Meet the Team
Sarah Lewis
Chief Executive Officer
Sarah is responsible for the operational and manual running of the service, ensuring the organisation is fit for purpose. She ensures the delivery of services meet the needs of Teesside’s LGBTQ+ community.
Jack Cummings
LGBTQ+ Youth Worker
Jack has worked with young people for the past 12 years – he holds recognised qualifications in youth work and has specialist knowledge of a young person’s journey through social transition.
Andrew Towers
LGBTQ+ Project Worker
Andy works to raise awareness of key issues LGBTQ+ people face. He has worked with hundreds of LGBTQ+ people across Teesside providing support through groups and one to one appointments.
Sian Parker
Admin & Communications Officer
Sian provides design and administration support to the team, she helps promote projects and handles internal and external communications.
Liam Twizell
Young Persons Emotional Wellbeing Coach
Liam works with LGBTQ+ young people to improve their confidence and well-being, as well as parents who may be unsure how best to support their child.
Cydney Bourne
LGBTQ+ Development Worker
Cyd works in the East Durham area supporting the LGBTQ+ community through one to one support, group work and delivering training.
Our Board of Trustees
Tracey Herrington
Chair
Having worked in the VCS for over 15 years, developing partnerships and building the capacity of members of the community to tackle areas of social injustice are underpinning values that are close to my heart. I am committed to ensuring people have a voice, are able to fully participate in their community and are supported to realise their potential. It is through the valued support I can offer organisations like Hart Gables, that people have hope.
Luke Kennedy
I began volunteering at Hart Gables in 2016, through this outstanding organisation; after my undergraduate degree and employment contract with Teesside University ended, Iād found a worthy cause to dedicate my time to. Personally speaking, throughout my life I have consistently, and continue to strive to be an advocate for equality, and having a number of close friends within the LGBTQ+ community, Hart Gables is a highly valued charity to me, our life ethos and moral scruples align. I have witnessed first-hand various forms of social injustice, perpetrated upon those I care about and others; and indeed, how the subsequent fallout of those situations adversely impacted these individuals, undeservingly so. Concurrently, I joined Hart Gables to contribute towards enacting positive social change in a proactive and pragmatic manner.
Peter Neal
Peter is a community and social activist, serving on a number of other boards. He also works freelance as a business consultant.
Anthony Young
Tara Davison
Tara supported Hart Gables for over a decade, mentoring management and helping to shape our organisation to be as inclusive and accessible as possible, to all those in our community. Tara worked with people affected by poverty, poor mental health, disability and social exclusion – she made a difference to the lives of many.
Tara wasn’t just a colleague, she was a friend, who’s time here meant something. There’ll never be the right words to articulate how brilliant Tara was and will always continue to be. Her presence was profound, and her absence will be forever felt.
Our love, prayers, and thoughts go out to Tara’s Daughter, Mother and the rest of her family and friends. No words will ever describe how sorry we are for this unbelievable loss.
