Our Team

Volunteers

Shannon Trust would not exist without its amazing volunteers. We have a team of over 100 volunteers, some of whom have been with us from the beginning. Our aim is to allocate at least one volunteer to every secure establishment in the UK. Our volunteers are known as Shannon Trust Prison Representatives and they support prison staff and prisoners to set up and maintain the Toe by Toe Reading Plan.

We have 14 teams of Shannon Trust Representatives. Each team is looked after by an Area Co-ordinator. The Area Co-ordinators are supported by Area Secretaries who provide administrative support to the team. These are both voluntary positions.

Toe by Toe Facilitators

The Facilitators are the staff members who oversee the daily running of the
Toe by Toe Reading Plan in their establishment. They will ensure that the necessary systems are in place to allow mentors to meet with learners five times a week. Facilitators can be prison officers, education and training staff, librarians, members of the chaplaincy or others.

Most have volunteered for this role because they believe in the value of the
Toe by Toe Reading Plan. It is normally over and above what they are contracted to do in their jobs.

Staff

We have three full-time staff members based at our London office and one part-time staff member in the West Midlands.

Chief Executive Officer – David Ahern

David served as an army officer for 23 years. More recently he was Managing Director of a charity working with disadvantaged young people in London.
Contact David: david@shannontrust.org.uk

Development Manager for Volunteers – Julie Carthy

Julie is a qualified teacher and dyslexia specialist who has experience of teaching in prisons. Her role with Shannon Trust is to look after our team of volunteers.
Contact Julie: julie@shannontrust.org.uk

Office Administrator – Yasmin Aktar

Yasmin is an experienced charity administrator.  She is responsible for the smooth running of our office which is based in Central London.
Contact Yasmin: yasmin@shannontrust.org.uk

West Midlands Reading Network Project Manager - Susie O’Hagan

Susie has experience of developing and managing a UK wide programme of courses for The Prince’s Trust. She is a qualified counsellor, family mediator and teacher.
Contact Susie: susie@shannontrust.org.uk

Director in Scotland - Jane Kirk

Jane Kirk was formerly Specific Learning Difficulties Co-ordinator at the University of Edinburgh where, over a ten year period, she developed and implemented innovative assessment and support procedures for students and staff. She has considerable experience in secondary school teaching, in working with adult voluntary organisations, in lecturing in higher education and in research. This work has involved engagements with employers, adults with dyslexia, voluntary organisations and government departments. During her time working with young offenders and young people at risk, she has become keenly aware that the way forward to prevent re-offending is to offer education in a non-threatening and fully supportive way. She now very much looks forward to working with the Shannon Trust.
Contact Jane: jane.kirk13@btopenworld.com

2nd Floor
Royal London House
22-25 Finsbury Square
London
EC2A 1DX

T: 020 7374 8855
E: enquiries@shannontrust.org.uk