Meet our Board of Trustees

As a charity, PCP has a Board of Trustees to ensure we are carry out our duties and have overview our resources. Each of our Trustees is a volunteer that brings a wealth of knowledge and skills to shape the support they provide. Meet our Board of Trustees below and discover more about their individual roles and experience.

Heather is a Chartered Accountant and spent 32 years working in NHS Finance, the last five years commissioning mental health and learning disabilities services across the North East.

As the accountant for her husband’s business (AK Brewster), Heather has a specific interest in building links between businesses and education providers.

For several years Heather was Vice Chair and then Chair of Governors at Vane Road Primary School and Vice Chair of Governors at Woodham Academy.

Heather is also an ASA Qualified Swimming Teacher and for several years taught swimming to Primary School pupils and Woodham Swimming Academy students at Woodham Academy. She is also Chair of Neville Residents Association, with the aim of building a stronger community.

Heather Brewster, Chair

Carol Briggs, Patron

Carol Briggs, one of our founding trustees, became PCP’s Patron at the AGM in October 2023.

The role of Patron is extra-special. It is a figurehead, someone respected by the organisation, because of the value and experience they bring.

Being Patron means lending her name to champion the ongoing work of PCP and continuing to be involved, supporting events, activities and promoting what we do.

Carol originally trained as an State Registered Nurse and as a wheelchair user has been involved with local disability groups since 1979 including founding and organising a Disabled Ladies Group which, won the Sedgefield Borough Disabled Persons Games in 1981.

Carol was appointed as a member of the South Durham and Weardale Community Health Council in 1990 and has also been involved as a member of the Local Planning Team for people with physical disabilities and a member of Newton Aycliffe Local Advisory Group from 1996 - 2001.

In 2018 Carol won the prestigious Regional Charity Award for her outstanding contribution to Charity recognising her work and commitment to the voluntary sector, which spans more than 50 years.

Lynn Mohan, Treasurer

Lynn worked for the civil service as a clerical assistant and Tax Officer until leaving work to move to Newton Aycliffe in 1980 to get married. She has three grown up children who attended Sugar Hill School and Woodham. Lynn became involved with Sugar Hill as part of the Parent Teacher Association helping children with their reading, painting furniture and organising discos after school.

She returned to work part time in 1990 as a production operator, working her way up to becoming a Regional Health & Safety Manager and spending the last 10 years as a consultant.

Lynn was associated with Sedgefield 75 Swimming Club for approximately 8 years as a committee member and looking after the swimwear shop to create funds for the Club. Her interests are involvement in Neville Residents Association, Trustee for Neville Community Centre and spending time with family and friends, holidays, knitting, reading, going to the theatre, meeting people and walking her dog.

Neil Hurst

Neil moved to Newton Aycliffe with his family in 1968 and they have lived on the town ever since. After leaving school he worked on the Aycliffe Industrial estate for two local companies before joining the Nissan car plant in Sunderland in 1986.

He worked for the car maker in Supply Chain management, being mainly involved in scheduling, purchasing and procurement. He travelled extensively, visiting suppliers and other Nissan manufacturing sites and spent the final three years of his Nissan career working at the Barcelona plant in Spain, before he retired in 2019.

After retiring Neil became a volunteer with the PCP, supporting several activities and staff in the centre before recently applying to become a Trustee.

On a personal level, Neil was a keen footballer playing in several North East leagues and represented the town in the 70s and 80s. Later he was involved in coaching and manging local teams concluding with several years at Newton Aycliffe Juniors FC.

Neil still enjoys watching local football and keeps active through cycling and fell walking in the Lake District with his wife Carrie, or by spending time socially with family & friends, or with his three grown up sons.

Mark is a retired corporate governance specialist and educator. Following the lockdown, he wanted to help people who had experienced stress during the pandemic. He volunteered to join PCP’s COVID-19 Resilience Team in Durham. During training, he became aware of PCP as an organisation and was impressed with the charity’s compassion, dynamism, and commitment to excellence.

Mark has previously served as a trustee of Durham Christian Partnership and Durham Vineyard, where he developed several policies, and Durham Phab Club where he served as treasurer.

Mark studied physics and engineering at university before working in management services, when he completed a part time MBA. In 1993, he moved to further education as a Senior Lecturer in Business I.T. where he delivered a range of business and computing subjects for students from age 16 to adult. He progressed to several management roles and, prior to retiring in 2017, served a national group of colleges as Group Head of Equality and Diversity and Clerk to the Corporation. As Clerk, he provided advice and corporate governance support to the main board, its committees, and the boards of subsidiary companies.

Mark enjoys relaxing with friends and family, meeting people, reading, and learning new things. He met his wife when he was a student in Newcastle. They married in 1990 and moved to Durham in 2007. They enjoy visiting the North East coast, browsing at markets and holidays in the Lake District.

Mark is keen to serve PCP as a trustee and support the charity's work in the community with his skills and experience.

Mark Sacco

Now retired, Dame Dela has had a successful and enjoyable career in education, focusing her energies on promoting equal opportunities for children with learning difficulties and disabilities. Although Primary trained, Dela began her career teaching in a residential special school, moving on from there to a special school headship in Darlington. It was at this time that she was honoured with a DBE for ‘Services to Special Education’, as a result of her work locally, regionally and nationally, including developing the strategy for the role of special schools and a national strategy to promote inclusion for pupils with SEN. She felt to be honoured in this way for a job she loved was testament to the wonderful staff and children she worked with throughout her career.

Dela's final move was Executive Director at the ground-breaking Education Village in Darlington, overseeing the building design working with the staff of the three schools involved into its development as an inclusive community and educational setting.

Since retirement Dela has been happily involved in voluntary work with school governance, as well as previously chairing a charity for children with Down syndrome and is a Deputy Lieutenant of Durham County. She also loves travelling with her husband and dog in their motorhome.

Dame Dela Smith, DL