Trustees
Anna works as a freelance arts and heritage project manager - partnering with organizations and venues across South Devon. Often this involves cultural programming, networking, audience development and capacity building. She has worked with Play Torbay in various guises over the years and have always loved their passion for what they do. Outside of work, she has 2 children who help keep life busy! Both have loved being a part of Play Torbay activities in the past and after she joined the zoom sessions in lockdown, she was delighted to join as a Trustee.
Jennie has been a Children's Social Worker for 23 years and has been practising as a Trauma and Attachment practitioner undertaking Theraplay, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) and Sensory Attachment work for the past 10 years. She mainly works with adopted and Looked After Children and undertakes a range of clinical and assessment work as part of a multidisciplinary team as well as training and support for parents, carers and schools.
Steven has been involved in children’s play since 1983 when he volunteered on a holiday playscheme run by Exeter Gingerbread. He has worked on Adventure Playgrounds in Exeter, Cambridge and York. Until recently Steven was Chief Executive with Exeter Community Initiatives a charity working with vulnerable adults, children and families and supporting residents and voluntary and community groups. He worked for Play England between 2008 and 2016 as Programme Manager on national play programmes with an emphasis on supporting community initiatives, including co-ordinating Playday. His involvement with Play Torbay started in 2003 when he was Programme Manager of the Torbay Children’s Fund. Steven has been a trustee since 2016. He likes nothing better than digging holes and is extremely proud of a recipe called ‘Sunshine Soup’ he created using a glut of yellow courgettes (otherwise known as zucchini) grown on Wildfox.
I have worked in the field of drama for many years including on playschemes, which convinced me that the playwork approach was the best way to be with children. I was Senior Playworker at Linn Park Adventure Playground in Glasgow for disabled children and have run playschemes, large and small over the years.
I am a parent of a child with complex additional needs who was directed to try Play Torbay sessions at Indigo’s 6 years ago. For us it was the first place I could actually relax and enjoy a hot coffee, knowing he was safe and engaged. He formed very quick relationships with the staff and the sessions became a lifeline for us and the only way we survived the holidays.