Find out who is who at NESS
Resource Assistant / Lip-reading Tutor
As a Resource Assistant, Brenda assesses people's needs, supplying, delivering and installing equipment to support people living with serious sensory loss to remain safe and independent at home. As a qualified Lip-reading Tutor, Brenda also delivers lip-reading classes in the community for people with hearing loss.
Resource Centre Worker/Admin
Claire is a Resource Centre Worker/Admin in Dundee & Angus
Director
Kenneth is a retired actuary. He studied Statistics at Glasgow University, before qualifying as an actuary, and working in the pensions industry for 35 years as a pension consultant and Scheme Actuary, advising trustees on scheme funding, and companies on accounting disclosures, along with the pensions aspects of company sales and purchases. He also acted as an expert witness in divorces and damages claims. He is also a director of a Trustee Company for a major insurance firm.
Cafe Co-ordinator
Deborah runs NESS' cafe at in Aberdeen, supported by a small team of volunteers, Deborah provides a wide range of snacks, meals and catering for special events.
PA, Reader/driver, Administration Assistant
Andrea is the Personal Assistant (PA) who supports both the Chief Executive and the Board of Directors. As a reader/driver, Andrea also supports a blind colleague with written communication and transport to allow him to complete his duties. She also works part-time in our finance team.
Resource Centre Worker
John provides information and support with equipment to people living with serious sensory loss, as well as reception and administrative duties in Elgin.
Hospital Information Officer
Eddie operates NESS' Hospital Information Service and is based at NHS Grampian's Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. Eddie provides support, information and appropriate advice to people who have a serious sight loss or hearing loss and directs them to suitable agencies as appropriate.
Director
Christina Cooper is a key player in the Third sector in Dundee and is co-chair of the Sensory Strategy group.
Administrative Assistant
Julie provides CIS and general administrative support and is based with our Moray team.
Rehabilitation Worker
Arlene is part of the Fieldwork team which delivers NESS' Core Services. She offers assessment, mobility & independent living skills training and specialist equipment to people with serious sensory loss in Moray.
Young People's Sensory Service (YPSS) Co-ordinator
Diana leads our Young People's Sensory Service in Dundee city. Working with groups and individual youngsters, she organises activities for young people with a serious sensory loss and networking opportunities for parents.
Social Worker
Kirsti is part of the Fieldwork team which delivers NESS' Core Services. As a registered Social Worker, she offers assessment, information and support to people living with serious sensory loss in Aberdeen.
Transcription Co-ordinator
Andrew's job involves producing and distributing accessible communications in different media including digital recordings in audio and video formats for people with sensory loss. He also provides technical support to a range of colleagues when using multimedia equipment.
Administration Assistant/Reader & CIS Digital Co-ordinator
Selina is part of the Administration team based in Aberdeen. Selina delivers admin. support to our CIS service in Aberdeen and the Training and Information Officer as well as supporting a blind colleague with written communication.
Volunteer Co-ordinator for Angus & Dundee
Cilmi recruits, supports and co-ordinates NESS volunteers in Angus and Dundee to reach more blind and deaf people so they can maintain or regain their independence.
Voluntary Services Officer
Linda recruits, supports and leads NESS' vast army of volunteers, who freely donate their time and effort to help ensure top class facilities, activities and services can be provided by the charity and enjoyed by its beneficiaries.
Chief Executive
Graham originally trained as a welder for a boat builders in Cullen, until his sight loss made this impossible. Graham re-trained as a social worker, and has since developed his experience working in the voluntary sector. Appointed to Chief Executive in 2009, Graham managed the charity's dramatic transformation into what is now North East Sensory Services (NESS). Graham is accountable for all NESS' operations.
Rehabilitation Worker
Lindsey is part of the Field work team which delivers NESS' Core Services. She offers assessment, mobility & independent living skills training and specialist equipment to people to with serious sensory loss in Aberdeen.
Fieldwork Assistant
Kate is part of the Fieldwork team based in Aberdeen, which delivers NESS' Core Services. She offers information, equipment and support to people living with serious sensory loss in the City.
Project Assistant (YPSS)
Jayne works with the Young People's Sensory Service (YPSS) Co-ordinator to deliver a range of support and activities to children and young people living with sight and/or hearing loss. She also gives parents the chance to meet each other and share experiences.
Resource Worker
Louise is part of the Fieldwork team which delivers NESS' Core Services. Based in our Dundee Resource Centre, she offers information, equipment and support to people living with serious sensory loss in Dundee. She supplies, delivers and installs equipment so people can remain safe and independent at home. She also provides admin support for our team in Dundee.
Director
Born in Aberdeen and brought up in Kintore, Carol has had a very varied career over the years and spent 10 years of her working life as a section Manager in an International call centre in Holland. Within this role Carol was the sole contact in assisting people with varied disabilities to register and obtain computer-based exams for Microsoft, Oracle, IBM etc. and the Driver Theory exams, to name a few. Upon returning to the UK, Carol went back to “school” by attending Robert Gordons University where she gained a BA Hons in Business Management. Carol worked for NESS for almost 10 years as the P/T Welfare Officer and P/T Call Centre Worker, but had to retire due to ill health. However, Carol felt she still had a lot to give NESS so asked to join the Board and is looking forward to the new challenges this role will bring.
Employment Officer
Janice delivers NESS' Employment Service in Aberdeen and Dundee. Janice can offer individual appointments and also arranges work skills classes. She supports Deaf and Blind job seekers to prepare for and gain employment. She also assists people in work to retain their jobs.
Support Services Manager
Alison leads NESS' Administration, Reception and office teams. She has myriad responsibilities including Human Resources, Health and Safety, property and many others.
Information Communication Technology (ICT) Officer
Kevin works part time providing specialist input, advice and instruction on the use of computers and digital technology for people with serious sensory loss. He does this both on a one-to-one basis and via small classes.
Director
Born in Manchester but has lived in Lossiemouth for a number of years, Lynne worked as a social work manager and interpreter with Deaf people. She later worked for RNID, now known as Action on Hearing Loss, as a freelance consultant and most recently as a Project Manager on British Sign Language and Linguistic Access for the Scottish Government. Lynne is also a member of the Moray Deaf Club which meets at NESS' Elizabeth House in Elgin.
Administration Assistant
Susan provides a variety of Administrative support here at NESS.
Young People's Sensory Service (YPSS) Co-ordinator
Laura leads our Young People's Sensory Service in the Aberdeen and Moray areas. Working with groups and individual youngsters, she organises activities for young people with a serious sensory loss and networking opportunities for parents.
Head of Enterprise
Adam supports the team that delivers NESS' Added Value or voluntary services. This includes many of those that are delivered by volunteers as well as the paid members of staff.
Training & Information Officer
I am responsible for delivering all of NESS’s Sensory Awareness Training and distributing information to raise awareness of NESS. I deliver training and work with other organisations to raise awareness of sensory loss and encourage them to make their services more accessible. I also work with our fundraising and PR team, helping to keep NESS’s profile up, and work on the website, our social media and help produce the NESS News. In my spare time, I enjoy reading and watching crime drama, walking our dog, and spending time with family and friends.
Guide Communicator
Sheena works on a one to one basis with deafblind service users to enable them to get out and about and interact in their community.
Director
Martin is an independent Optometrist based in Forres and also the Lead Optometrist for Moray HSCP. Originally from Cambridge, England. Graduated BSC (Hans) in Optical Management, after which moved to London to complete training as a Dispensing Optician at Moorfields Eye Hospital. Graduated BSc (Hans) Optometry from City University, London. Moved to Moray in 2002 and has worked in various practices in the Grampian region. For the last 11 years has owned and run an independent practice in Forres with his partner, Jayne.
Senior Practitioner
Michele leads the Fieldwork team which delivers NESS' Core Services in Aberdeen. As a registered Social Worker she also delivers assessment, information and support to people living with serious sensory loss in Aberdeen.
Director
Uche is a Barrister & Solicitor of the Supreme Courts of Nigeria and a Solicitor of England & Wales. He is a Fellow of the United Kingdom Higher Education Academy and Lecturer in Law at the Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, Scotland, where he teaches, among other subjects, Charity Law. Additionally, he is a legal consultant and partner at Greydern Associates, a charity-servicing consultancy. He holds a doctorate in International law, Global Governance, and Non-Governmental Organizations. Uche loves the creative arts, including stage plays, musicals and poetry. He also enjoys mentoring, critical writing, intriguing debates and travelling.
Director / Representing Service Users
John had a long and distinguished career in Education, finally retiring as Deputy Head Teacher. John is a member of Westhill Golf Club and is heavily involved in the Scottish Blind Golf Association. John is a former Chair of the NESS Board and is now returning after a break. John is also a member of the NESS Book group and facilitates the Service User Forum. He is a Service User representative at the Board of Directors.
Director
Len Ironside CBE, formerly of Aberdeen City Council and chair of the Integrated Joint Board for the Health and Social Care Partnership, is a volunteer reader for our audio magazines.
Finance Director
Carmen is a qualified accountant who has had a varied career working in the Oil & Gas industry and laterally as a lecturer at SRUC. Carmen brings her many years of finance and business knowledge to NESS.
Fieldwork Assistant
Katrina is a Fieldwork Assistant as part of our team in Moray
Social Worker
Margaret is part of the Field work team based in Dundee. As a registered Social Worker, she delivers assessment, information and support to people living with serious sensory loss.
Director / Chair
Born and brought up in Banff, John has over 40 years experience in public service, during which he worked in community development, fieldwork teaching, social care and social enterprise. As a former Director of RNIB Scotland he has worked in partnership with NESS to support the development of sensory services in the North East. Currently he is a non-executive Director of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and a Board member of Advice Direct Scotland.
Information Communication Technology (ICT) Officer
Ryan provides specialist input, advice and instruction on the use of computers and digital technology for people with serious sensory loss. He does this both on a one-to-one basis and via small classes.
BSL / English language interpreter
Lisa is a fully qualified British Sign Language / English interpreter and is dual registered with SRLPDC (Scottish Register of Language Professionals with the Deaf Community) & NRCPD (National Registers of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind People). She enables face-to-face & remote communications between profoundly Deaf people and the hearing world to take place. Individuals or organisations who have Deaf family, friends, clients, or patients can book interpreters through NESS.
Director
Blogger and equalities campaigner, Charlotte graduated in Law from Robert Gordon University in 2020.
Receptionist / Resource Centre Worker
Dawn works at NESS Reception and Resource Centre in Aberdeen. She provides information and advice on equipment as well as reception and administrative duties.
Statutory Services Manager
Carla is responsible for NESS' Core Services. She leads the Fieldwork team which includes Social Workers, Rehabilitation and Fieldwork Officers and Assistants across the four local authority areas of Aberdeen, Angus, Dundee and Moray.
Social Worker
Chris is part of the Fieldwork team which delivers NESS' Core Services. As a registered Social worker, he offers assessment, information and support to people living with serious sensory loss in Aberdeen.
Fieldwork Assistant
Audrey is part if our Fieldwork team based in Dundee
Director
Born in Dundee, Gordon trained at the city's Ninewells Hospital. Moving to Aberdeen in 1989, he retired as Head of Service for NHS Grampian's Audiology Services in March 2020. Gordon has worked in most aspects of Audiology but latterly mainly worked in Paediatric Audiology.
Fundraising Assistant
Susan works as part of our fundraising team based in Aberdeen. Susan’s past roles have been in the newspaper publishing industry, in marketing and customer service. I am delighted to be working in a new role at NESS, helping Lorraine with the organisation of events and fundraising initiatives.
Driver / Escort
Jo is a Driver/Escort for our Connect, Inform, Support (CIS) service in Aberdeen. During COVID she has had a number of additional roles.
Community Fundraising Co-ordinator
Lorraine is our Community Fundraising Co-ordinator, based in our Aberdeen office.
Trainee Rehabilitation Worker
Social Worker
Dianne is part of the Fieldwork team which delivers NESS' Core Services. As a registered Social Worker, she offers assessment, information and support to people living with serious sensory loss in Moray.
Finance Assistant
Lene takes care of the day to day bookkeeping for NESS as part of the finance team and works 2 days a week in John Street.
Director
In 2006 Helen took early retirement from a career in banking, with Santander. The following year she and her husband moved back to Scotland, settling in Brechin. Helen's voluntary activities include being a Director of a care home in Montrose and a Trustee of Angus Society for the Blind, who work in close partnership with NESS. Helen was delighted to join the NESS board in May 2022.
Senior Community Inclusion Co-ordinator
Sheila is responsible for the delivery of NESS' Connect Inform Support (CIS) service in Aberdeen and Moray. CIS is our dedicated service for people aged 65 and over who are living with a sensory loss and who are socially isolated.
Rehabilitation Worker
Laura s part of the Fieldwork team which delivers NESS' Core Services. She offers assessment, mobility & independent living skills training and specialist equipment to people with serious sensory loss in Angus.
Director
From Ellon in Aberdeenshire, now living in Elgin, Moray. Served 23 years in the Royal Air Force as an aircraft mechanical technician. Graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Engineering Management from The University of Lincoln. For the last 11 years, employed as a Project Manager with an oil & gas drilling equipment service company in Aberdeen. Registered blind after being diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) in 2013, has been a NESS service user since then.
Social Worker
Laura is a Social Worker based in our Dundee office
Community Inclusion Co-ordinator (Moray)
Heather is the Community Inclusion Co-ordinator for our CIS project in the Moray area. CIS is our dedicated service for people aged 65 and over who are living with a sensory loss and who are socially isolated.
Fundraising Manager
Caroline sources funding from Trusts and Foundations, Government Agencies and other funding sources, to help pay for the delivery of our range of Added Value Services.
Director / Vice Chair
Laura is a Senior Lecturer in the Law School at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen. She studied Law at Glasgow University before qualifying as a solicitor and working as a Procurator Fiscal Depute for 14 years. Laura brings a useful legal perspective to the business of the Board of NESS.
Senior Administrator
Pam is the Senior Administrator at NESS, and also works at our Reception in Aberdeen dealing with the public. She is based in Aberdeen and is the main Administrator for NESS' British Sign Language (BSL) - English Interpreting service.
Fieldworker Angus
Tracey is part of our Fieldwork team in Angus
Senior Social Work Practitioner
Gill leads the Fieldwork team which provides NESS' Core Services in Dundee. As a registered Social Worker, she also delivers assessment, information and support to people living with serious sensory loss in Dundee.
Social Worker
Elaine is part of the Fieldwork team which delivers NESS' Core Services. As a registered Social worker, she offers assessment, information and support to people living with serious sensory loss in Aberdeen.
Social Worker
Maz is part of the Fieldwork team which delivers NESS' Core Services. As a registered Social Worker, she offers assessment, information and support to people living with serious sensory loss in Aberdeen.
Information and Advice Worker / Guide Communicator
Julie is part of the Fieldwork team which delivers NESS' Core Services. She offers information, equipment and support to people living with serious sensory loss in Angus. Julie also works with deafblind people as a Guide Communicator.
Rehabilitation Worker
Bill is part of the Fieldwork team which delivers NESS' Core Services. He offers assessment, mobility & independent living skills training and specialist equipment to people with serious sensory loss in Dundee.
Director
Meg Waddell Originally from Airdrie, Meg moved to Aberdeen over 20yrs ago. Her time in Aberdeen has been filled with raising a family and working in various roles within the Customer Services sector. She currently works in Marschial College in the Registry Department. As a new member of the Board, Meg is excited about the new challenges and opportunities she will face in joining the NESS Team.
Director
With a wealth of experience in Health & Safety and Risk Management.
Director
Specialist audiologist at Woodend Hospital. Originally from Lancaster, England. Completed BSc (Hons) in Audiology from University of Leeds. Previously an NHS audiologist in Leeds and has worked for NHS Grampian in Aberdeen for the last 4 years. Current role includes routine adult and paediatric hearing assessments, adult hearing aid provision, as well as adult balance assessments. Also specialist clinics such as Hearing Therapy for adults with more complex needs, severe/profound hearing loss, auditory processing difficulties and young adult clinics for paediatric hearing aid users transitioning to the adult service.
