Rich Driffield

CEO

Rich-Driffield-1
I joined The Joshua Tree in November 2021 as Chief Executive Officer. I am hugely excited and honoured to be taking on the role and leading the charity in its next phase of development, following the opening of our fantastic Support Centre in May 2021.

I have over 17 years’ experience across the public and third sector. I started out my career working as a Playworker in North Wales, and since then I have worked in a local authority Play Development Team, managed an Adventure Playground in West London, led the development of a new charity in Manchester, and directed income generation and strategy for a number of charities across Greater Manchester.

I am a passionate advocate for charities and community organisations, and I have a keen interest in children’s play and playwork.

Fun fact: I am a long-suffering Wrexham AFC supporter, and I am married with two young boys who keep me on my toes!

Danielle Percival

Head of Family Support 

Danielle-Percival
I started working for The Joshua Tree in March 2021 and I feel very privileged to join such an amazing, worthwhile charity. Living locally, I have watched all the incredible work that has gone into developing the support centre and the fundraising efforts that has made it all possible.

My career to date has been in Residential Care, Health and Education supporting people with Epilepsy, Learning Disabilities and Autism. I have a real passion for ensuring people are treated with dignity and respect whilst achieving a good quality of life. I am very used to working alongside medical professionals, supporting families through life altering times and advocating for those who need a voice.

My role at The Joshua Tree as Family Support Manager provides an opportunity for me to bring my wealth of experience working with families dealing with life changing diagnosis and will help grow the breadth and depth of support we offer to families.  I am a great believer that you cannot pour from an empty cup so I will aim to support families and adult caregivers to look after themselves throughout their cancer experience as well as the Family Support Team.

Fun fact: My home is slowly turning into a small petting zoo with a cat, dog, guinea pig and tortoise. With my Son’s love of animals, I’m sure it will not be long before there are more additions to the family!

Sara King

Children's Primary School Support Worker (North Wales)

Sara-King-2-2-1
Having joined the Family support Team in January 2020, I am excited to be a part of this wonderful charity, providing families with support specific to their individual journeys.

I have 20 years’ experience of working within various roles of Family Support, where I have gained extensive knowledge and understanding of approaches that influence positive family functioning and boost child confidence, self- esteem and resilience. I am also a qualified Parenting Group Leader and a Mum of three children myself.

My role mainly focuses on supporting Primary school age children, delivering therapeutic interventions that assist them to manage any difficulties they face relating to their experience with cancer.

Fun Fact: I love a good hill walk followed by a hot Radox bath!

Manon James

Family Well-being Co-ordinator (North Wales)

Manon-James
My role focuses on supporting the well-being of the families we support who are affected by childhood cancers. I have 30 years experience of working with families and young people and have worked within education, social care, and charitable organisations. I have had the privilege of meeting some of the most wonderful young people whose strength, determination and resilience never fail to amaze me. Working with young people keeps me on my toes but also young at heart!

Fun Fact: Dwi'n rhigl yn y Gymraeg (I'm a fluent welsh speaker) and I got married on television and wore a pair of silver Dr Martens!

Lea Jones

Family Support Worker (North Wales)

Lea-Jomes
I feel very privileged to be working with individuals and their families who access support from The Joshua Tree. I'm passionate about working with people and in my role, I can offer warmth, compassion and creativity.

I graduated in Drama, Theatre and Television around 27 years ago and then went on to gain a Pg Dip in Dramatherapy. I have worked extensively with young people and adults with drug and alcohol addictions, as well supporting young people's well-being and emotional health in educational settings providing 1 to 1 support and creative group work.
Fun fact: I've had 5 years of voice training, and as a teenager I sang a solo (in Welsh!) at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London.

Angie Challoner

Children's Support Worker

Angie-Challenor
I joined The Joshua Tree in May 2022 and soon enjoyed being a part of the team and meeting and working with many wonderful families.  I like travelling, exercising, living a healthy lifestyle, painting and being creative, but my biggest passion is Early Childhood education, the children, and the families in my care. My journey over the past 40 years has been a long one, however, it is those experiences that have shaped my philosophy of life, my admiration of children and the person who I am today.

Fun fact: I travelled and camped out in a covered wagon with a team of horses in the Rocky Mountains Canada for a week. Crossed seven rivers and slept under the stars with the grizzly bears cowboy style. I oversaw holding a week’s worth of eggs while we travelled, and I didn’t brake one -phew!

Tina Say

Children's Support Worker

Tina-Say
I relocated to Cheshire from Cambridge to join The Joshua Tree in May 2022. I have worked with children, young people and their families within the NHS, Education, and charity sectors for over 25 years. My background is in children’s cancer nursing, and I was a clinical nurse specialist for Leukaemia and Lymphoma at Great Ormond Street Hospital for 8.5 years. After taking some time out from nursing, I retrained in several different modalities to support children and adults.

I am excited to bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to supporting our beneficiaries and their families.

Fun Fact: One of my nicknames is Dora the explorer as I love travelling the globe off the beaten track, from climbing up a side of a glacier, learning from indigenous tribes, to seeing orangutans in the wild. I love being outside in nature from the sea to forests.

Ellie Nicholas

Children's Support Worker

Ellie
I joined The Joshua Tree in March 2023. Since then, I have immersed myself in the charity meeting the many wonderful children and families. In my previous occupation, I worked as an events planner developing, planning, and delivering a variety of both internal and external events.

At The Joshua Tree my role consists of planning and executing creative, out-the-box events that all families at The Joshua Tree can enjoy. I am extremely proud to be apart of the charity and call The Joshua Tree my place of work, being able to incorporate myself with the families to create memories and build milestones they will cherish and remember for life.

Fun Fact:  I have wild camped on the Great wall of China. I have a passion for traveling, the outdoors, anything food related and will often be found hiking and paddleboarding with my black Labrador Trudie!

Gillian Stobie

Family Support Coordinator

Gillian
I joined The Joshua Tree Charity following a long career in Children's services, including Family Support with Sure Start Children's Centres, and Social Care and absolutely love working with the families the centre supports.

I have followed the Charity for many years as I live locally and am very proud to join the Team. My passion is empowering and supporting families and children to have their best lives. I greatly admire the children and carers that use the centre, and hopefully I can be part of the vision to extend the service further to help more families.

Fun fact: I have delivered 30 babies when I was a student Midwife.

Katie Harrison

Family Support Coordinator

KatieHarrison(4)
I joined The Joshua Tree as the Family Support Administrator, having previously worked in the Higher Education providing careers advice and support to students and graduates. Prior to this, I worked within the charity sector as a Volunteer Coordinator for a tutoring programme. I'm passionate about educational disadvantage and inspiring young people to be the best that they can be.

I completed my degree in Creative Expressive Therapies (BA Hons) at the University of Derby. As an Arts & Health Practitioner I have developed skills in using the arts to help people in communities to engage in creative activities, to improve their confidence, health, and wellbeing etc.

Fun Fact: I once abseiled down the side of a Cathedral for a children's charity fundraiser! I'm anything arts, crafts, pottery obsessed. I'm at my happiest when I am in my scruffs at the pottery wheel, getting covered in clay.

Amy Wilkinson

Events and Community Fundraiser

Helen Ritchie
I joined The Joshua Tree in September 2021. My role consists of leading of all fundraising events on behalf of the charity and in aid of.  I have worked with other similar charities organising fundraising events to raise vital funds supporting childhood cancer research and support.

Being responsible for creating a calendar of engaging and unique events for The Joshua Tree is where I excel. Let the fun begin!

Fun fact: I love escaping to my caravan in North Wales, when not putting on a party!

Debbie Wilkinson

Corporate Partnership Officer

Debbie-Wilkinson
My role consists of generating income for the Charity by developing and securing support from new and existing corporate partnerships.  I also raise awareness of the Charity externally by delivering presentations, attending events and engaging in networking opportunities.

With over 30 years' Business Development Experience, previously in the Private Sector, my role as Corporate Partnerships Officer gives me the opportunity to bring my knowledge and expertise of generating income and working with Corporate Partners for this incredible Charity.
Fun fact:- I am a Yorkshire girl born and bred (now living in Cheshire) who loves keeping fit and my family are keen Leeds United fans!

David Perrin

Head of Operations

David
I am delighted to be joining The Joshua Tree having sat on the trustee board for the past four years. I have a broad and deep knowledge base of operational and risk management across a number of different industries and look forward to sharing and using my experience with the team and helping The Joshua Tree move forward with it's strategy and exciting vision.

Fun Fact: Having once refused to share my bag of pear drop sweets with a former world strongest man and Commonwealth games gold medalist, he lifted me up with one hand and locked me in a hotel store cupboard.

Katie O'Malley

Finance and Operations Officer

Katie-OMalley
I joined The Joshua Tree in September 2022 having been a School Business Manager in a local primary school for 10 years.

I live locally so I have been aware of the charity for many years and fell truly honoured to now be part of such an amazing team.

A key element of my work is to ensure that processes are in place to enable the Family Support Team to provide support to our families and provide financial support to the Head of Finance.

Fun fact: I am a keen Plane Spotter and love to visit the viewing area of Manchester Airport or track planes online!

Helen Enescott

Digital Marketing and Communications Officer

“Helen-Enescott”
I recently joined The Joshua Tree after having previously worked at a digital marketing agency. I began my career journey as a Primary School Teacher and have worked for many years supporting children and their families.  

 Having a background in child development allows me to better understand the impact on children who are going through a cancer journey. Now, using my skills and passion for digital media (obtained from my BSc in TV Production), I get the best of both worlds in a career I love doing and one which hopefully makes a difference to families. 

I love creating content which resonates with the audience and having the platform to connect with families affected by childhood cancers means a lot to me. Being able to work with such amazing and inspiring staff and meeting such wonderful families at all the events, makes my job very exciting! 

 Fun fact: Julie Walters once phoned me up for a chat after my mum sent her a letter about how I wanted to be an aspiring actress!  

Brendan Spruce

Caretaker and Maintenance Officer

Brendan Spruce
I joined the team in January 2020 as Caretaker and Maintenance Officer, having previously been a Police Officer with Greater Manchester Police and Detective in South Manchester.  I also spent 10 years as a Prison Officer working and educating juvenile and young offenders.

I became aware of the fantastic work that The Joshua Tree do when my grandson developed a rare Rhabdoid Tumour and take pride in being part of an amazing team delivering support to families as they did mine.

Fun Fact: I am an avid fan of steam train traction engines and Northern Soul music and dance.

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