The day to day work of the Leicester Counselling Centre is delivered by a large team of Volunteer Counsellors, overseen by three staff members: A Director, Counselling Lead and an Administrator. A team of Volunteer Receptionists assist in the day to day tasks and support the smooth running of the Centre. An Executive Committee meet monthly to focus on the strategic development of the Centre, working alongside the Director to ensure that it continues to meet the need of its local community.
Volunteer Team
Volunteer Counsellor Team
Our team of 65 volunteer counsellors are all qualified or nearing the end of their training. All our counsellors are trained to diploma, graduate or postgraduate level and have gone through a very careful selection process. Our counsellors are experienced in a wide range of issues. Their clinical work is regularly supervised and monitored according to the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy’s (BACP) ethical code of practice.
Volunteer Receptionist Team
Our team of 7 volunteer receptionists provide day to day reception and administration support. Their tasks include greeting clients as they attend their counselling appointments, handling donations, answering the telephone and diary management. They all provide their time voluntarily and are an invaluable help to the staff and counsellors.
Staff Team
Hannah
CEO
Hannah has worked at the Leicester Counselling Centre since 2019, after managing another voluntary counselling organisation for 12 years. She is a qualified and experienced psychodynamic counsellor and supervisor and has practiced in voluntary and private settings. She has a passion for the incredible contribution that the voluntary sector makes to mental health service provision and for ensuring support is accessible to all.
Anne
Counselling Lead
Anne Joined the Leicester Counselling Centre staff team in November 2022. She first came to the centre as a placement counsellor in 2010 and stayed as a volunteer until 2014. She now returns to the centre as an accredited psychodynamic counsellor, having gained experience in both the private and voluntary sectors.
Sharon
Administrator
Sharon has worked at The Leicester Counselling Centre since 2006. She enjoys working alongside the dedicated team of volunteer receptionists and counsellors and overseeing the smooth running of the office.
Executive Committee
Kay
Chair
Kay is a counsellor and coach, with a background in directing and consulting on change programmes for global companies, as well as running a small business. She volunteers as a counsellor at the Centre.
Martha
Vice Chair
Martha is the Strategic Programme Manager for Skills Development at the NIHR RSS Specialist Centre for Social Care, based at the University of York, and a freelance governance consultant. Since returning to study for an MSc in Neuropharmacology at Nottingham Trent University, Martha has worked for over 9 years in the higher education sector. Alongside research and operational management roles, Martha has held a portfolio of non-executive roles, including as a board member for NTU, NTSU, and the Office for Students, and during the Covid-19 pandemic, as a member of DfE's Mental Health & Wellbeing taskforce.
Adrian
Treasurer
Adrian joined Leicester Counselling Centre in 2016 as a placement volunteer counsellor whilst studying for a Foundation Degree in Integrative Counselling at the University of Leicester. After graduating he has continued working as a volunteer as well as in his own private practice. Adrian comes from a background of management accounting in the manufacturing industry.
Louise
Director
Louise is a long standing charity CEO specialising in helping third sector organisations expand their reach and impact in the UK and abroad. Louise has a keen interest in counselling, and is passionate about equity of high quality mental health care and support for people across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.
David
Director
David comes to the Leicester Counselling Centre with over twenty-five years senior leadership experience having worked in both voluntary and public sector organisations. For the past eighteen years he has worked within policing governance, supporting police authorities, police and crime commissioners and most recently a combined authority mayor in holding chief constables to account locally for the delivery of efficient and effective policing. His skills include strategic planning and delivery and he led nationally for PCC chief executives supporting the Home Office and Office for Police Conduct on complaint and discipline reform.
Nora
Director
Nora is a trainee counsellor at Leicester Counselling Centre and is currently studying towards an MSc in Psychodynamic Counselling and Psychotherapy at Birkbeck, University of London. She also works as an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Operations Manager at the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), where she focuses on embedding inclusive practice across the profession. Nora brings a background in project and operations management, and is passionate about community-based mental health services and promoting equitable access to counselling.