Alabaré is a great charity for helping people. People shouldn’t be homeless. Everyone should have the opportunity to have a home.
Our Leadership
A dedicated group of leaders who bring diverse expertise, insight, and passion to guide our mission and ensure long-term impact in the homelessness sector.
The ALABARÉ Board of Trustees, together with the Senior Leadership Team, provide strategic oversight, upholds our values, and helps shape the future of our charity.
ALABARE Board of trustees
Malcolm Cassells – Chairman
Malcolm worked for the NHS for 41 years, the last 31 years as a Board Director with responsibility for IT, Procurement, Information, and Contracting. He is a qualified accountant and has an MBA. He has been involved in many capital developments, including the rationalisation of local multi-site hospital services onto one site.
Dr Allie Bennington
Allie is a research and evaluation expert who designs and implements research programs and monitoring systems for sustainable social change. Passionate about relevant and impactful research, she ensures high-quality, equitable services. A strategic and collaborative leader, she excels in policy development, stakeholder management, and team leadership. She is presently Head of Insight and Impact at Caba.
Paddy Bradley MBE
Until recently, Paddy was Chief Executive of Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership, working with the public and private sectors to grow the economy of Swindon and Wiltshire. He has a background of working in Local Government at a high level in strategic planning, change management and policy development. Paddy has also worked in various areas of education.
Committee Chair – Nominations and Governance Committee
Rt Hon John Glen MP
John has been the Conservative MP for the Salisbury and South Wiltshire constituency since 2010. He served in the Government’s Cabinet as Chief Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General under former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and is currently the Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition, Kemi Badenoch.
Sir Andrew Gregory KBE CB DL
A highly experienced former Army officer, Andrew served in the Royal Artillery for over 30 years, including operational tours in Iraq, Northern Ireland, and the Balkans. He held senior leadership roles in personnel and veterans’ welfare and was, until recently, CEO of SSAFA. Deeply rooted in Wiltshire, he now champions military charities and community causes, and serves as Vice Lord-Lieutenant and Master Gunner St James’s Park.
Victoria Hamilton
Victoria has held senior roles in the NHS, including at Wiltshire Health and Care and Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Her background focuses on healthcare estates, community services, and mental health provision, supporting society’s most vulnerable people.
Lucy Hendry KC
As a highly experienced child law barrister, Lucy’s cases involve extremely serious allegations of physical, emotional and sexual abuse. Her lay clients are amongst the most marginalised and vulnerable in society, frequently presenting with extremely challenging social issues. Lucy has invaluable experience in military life and has been active in the local Wiltshire community for 25 years.
Major (Ret’d) Mickey Morrissey DL
Mickey served in the Irish Guards for twelve years before a career in finance and investments. More recently, he was a partner at wealth, accountancy and business advisory services, Evelyn Partners, and now a board member of the Association of Investment Companies. He was the Honorary Treasurer of Combat Stress and Director of the Forces Pension Society Investment Company. In July 2024 Mickey was appointed Deputy Lieutenant of Gloucestershire.
Committee Chair – Finance and Resources Committee
Debbie Pearce
Debbie Pearce has an NHS background spanning 35 years and is a registered member of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, specialising in financial planning and budgetary control for businesses. This is Debbie’s first Trustee role within a charity.
Mark Proctor
Mark is a qualified solicitor with experience in criminal litigation and all property affairs. He has worked with all aspects of residential and commercial property and has experience in quality and compliance. As his parents founded Alabaré Christian Care Centres, Mark has been involved since he was a teenager and joined the Board to add his experience to the ongoing support of vulnerable people.
Phillip Reynolds
Phillip worked in Local Government most of his working life, specifically for the Fareham & Gosport Area Education Office, Fareham Borough Council, Hampshire County Council and Gosport Borough Council. With many years of experience in finance for the respective councils, his skills are very welcome.
Dr Phil Sutton CBE
Since 2011, Phil has been the Managing Director of SSES Ltd and previously, his career was within the MOD as Director of Science and Technology Strategy MOD for 7 years. He has worked in government, education and industry and is an ex-Royal Navy Reserve officer.
Canon Vernon White
Vernon is a long-standing supporter of ALABARÉ. He retired from his full-time role as sub-dean and canon of Westminster Abbey in 2018 but remains active as a visiting professor in theology at King’s College London. He was previously a principal of the clergy training institution at Sarum College.
Committee Chair – Quality Committee
Billy Wilde
Billy is a distinguished Programme Manager with a wealth of experience across the Defence Sector and wider government. He brings to the board deep expertise in navigating complex stakeholder environments and excels at engaging diverse communities around shared causes. A passionate advocate for charitable work, Billy has supported fundraising efforts for various organisations including The Royal British Legion.
Colonel (Ret’d) Richard Winstanley OBE
Richard has been involved as an ambassador for many years, having previously served for 29 years in the Grenadier Guards. Since 2013, he has been the clerk of the Drapers’ Company and chief officer of a c.£350 million philanthropic organisation focused on charity, people and education.
Committee Chair – Fundraising, Marketing and Retail Committee
If you are interested in joining the ALABARÉ Board of Trustees, please get in touch for our Trustee Recruitment Pack.
THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM
Andrew Lord MBE Chief Executive
Andrew has been Chief Executive of Alabaré since 2000 when it was solely Salisbury-based. Since then, the charity has grown to cover South West England and Wales, delivering care and support to thousands of vulnerable people each year, particularly within the homelessness sector. Andrew is a CIPFA-qualified accountant and was awarded an MBE in 2021 for his work in the charity sector.
Andrew says, “Alabaré is a wonderful organisation. The staff and volunteer team’s dedication in supporting vulnerable people is heart-warming and life-changing work.”
Vanessa Bedford Director of Operations
Since starting as a Young People Ops Manager in 2013 Vanessa now manages the delivery of all our services and operations. She is a member of the Institute of Chartered Management with many years of experience working with chaotic families and young people as well as strategic and project management.
“The work my teams undertake with some of the most chaotic clients is outstanding. The variety of the work we undertake makes no two days the same.”
Emma Hart Finance Director incl. Central Services
Emma has a diverse background, beginning her career as a management accountant in the FMCG sector before retraining as a personal fitness instructor. She went on to run a business providing apprenticeships for individuals within the Construction Industry. Emma is a CIMA-qualified accountant, and a consistent theme throughout her career has been a deep commitment to supporting and developing others.
Her passion for making a meaningful impact led her to the homelessness sector, where she now contributes her skills and experience to help vulnerable individuals rebuild their lives.
“I value supporting Alabaré in their continued endeavour to support their clients in leading a full and rewarding life.”
Kirsty Scullion Director of Fundraising
Kirsty leads the fundraising and marketing team, focusing on partnership development and income generation. She has worked in charities for over 20 years, across the homelessness sector or with families in deprived areas. Kirsty holds several postgraduate qualifications which focus on understanding management and leadership in the Third Sector.
“I am motivated to see a change in the lives of our beneficiaries, to see the positive impact of the ALABARÉ work and to ensure that the third sector is valued as delivering excellence.”
James Tomlinson Director of Strategic Communications
James has been lucky enough to work with some amazing teams, helping to grow brand awareness, boost revenue, and build positive cultures in organisations big and small. Now, he’s excited to use what he’s learned to help ALABARÉ reach more people and make an even bigger difference in the homelessness sector.
James says, “I’m genuinely inspired by Alabaré’s commitment to supporting those in our community who need it most. It’s a real privilege to help share the story of this life-changing work, and I’m passionate about helping ALABARÉ reach and support even more people.”
Revd Gill Turner-Callis Senior Chaplain
Before joining ALABARÉ, Gill was a parish priest for four churches in the Derby Diocese. She has lived all over the UK, from Luton to Aberdeen. She grew up a Baptist but felt called to Anglican ordination when a student. She says that she ‘has never had a proper job’!
“Having been a parish priest for 15 years, I increasingly felt called to chaplaincy and working for ALABARÉ felt like a really exciting opportunity. I’ve not been disappointed – every day is a different ministry experience.”
GET IN TOUCH
Our office at Riverside House in Salisbury is the base for our central administration.
If you’re interested in joining our team, please click here to see our current job vacancies.
To contact Us please see our Contact Us page.