Our Charity

The ARC was founded by Virtual Heads and academics because they saw how attachment and trauma aware approaches made a difference for young people and adults in schools and settings. 

Our Patron, Sir John Timpson CBE, and Trustees have many years of experience in promoting and developing attachment and trauma aware approaches within settings.

 

Our Patron

Sir John Timpson CBE

Sir John Timpson CBE

Sir John Timpson CBE is a British businessman, the chairman and owner of Timpson, a UK shoe repair and key cutting chain with over 2000 branches. Together with his wife Alex they had three children, adopted two more and fostered another 90. John is well known for his unique business style which he calls ‘Upside-down Management’ and he is leading a campaign to encourage all schools to be aware of the special education needs of looked after children. In 2004 he was awarded the CBE in the Birthday Honours List for Services to the Retail Sector and in 2017 was knighted for his services to business and fostering. 

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Our Trustees

Our board of trustees have a wide range of experience in supporting attachment and trauma aware practices:

Andrew Wright

Andrew WrightChair

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Andrew has over 40 years of teaching experience, including over 10 years as Head Teacher/Principal, in a range of secondary school across the West Midlands and has served as Virtual School Head Teacher in two local authorities.

Dr Anne-Marie McBlain

Dr Anne-Marie McBlainTrustee

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Anne-Marie currently works as a Specialist Senior Educational Psychologist for Derbyshire Virtual School supporting educational and other settings to meet the needs of children and young people in care.

Kate Brooks

Kate BrooksTrustee

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Dr Kate Brooks is a senior lecturer in the School of Education, Bath Spa University, with over 30 years' experience in HE.

Nick Mort

Nick MortTrustee

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Nick currently works as Director of Futures Teaching Alliance, and works in strategic school improvement within The Futures Trust, a MAT of eight schools in Coventry, Warwickshire and Leicestershire.

Dr Richard Parker

Dr Richard ParkerTrustee

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Richard is a founder trustee of ARC, and coordinates the ARC HE/Research network. He has been involved in both the Call to Action and Initial Teacher Education/ Early Career Framework developments.

Michelle Salter

Michelle SalterTrustee

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Michelle Salter is the Virtual School Head Teacher at Telford & Wrekin Council where in January 2020 the outcome of the Children's Services ILAC Ofsted was graded as Outstanding. Through the practices developed Michelle also utilises some of her time supporting other colleagues and local authorities.

Janice Cahill OBE

Janice Cahill OBETrustee

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Janice has over 40 years experience in education as a teacher and leader, specifically within SEMH and has been the Executive head over a range of other schools and AP’s. Currently working as an independent consultant across the North West.

Jackie Brooks

Jackie BrooksTrustee

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Jackie is a director of a multi academy trust in the midlands and has been teaching for over 35 years.

Dr Adele Thacker

Dr Adele ThackerTrustee

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Specialist Senior Educational Psychologist for Shropshire Educational Psychology Service. Adele currently works as a Specialist Senior Educational Psychologist in Shropshire. A portion of her time is spent supporting the Stepping Stones project as part of a therapeutic team which aims to provide individualised, intensive, trauma informed support to children and parents known to social care.

Amy Howe

Amy HoweTrustee

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Amy is the Virtual School Assistant Head for North Yorkshire.  She is also a Family Seeing Coach for NY Children’s Social Work practitioners.

Jon Hickman

Jon HickmanTrustee

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Jon Hickman is an Assistant Head Teacher of a large secondary school in Birmingham with responsibility for Inclusion and reading.

Dee Dee Roberts

Dee Dee RobertsTrustee

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Dee Dee completed the prestigious Teach First programme in Feltham and taught at Reach Academy Feltham both as a primary leader, A-level music teacher, Mental Health lead and Designated Teacher.