Thomley Activity Centre

Trustees

Lorraine Fox – Chair

Lorraine was involved in education for approximately 20 years, working with a range of ages, subjects and abilities. She has significant experience working with disabled children, and children with emotional and behavioural disorders. Lorraine recently retrained as a Cognitive and Behavioural Therapist and currently has her own practice in South Wales.

Lorraine is a founder member of Thomley Hall Centre. Her interest in developing such a project arose from having a son with autism and complex needs. She and other families originally visited Thames Valley Adventure Playground, but collectively felt that a more local centre was needed.

Pam Rose – Treasurer

Pam became a Trustee in 2003. She has a background in primary and secondary education and has also worked within an Occupational Therapy department. She now owns and runs a large dairy farm local to Thomley. Pam very much enjoys the contrasting roles of her daily work and being part of Thomley Hall Centre.

Wendi Coles – Secretary

Wendi is a founding Trustee. Her interest in developing Thomley stemmed from the limited provision she found available for her son, who is now in his twenties and has autism and severe epilepsy. Prior to working at Thomley, Wendi has 10 years experience working with a charity providing activities and holidays for disabled children and their families. In 2000, Wendi also set up ‘Network 2000′, a support group for parents of children and young adults with learning disabilities. Wendi is still supporting families and aims to further develop her support work in the future.

Lisa Shoesmith – Finance Trustee

Lisa was officially nominated as a Finance Trustee in 2009, having already proffered her professional support to Thomley for the previous 4 years. Qualified as a Chartered Accountant, Lisa brings valuable experience from the commercial sector where she works as General Manager of the Really Good card company. She also has a background in financial management and controls, having worked as Finance Manager of the University of Warwick.

In the capacity of Finance Trustee, Lisa plays an advisory role, helping Thomley to make prudent financial decisions and remain compliant to legal regulations. “Having been involved with Thomley since 2005 and visited for a day every few months, I’ve seen how the centre has grown and matured into the facility it is today and I was delighted and honoured when I was approached about becoming a Trustee”.

John Lubbock – Trustee

John is one of the founding Trustees of Thomley and has a teenage son with autism. Together with his musician wife Christine Cairns, he started the charity ‘Music for Autism’ to bring professional music making to autistic children and their families. John is also the founder and conductor of the Orchestra of St John’s.

Mary Stiles – Trustee

Mary retired in 2007 from a career in education. Until recently she worked for the Thame Partnership of Schools and the Extended Schools Co-ordinator. Mary is really pleased to have become a Thomley Trustee in 2008. As Head of Community Education in Thame in the 1990′s, she worked very closely with a group of adults with learning disabilities and also with a group of parents of disabled children. She became only too aware of the need for a safe place for disabled children to play and take part in fun activities and was delighted when Thomley opened.

Maurice Pullen – Trustee

Maurice became a Trustee of Thomley in 2008 but has been heavily involved in his own community for many years as a local Councillor. He brings a knowledge of risk management which, with the expansion of activities in the Centre is likely to present increasing challenges over the next few years. “After visiting the Centre, I was amazed by the atmosphere and what was being done there and it didn’t take much persuasion for me to get involved!”

Andrew Lockhart – Trustee

As Director of VSL Partners and a commercial property consultant, Andrew volunteered his invaluable professional advice concerning Thomley’s premises. Having committed so much of his time and having successfully secured Thomley’s freehold in 2011, Andrew was subsequently invited to become a Trustee.

“I am delighted to have been asked to be a Thomley Trustee in what are likely to be exciting and testing times. I am keen to raise Thomley’s public profile which can only help with our fundraising efforts, but more than that I am looking forward to helping the other trustees, staff and volunteers continue to put a smile on all the children and parents who visit this wonderful place”.

In memorium

Sheila Coates – Founding Trustee

Very sadly Sheila Coates passed away on Wednesday 27th October 2010.

Sheila was one of the founding Trustees of Thomley and, together with other Trustees, played an active role in setting up the centre, promoting its development and supporting its valuable ethos. In Sheila’s words “I am committed to the concept of providing equal access for children and young people to experience adventure, opportunity, freedom and managed risk”.

Since the early 70′s Sheila worked with children and families in Oxfordshire, focusing on Autism and the Autistic Spectrum, mainly in the education field. Sheila took great interes in raising awareness about autism and providing practical support to families. She was also a Trustee of ‘Children in Tocu’, which supports the therapeutic education and development of autistic children and supports families affected by autism in Oxfordhire.

Sheila had a very personal approach and will be missed by very many people. Thomley is a legacy of Sheila’s efforts to support disabled children and we will strive to continue her ethos through our work.

On behalf so many people, we would like to say ‘Thank You Sheila’.

Thomley’s next major building development will be to build a new cafe seating up to 150 people per day. Once built, the Trustees have chosen to call it ‘Sheila’s Cafe’ as she would have loved the social hub of this new facility.