Our People
Chief Executive Officer
Mandi Smith has been our CEO since June 2011 and was previously one of our Family Advisers. She therefore has a wealth of knowledge about Reading Mencap and learning disability. She is a qualified social worker and has worked as such in both the local authority and voluntary sectors. She is a mother of two and has experience of learning disability in her family.
Family Support Service
Sally Utting joined the team in 2015 and is our Preparing for Adulthood Family Adviser. She is an experienced social-care professional, having worked in both the statutory and voluntary sectors. Sally jointly runs the Family Support Service with Louise Roberts.
Louise Roberts is our Legal Officer. She worked in private practice as a Family Law solicitor for 10 years, before moving to work in the not-for-profit and public sectors. She joined Reading Mencap 4 years ago. Louise jointly runs the Family Support Service with Sally Utting.
Alison Carroll is our Housing Family Adviser and has worked with families, adults and children for Reading Mencap for many years. She is a qualified psychiatric nurse and has a masters degree in child protection. She has vast experience in health and social care, housing and education. She is also a qualified Drama Coach, a Safeguarding Trainer and a Care Act Advocate.
Helen Luckin is our Health Family Adviser.
Lesley Bloomfield is our Carers Services Coordinator.
Fundraising Team
Marie-Claire Dillon is our Fundraising Manager, responsible for the fundraising work of the charity. She has a degree in languages and a background in publishing and bid-writing for the voluntary sector.
Kate Stonehouse is our Corporate Engagement Officer.
Jacqui McGachie is our Communications Officer looking after our website, newsletter and social media. Jacqui has many years experience working in communications in both the statutory and voluntary sector.
Administration Team
Amanda Limm is our Office Manager and Administration Team Leader. She has many years experience in the voluntary and statutory sectors in administration and management.
Paul Johnson MBE is our bookkeeper. He is a retired accountant with a long career working abroad with several high profile accountancy companies.
Elaine Ryan is our Administration Officer. She has many years experience working in the private and voluntary sectors.
Clubs and Respite
Abbi Chambers is our Clubs Manager, running all our clubs and social activities for children, adults and their parents/carers. She has experience in supporting vulnerable adults, housing and in coordinating day service activities; she has a degree in visual studies.
Charlie Macdonald leads our Gateway Club and Disco/Karaoke and is a Principal Care Support Worker in our ME Day Service.
4ME Activities Service
Our Principal Care Support Workers who run our 4ME Activities Service at Alexandra Road are Charlie Macdonald and Hannah Pritchard. They are ably assisted by our Senior Carer Support Workers Teresa Paine and Richard Smith and by our Care Support Workers; Jackie and David. Halima Khatun is the project administrator.
Trustees
Zoe Ridout, MEng Hons. Zoe Ridout is Reading Mencap’s new Chair of Trustees. Zoe, who has been with the charity since 2015, is a Sales Director for CBRE, leading the sales team to deliver against the growth aspirations of the division. She started out her career as a Bridge Engineer in Jacobs, then studied at Exeter University, achieving a First Class Masters in Mechanical Engineering. After graduating, she moved into the Facilities Management industry and has continued her career in roles including facilities management operations, strategy development and implementation, strategic planning, market and competitor analysis, financial analysis, commercial contract management, team management and customer stakeholder management.
In her spare time, Zoe is an amateur potter and finds herself mostly chasing after her two young boys!
James Eustace joined Reading Mencap as a Trustee in late 2022 and is a professional marketing expert with more than 20 years’ experience in industry. He leads our marketing strategy work.
Hugh Baxter joined us in late 2022. He is an experienced executive with a background in financial services, capital markets, sales and marketing for more than 30 years. He has degrees in both Business and Law and a Diploma in Banking and Finance.
Jim Allpass joined Reading Mencap in late 2022. He has more than 30 years’ experience in industry as a qualified Chartered Accountant at both an operational and strategic level.
Pat Dyer is a ‘lived experience’ trustee and joined the board in November 2023 to help Reading Mencap in its mission to support individuals and families who are affected by learning disability in whatever way she can. Pat and her family have accessed Reading Mencap services for many years: Saturday Clubs; Family Support Service; Siblings Group; to name a few areas of support.
As her family’s needs have changed, Reading Mencap has been there to help navigate an often confusing social care system. Outside of the world of SEN, Pat is happiest when working in her garden, seeing family, going for tea and cake, or watching classic films or TV.
James Horlock – Business Development Expertise. James is Head of Business Development for an IT Software Solutions (SaaS) business based in Henley-On-Thames. He has a track record of selling into both the public and private sectors across several industries and has successfully worked to improve business processes within the companies he’s worked for with a focus to increase growth, cross-department efficiency and to help build and retain high performing teams along the way. In joining the team at Reading Mencap, he is pleased to be able to bring his expertise to the Board and charity, finding and capitalising on opportunities to provide long term funding for Reading Mencap, a charity that he is proud to have in his local area and rings true to his belief that everyone should be given the support they need to reach their potential and live a happy, fulfilled life.
Justin Gahan – Accounting and Finance Expertise. Justin is working alongside us for the next few months as a trustee in training. Justin graduated University with first-class honors in Accounting and Finance, subsequently training as an accountant with an international financial services firm specialising in outsourced finance solutions for asset management and investment firms. He gained valuable experience during his time in practice, providing year-end financial accounts and corporation tax solutions to SMEs in the Thames Valley area. Currently he delivers bespoke management accounting and KPIs to a portfolio of businesses within the healthcare sector.
In joining the team at Reading Mencap, he aims to leverage his expertise in financial and management accounting to oversee the charity’s financial obligations and contribute to our strategic goals. On a personal note, this charity holds personal significance for Justin, as a parent of a neurodiverse son, he emphasises and understands the challenges and the lack of support available, making our cause particularly meaningful for him.
