Our team

Meet Playskill's board of trustees and leadership team

Our Leadership team

Niki Michael

CEO

Karen Belmont

Head of Development/Speech & Language Therapist

Jodi Binnersley

Head of Family Services/Speech & Language Therapist

Stephanie Mitchell

Head of Fundraising & Marketing

Faye Chappell

Head of Clinical Care

Our Trustees

Vicky Greig, Co-Chair

Co-Chair of the Board alongside Tim, Vicky is Head of Early Years for a local independent school, and parent of a child with a physical disability. Vicky’s experience of safeguarding, managing teams, liaising with local services and lived experience is a big asset to the role. Vicky has also volunteered in group, at events, and fundraised for Playskill.

Tim Jones, Co-Chair

Co-Chair of the Board, alongside Vicky, Tim is a graduate parent to Cara who attended Playskill. Tim has fundraised for the charity alongside his role of Trustee. Tim has also run a company specialising in cultural placemaking, having worked in the arts for around 30 years.

Dipti Amin

Inspired to join the Board after raising funds for Playskill in her role as Moor Park GC Lady Captain, Dipti brings her experience as a medical doctor with clinical, research, and multi-national commercial experience. Now a Non-Executive Director and on the Board of two publicly quoted companies. Previously a School Governor for 15 years, served on the Board of an NHS Trust, and of a University, as well as other Boards.

Brijesh Babla

A qualified accountant and freelance finance director, working in a variety of finance roles in the corporate sector for more than 20 years, Brijesh is also a graduate parent. Following the positive impact of Playskill’s service on his daughter, Brijesh took part in fundraising activities before joining the Trustee board.

Melody Cox

A background of 20 years in Human Resource Management across a range of sectors, alongside first hand experience of working with Playskill during its charity partnership with The Grove, brings both professional expertise and appreciation of the charity’s work to her role as trustee.

Claire Lancaster

A qualified occupational therapist with experience of working with adults with learning disabilities, children and adolescents with mental health difficulties and special educational needs schools. Now working as programme lead for the occupational therapy degree apprenticeship programme at the University of Hertfordshire developing the future therapy workforce. Claire volunteered at Playskill as occupational therapist in 2017, then worked in the role from 2020 to 2025.

Charlotte Kohnhorst

A long-serving trustee, and formerly Co-Chair, Charlotte was a primary class teacher for 20 years who retrained as a specialist teacher and assessor for children and young people with Specific Learning Difficulties. Charlotte volunteers in weekly groups and regular events alongside her Trustee workload.

Emma Shumake

Emma has worked in early years support for a number of years, currently as a Care Coordinator for children with special educational needs, has first-hand knowledge of the needs of local families and has been referring children to Playskill for many years. Emma volunteers at Playskill’s family events and taken on a number of fundraising challenges.

Teresha Young

Teresha is a graduate parent with a huge passion for the cause. As well as an award-winning, accredited and certified International Wellness & Relationship Coach with nearly two decades of experience, and a strong background in HR Management, focusing on improving organisational culture and employee well-being.

Our History

Playskill was founded in 2006 by Paediatric Physiotherapist, Andrea Clarke MBE, after finding many families with children who had specialist physical needs or delay in the local area were feeling isolated and needed support that was not available to them.

Andrea’s vision was to bring a team of specialist therapists and parents of older children together, to provide support and a listening ear in a group setting. A place to support children, parents, carers and siblings. And an opportunity for the local community to become more inclusive and informed.

In 2018 Andrea was awarded an MBE for her services to children and young people with physical disabilities. Playskill has grown from one pilot group in 2006 to supporting hundreds of children and their wider family each year.

Want to get in touch?

There are a few different ways that you can reach out to us

Email us

You can email us and a member of the Playskill team will get back to you as soon as possible!

[email protected]

Call us

You can call a member of the Playskill team between 9:00am and 5:00pm Monday to Friday.

01442 793306

Mail us

C/O Adeyfield Free Church Centre,
Maylands Avenue, HP2 4GZ, Hemel Hempstead, UK.

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