Meet the Trustees

Pat has been Chair of the Trustees since 2013 but has been a keen supporter of MAP from its start. Pat was a volunteer with the WRVS for 7 years and an advisor with the local Citizens Advice Bureau for 12 years, but is now retired from both these posts. She was previously a teacher for 14 years of leisure classes in Floral Art and CEO for 6 years of the National Association of Floral Design. Pat is a committed Christian, and supporter of a number of local and national charities.

Before taking early retirement in 2011, Brian was a Chartered Engineer and Middlesbrough Council’s senior technical officer with oversight of the Council’s Architectural and Engineering Services. His career in Local Government spanned over 39 years.
Brian is currently a Trustee and Treasurer of the Middlesbrough Environment City Trust Ltd. MEC’s charitable mission is to encourage all sectors of Middlesbrough’s community to adopt more sustainable and healthier lifestyles.
Within the local Methodist Church Circuit, Brian is currently entering his fifth and final year as part of the Leadership Team and as Circuit Steward with special responsibly for property matters.
Brian lives in Middlesbrough with his wife Sheila, whilst their grown up children, Victoria & James, live with their partners in Leeds and Warwick.

John retired from a 41 year career in Biotechnology Research & Development at Billingham in 2017, the site initially being owned by ICI and finally by Fujifilm.
He has been a magistrate since 1994 and an associate hospital manager in the mental health trust since retirement. John has been a lay preacher in the Methodist Church for over 30 years and is a member of the Circuit Leadership Team with responsibility for social justice issues.

Following 20 years as a College lecturer in Business Studies I changed to a career in the voluntary sector and then for 16 years was in full time employment with the NSPCC. Since early retirement in 2011 on health grounds I have gradually increased my involvement in faith based social action projects. I am a trustee of Together Middlesbrough and Cleveland and represent the Catholic Diocese of Middlesbrough and have also had an involvement with MAP for several years.
I am a founder member of Investors in People and Culture, another charity concerned with the welfare of refugees and asylum seekers.
The opportunity to continue supporting MAP is a worthy challenge, especially as MAP has established effective relations with so many other networks and agencies in the Tees Valley area. I know that the work of MAP is highly valued and I would welcome the opportunity to assist such vital work.

My career path through my working life has been somewhat diverse. Firstly as a Primary School Teacher, then Research Assistant on an educational project (in an Artificial Intelligence department!), then admin support roles, firstly for a hospital Nursing Personnel department and most recently for the Supported Housing section of a local social housing provider. Since retiring in 2011, the majority of my time has been spent in childminding for our two local grandchildren. I envisage that all these varied experiences will assist me in giving support to the essential work that MAP is doing.

Heather Dipple is retired NHS psychiatrist who has moved with her husband to Redcar after a working life in Leicester. She has been a trustee for a number of charities including a mental health project in Leicester, a partnership charity beween Leicester and Ethiopia and Loughborough Town of Sanctary.
She has been interested and concerned for the well being of asylum seekers for a number of years. She has volunteered with Leicester City of Sanctuary and Loughborough Town of Sanctuary previously. After retiring she volunteered for several years for the Medical Justice Charity writing medicolegal psychiatric reports for asylum seekers in detention centres.
She currently volunteers at our MAP Redcar drop in.