Our Trustees

“I have been involved with STAMP for many years when working and have volunteered with them for seven years and have been the chair for four years. While sometimes we have to make difficult decisions, I find working with STAMP in a voluntary capacity is very rewarding”

Mary has a wealth of experience, knowledge and skill within the health care systems.
Mary has dedicated her career to serving people experiencing mental health difficulties for over 30 years. She has extensive experience and knowledge of NHS and Social Care services and processes, with over 10 years’ experience at associate director level. In 2014, Mary was awarded a Fellowship of the Royal College of OT, the highest honour the professional body can award.

Mary has considerable experience in presenting workshops, facilitating, teaching clinical skills and development activities. She has worked extensively with directors, clinicians, managers, staff, and service users across the NHS. Mary is committed to enabling high quality mental health services in both the voluntary and public sectors and is committed to the principles of recovery in mental health.

Mary is now semi-retired, serving as a public governor of Tees, Esk & Wear Valleys NHS Trust sitting on its Council of Governors and is a Specialist Advisor to the Care Quality Commission.

Mary has held previous Trustee positions with the Royal College of Occupational Therapists and Women’s Aid projects in the North and in London. For many years she served as a local authority School Governor, in a voluntary capacity, and volunteers with other user groups.

Mary is an avid cat lover sharing her life with many over the years, with two new adopted additions recently, following the death of her 18-year companion, Doby. Finding spare time within her busy schedule, she enjoys baking, reading a wide variety of books, keeping up to date on national and international news, visiting RSPB sites spending much time bird watching, meeting and socialising with friends and using social media to keep in touch distant friends.

Special moments are spent with her family, her daughter and son-in-law, her son and daughter-in-law and above all with her granddaughter, taking yearly holidays together, frequently visit the Lake District and love visiting National Trust properties and other historical places.

Russell Pell is the current treasurer of STAMP Revisited and brings a wealth of experience to our Board of Trustees. Russell has worked a total of 36 years in the chemical industry in the private sector and during that time has gained extensive experience in Team Leadership, Project Management and Technical Safety.

After graduating with a degree in chemical engineering Russell became a graduate member of the Institute of Chemical Engineers and with experience then become a ‘Member’ (Chartered Engineer) and a Fellow of the Institute.

Throughout his career Russell led teams of professional engineers and managers and has worked with all levels of staff, from Board directors through to process operators and also external bodies (HSE, EA etc). As such, he has gained considerable experience in Influencing skills, and Counselling and Motivational skills.

In his career he has also developed and delivered training courses and seminars specialised within the subject of Process Safety, both internally and externally, including to schools and universities and other Engineering Institutes.

Russell had a period several years ago where he himself suffered from mental health issues, and is passionate about helping where he can within the Mental Health arena. In addition, his vast experience contributes to other community projects of his interest which include supporting the local Parish Hall.

“STAMP Revisited facilitates everyone to have an equal voice and shines a light on our mental health having a parity with our physical health. As a trustee, I am passionate on fighting for equality, especially for woman, the role enables me to turn my passion into an action”

Jo has lived experience of mental illness and sits on the board as a Service User Representative, with her expertise and understanding of mental health systems and services, Jo represents the views and the opinions of people who use our services to ensure they have a voice when decisions about our service delivery or strategic and operational objectives are agreed.

Jo is a qualified Social Worker and has taken up roles as an Independent Social Worker within the legal and judicial framework and court systems. As a social worker, she gained a wealth of experience of working with both children and families, and with people experiencing mental issues. Jo, has previously worked in roles within the mental health field, as a Mental Health Link Worker and Mental Health Advocate.

She has a number of passions, one being that people have their voice heard and for their experiences to be understood. More recently, Jo is founder and facilitator of a peer support group for women with lived experience of ill mental health in the perinatal period, Tummy to Toddler Teesside Perinatal Peer Support Group who meet twice weekly. Check them out on Facebook. Jo has served on various committees including the Advanced Credit Union Committee, Redcar Arts and Minds Forum, and Redcar & Cleveland MIND.

Jo has very close working links with the culturally diverse community in which she lives and is an experienced and active community artist. She is a full-time mum with no spare time, but thoroughly enjoys finding time do her art work and having quality moments with her family and creating special memories together.

Thomas has an extensive knowledge and experience of the welfare system and complaint processes and procedures from a background within Client Relations. He has worked with vulnerable people looking to submit complaints in relations to their negative experiences whilst undergoing assessment.

Thomas is skilled in formulating complaints involving specific medical assessment malpractice and administrative errors preventing individuals obtaining benefits they were rightfully entitled too. His skills and attention to detail mean he is well positioned to challenge support vulnerable people in gaining access to vital services.

Advocating for those who experience mental health difficulties is Thomas’s passion. He has direct experience of ill mental health and believes strongly in challenging the mental health stigma by actively sharing his experiences in the hope of helping others. He is a mental health campaigner and written several blogs, some being published in the local media, and he has participated in the Boro Man Can Initiative which looks to inspire hope and action for other Men, in Middlesbrough, to live longer and feel better.