their contribution to society in general. Dave and his daughter firmly believe that "disability does not mean inability"

Dave's professional background has primarily been in Banking, where he was a Regional Operations Manager in Corporate Banking for one of the principal UK Banks, but also has experience in the voluntary sector, having been involved in several disability-orientated organisations in Warrington. Presently working for Business Link as an advisor in the Financial and Professional Services Sector, he is looking to use his knowledge in both business and disability capacities to support the WDP team.

Jeff Greenwood

Special Interest – Security and Training.

Jeff is currently the Chief Executive of local company NWSG & SSTS LTD, which offers Security solutions and training opportunities to businesses around the Warrington area. Jeff hopes to use his experience and knowledge of local business to help and support the WDP team.

Pat Kitto

Board Member since October 2007

Special interest: social inclusion and equality & diversity, with particular focus on education. Prior to her retirement in 2008, Pat was an Assistant Principal at Warrington Collegiate where she worked since 1979 in a variety of different roles. One of her responsibilities was for Equality & Diversity across the college and she worked closely with the college’s Equality & Diversity Coordinator to ensure the college upheld its duty as both an employer and an educational institution.

Pat is maintaining her commitment to lifelong learning and making a real difference for all members of the Warrington community through working in an educational consultant capacity and also through her work as trustee for not only WDP but also the Warrington Wolves Foundation.

Chris Molyneux

Board Member since December 2008

Special interest: Mental health, challenging stigma, social inclusion and equality

Chris was one of the pioneers and trustee for the Warrington Carers Centre until 2008. She is also a trustee for Making Space and is a member of three of their governance sub groups: Human Resource, Quality Standards Audit and Hospital Manager for their two independent Hospitals. Chris is also pro-active for the Joint Service User Carer Forum with the 5 Borough Partnership at Hollins Park Hospital and represents carers on a number of projects and committees.

In addition to her trustee roles Chris has also been a volunteer with the WDP for the last 10 years at the Market Information Point and is still offering information, advice and assistance relating to Welfare Benefits to all member of the general public.

Gary Skentelbery

Special Interest - Media and Advertising.

Gary joined WDP as a Trustee earlier this year. Gary is currently the editor of a group of magazines in the Warrington and Cheshire area namely Warrington Worldwide, Lymm Life, Culcheth Life, Village Life and Frodsham Life and publisher of the town's daily online newspaper www.warrington-worldwide.co.uk . He is also Editor of the Insight Chamber of Commerce magazine. Gary has been a photo-journalist covering the Warrington area for local, regional and national newspapers, radio and TV for the past 30 years before embarking on his own publishing venture in 1999 following a 10-year spell as freelance Editor of the Warrington Mercury. Passionate about everything Warrington, he is also a member of the Warrington branch of Business Network International (BNI) and Chief Executive of Warrington Town Football Club. 54 Gary is also a Patron for the Tim Parry Jonathan Ball Foundation for Peace.

Terry Wadsworth

Board member of WDP since the launch

Special interest: I.T. and Access. Terence was a Trustee at WDIS and has been a volunteer since 1999. He currently leads the Information Technology and Communications Support team at WDP, ensuring the day to day running and maintenance of our computers and telephone infrastructures. He has just completed part two of the Microsoft server support accreditation course. He previously spent 3 years undertaking access audit work for WDP, most notably, audits of all the HM prisons in the North West of England.

Terry worked for 12 years for Gandalf Digital Communications in Information Technology. He has 5 years experience as a volunteer for a Night Shelter Winter Homeless Scheme where he supported people and families affected by addiction problems, drug and alcohol abuse.

Ian Richardson

Board Member since November 2009

Special interests Disability Awareness, Inclusion and Access. Ian joined WDP as a volunteer in Jan 2008 and in Nov 2009 was asked to become a trustee. In Dec 2007 Ian retired due to a spinal injury, throughout his career he worked in the printing industry the last 23 years being self employed. A life long Warrington resident, married with twin sons, one of whom has mild cerebral palsy.

A former Warrington Lions member he has a good understanding of the "ups & downs" of charity work

"There's a huge amount of work to be done till finally disabled people can be accepted as equals in every aspect of life"