Meet the Team
We have eight part-time paid staff and around 15 regular volunteers who support the essential daily work of the Centre. Our charity is managed by a board of volunteer trustees, representing a range of skills and experiences in business and the non-profit sector. If you are interested in joining our board and have skills that could help drive the charity forward and enhance the services we provide, please contact us for more information.
​
Trustees
​
Chair of Board of Trustees
Vacancy​
​
We are seeking an enthusiastic individual who will help us lead the charity forward over the coming months and years.
​
If you are interested in this role, please contact our CEO, Caroline Aird on 01392 447411 or email ceo@southwestmscentre.co.uk
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
Trustee
Steve Reardon
​
Steve has been a Centre user for more than 5 years having been diagnosed with MS in 2013. He spent 23 years in the Royal Navy, giving him wide experience in the management of people and things, together with a large sprinkling of common sense.
​
Currently the Assistant Town Clerk to Cullompton Town Council, Steve lives in Cullompton with his wife, children and dog. He enjoys reading and, whilst enjoying all genres of music, it has to be said that his music collection generally starts to peter out in about 1979.
​
Company Secretary
Michael Holmes
​
Mike’s working life was spent in the administration of company pension schemes. He is a member of the MS Centre, having had MS since 1988, and attends oxygen therapy and Pilates classes.
​Mike is married with four children, two who live locally in Devon, one in Nottingham and the eldest is in Christchurch, New Zealand with his partner and his only two grandchildren - so he doesn’t get called to babysit very often! He is a keen gardener and does DIY on his house when health and energy permit.
​
Trustee
Jackie Dowden
​
Jackie joined the board in 2022 and has used the Centre for many years following a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis. She has a background in finance and has experience of people and client management, along with strategy and planning in a customer service environment.
Oxygen Therapy allows Jackie to fully enjoy living near to the coast and gives her the energy to pursue her hobbies, including country walks, estuary cycle rides and sea swimming.
​​
​
​
Trustee
Vacancy
​
Do you have an interest in supporting our charity and helping the whole team deliver our services? If you have the skills that would be useful for a charity, please get in touch with our CEO Caroline Aird on 01392 447411 or email ceo@southwestmscentre.co.uk
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
Trustee
Tristan Courtney
​
Tristan joined the board in 2023. He is one of the founding partners of a local law firm, which he and his two partners set up in 2019. Tristan also brings extensive experience of working in the property sector. His skills in financial and operational management help contribute to a prosperous future for the charity.
Tristan’s mother had MS, which has led to his desire to help the charity and those that use the Centre in the years to come. In his spare time he is kept very busy by his two Springadors and plays football locally in East Devon.
​
Staff
​
CEO
Caroline Aird
​
Caroline joined the Centre in 2021 as CEO. Exeter-born Caroline trained at St Loyes College of Occupational Therapy and worked in health and social care in occupational therapy and in management roles before moving to the third sector in 2013.
Caroline is very active in her local community, having been a Parish Councillor, and is a Trustee of her village hall as well as the Neuro Therapy Network.
​
​
​
​
Handyman
Brent
​
Brent is our hero: he picks up all the odd-jobs around the Centre. He is handy with a lawnmower, jet washer, paintbrush, tape measure, screwdriver and light bulb.
He helps out when we’re preparing for events and is quite often seen moving equipment and furniture around. He keeps the Centre ticking over and the garden and grounds maintained and looking beautiful all year round.
​
​
​​
​
​
Receptionist / Admin
Mandy
​
We have two super ladies - Mandy and Ardene - who work on our reception, helped out by the rest of the team and volunteers. They are the welcoming face of the Centre, but Mandy and Ardene are more than receptionists. They also ensure all members are registered upon arrival, and that payments are processed accurately and recorded on our system. They schedule future appointments and treatment programmes, and provide assistance where needed. They also ensure our shop is well-stocked and keep a plentiful supply of biscuits available!
​
Physiotherapist
Jo Avery
​
Jo is a qualified physiotherapist and owns Exeter-based company First Physio.
​
Jo runs our Friday exercise groups, ensuring our members are carrying out their programme carefully and effectively.
​
​
Events & Fundraising Manager
Caroline Winyard
​
Caroline joined the team in 2019 after 17 years working in local government. Her role covers fundraising, marketing, events, and supporting the whole team. Her main challenges are to raise public awareness of the Centre and to attract new members, whilst also raising funds towards the annual running costs and specific services or projects that arise from time to time.
Outside of work Caroline enjoys drawing and painting, baking (and eating) cakes, and a bit of light yomping or e-cycling on Dartmoor.
​
Finance Officer
Pete Freeman
​
Pete joined the team in 2018 and organises all of the financial procedures for the Centre in a part-time role. He ensures financial regulations are followed, provides advice to the team and updates for the trustees. He has developed new processes and introduced a range of improvements to bring the Centre into the 21st century and make us more efficient, both in time and money.
​
Pete spends the rest of his week teaching AAT to students, and he enjoys exploring Dartmoor and travelling when he can fit it in.
​
Receptionist
Ardene
We have two super ladies - Mandy and Ardene - who work on our reception, helped out by the rest of the team and volunteers. They are the welcoming face of the Centre, but Mandy and Ardene are more than receptionists. They also ensure all members are registered upon arrival, and that payments are processed accurately and recorded on our system. They schedule future appointments and treatment programmes, and provide assistance where needed. They also ensure our shop is well-stocked and keep a plentiful supply of biscuits available!
​
Neuro-Physiotherapist
Ali Bulger
​
Ali graduated as a Physiotherapist from the University of Birmingham in the early 2000s and has worked across Birmingham, Somerset, Gloucestershire, and Devon. After moving to Exeter she specialised in NHS stroke rehabilitation and founded 'The Breathe Collective', a Neurological Physiotherapy & Pilates business to address the growing need for longer-term specialised rehabilitation.
​
Ali is available at the Centre on a Tuesday & Wednesday for physio-therapy & neuro-Pilates.
Centre Administrator
Katie Head
​
Katie has been with the Centre since 2019 and has a wide range of duties. She oversees the reception and volunteer teams and ensures a warm welcome for everyone visiting the Centre. As well as processing a range of orders and invoices, Katie also manages the stock levels in our shop, making sure we have plenty of vitamins and other items to benefit our members, and also supports fundraising efforts and events.
When she’s not in the office, Katie’s hands are full with her three young children.
​
Oxygen Therapy Manager
Sarah Benthall
​
Sarah joined the team in February 2023 after spending many months as a volunteer oxygen operator. Sarah will be getting to know our regulars and newcomers and looking at ways to improve the service, enabling more people to benefit from the therapy. Sarah has previously worked with hyperbaric chambers around the world. If you have any feedback on your experience of the oxygen therapy, Sarah would like to hear from you.
​
In her spare time, Sarah enjoys paddleboarding, running and entertaining her three children.
​
Senior Neuro-Physio
Maxine Dean
Maxine Dean is Injury Armour’s head neurological physiotherapist, with extensive experience of delivering the highest level of care to patients with all forms of neurological injury & illness. Maxine specialised in neurology 5 years into her professional journey.
Specifically, Maxine honed her craft working with patients living with neuromuscular disorders in both an inpatient & outpatient capacity. She has a particular focus on the treatment & management of patients living with MS, including the use of functional electrical stimulation.