Our Team

Chief Executive

Emma’s life has seen her drawn to care for others from an early age; when she was just 16 years old, and still studying, Emma worked at a Special School. Some of the children she cared for at this school she would cross paths with again at Stockdales. Emma then qualified and worked as a Registered General Nurse at Manchester Royal Infirmary. Emma loved the pace and clinical setting of the surgical wards, but her real passion was for the disabled children she met at 16. In 1988, when she spotted an advert here at Stockdales, she applied with no hesitation. She is hugely passionate and has always been committed to Stockdales. In 2002, Emma proudly took the position of CEO. Emma describes working at Stockdales for the past 36 years as a “privilege”. Emma is not shy about saying that the work is challenging; social care is a complex landscape, but mostly, it is humbling and enriching. Emma is honoured to be part of such a committed and exceptional team. When time allows, Emma is a keen horse rider, and together, they are working on becoming show jumpers!

Assistant Chief Executive Officer

Lesley’s career in Health and Social care has spanned over 33 years. Her journey began in resettlement; from long-term hospital stays, she has supported individuals with complex behaviours and has worked in a variety of health and social care settings. Lesley made her move to Stockdales in 2011 as a Registered Manager. Lesley’s work and life experiences demonstrated that she was an enormous asset to the charity, and 1 year later, she was promoted to ACEO. She has fantastic interpersonal skills and empathises with everyone in our care and the wider team. Professionally, she is an excellent advocate, promoting equality and empowerment, and she strives to enhance the quality of life for the vulnerable people we work with. Lesley’s passion away from work is the outdoors and gardening, and when not in the garden, she loves taking time out to walk around the parks with her dog.

Head of Care Residential and Community

With almost 20 years of experience working in Health & Social Care, Joanne’s experience includes Continuing Healthcare, Learning Disabilities, Mental Health and Acquired Brain Injury across Supported Living, Residential and Outreach services.  She joined Stockdales in June 2024 as Head of Residential Care and has a Level 5 QCF in Management and Leadership in Health & Social Care.  Joanne is also an NLP Master Practitioner, which supports her passion for developing and coaching Managers to achieve their goals and be the best they can be.

Joanne likes to watch bands and attend comedy clubs in her spare time. She also loves spending time at home with her dogs.

Assistant Head of Care Residential

Umaima (Uma) has worked in Health & Social Care for over 20 years. Her career in care saw her begin as a Support Worker; her dedication, 20 years of experience in care, and desire for professional development have driven Uma to gain many qualifications. Uma initially studied in Pakistan and gained her Health & Social Care qualifications, Levels 3 and 5, here in the UK. Since joining Stockdales in 2023 as Assistant Head of Care, she has become the Registered Manager for three residential services. Her daily motivation comes from nurturing a team to care for people with different abilities. She is engaging and intelligent and loves meeting people and building relationships.

She loves playing basketball and represented Pakistan’s first-ever women’s basketball team in the second Islamic Games in 1997. She likes to travel and explore the world through different cultures, food, and ways of living. Uma feels the world is like a rainbow, and we are all the colours of that rainbow. Diversity and inclusion add beauty to this world.

Business Support Manager & Company Administrator

Justine joined Stockdales in 2018 as the Office Manager and Company Administrator. Stockdales has seen expansion within our office offerings, and Justine is integral to the charity’s internal operations. She was recently promoted to Business Support Manager. She is quoted as saying, “It’s been the best decision. I love my job, and it’s so rewarding. Seeing how amazing our staff are with our residents and service users makes me smile daily.”

Justine loves visiting new places as often as possible and is always up for ticking things off her bucket list. So far, this has included paragliding off the side of a mountain in Turkey, and swimming with baby sharks. Her next adventure is a hot air balloon ride, a little more sedate than her usual antics! In 2022, Justine went above and beyond by completing a sponsored Skydive to raise funds for Stockdales.

Training Manager

Michelle’s journey in Health and Social Care began 34 years ago. Over the years, she has supported people of all ages with a variety of needs. In 2010, she made a significant career shift, driven by her desire to share her knowledge, passion, and skills. This led Michelle to become a Trainer and, later, a National Training Manager in 2013.

Michelle joined Stockdales as the Training Manager in 2020.

She is the eldest of 5 children with 4 younger brothers and is married to John. They love socialising together as a family and are big Rugby League and Speedway fans.

Finance Manager

Praveen joined Stockdales in 2021. He has over 15 years of experience working in various financial sectors. His expertise spans budgeting, performance improvement, and strategic planning. He has helped lead this organisation through significant positive changes, including improving financial performance, changing processes, implementing systems, and setting direction and strategy.

Praveen’s role doesn’t involve much face-to-face interaction with our residents. Still, he takes pride and satisfaction in knowing that his role enables the rest of the organisation to work effectively and have a tangible impact on the lives of the people we care for.

Outside of work, Praveen likes to spend time with his family, stay active, enjoy the outdoors, and continue his passion for keeping fit.

Fundraising Manager

Sarah joined the fundraising team in 2020 and was quickly promoted to Fundraising Manager two years later. She finds nothing more satisfying than the success of a fundraising event or a trust application and thrives on her interaction with families and residents Stockdales care for. It makes her job worthwhile, and it’s easy to shout about Stockdales and work hard to raise funds when she is so passionate about the cause. Outside work as a mum of teenage children, she describes herself as a glorified taxi driver, but she loves to squeeze in a trip to the gym or a good walk when she is not a taxi. 

Service Manager Harboro

Since joining Stockdales in April 2017 as a Senior Support Worker, Albin quickly demonstrated high standards of care and a real passion for our residents, rising through the ranks after just 12 months with a promotion to Assistant Manager. Then, in 2019, he was appointed Service Manager at Harboro. Always striving to improve himself, Albin recently completed QCF Level 5 in Leadership and Management. Albin says, “I thoroughly enjoy my time here”. He loves being “hands-on” and delivering person-centred care to the residents he works with.”

Albin is a keen hiker when not on shift and enjoys doing this hobby, as well as staying active and travelling.

Claire joined Stockdales as Acting Manager at Community Services earlier this Spring. Claire has 17 years of experience as a nurse and has felt in recent years that her career needed a new challenge, and having always wanted to work with people with additional needs, this position would give her the satisfaction and new skills she craved. She’s always had a caring nature and loves nothing more than making a difference. 

When Claire isn’t dedicating herself to work, she has an active role in her daughter’s football team and enjoys walking.

Service Manager – Hayling

Jenny has spent a lifetime working in care; working with people has always been her passion. She is known for always putting her residents first. Her career began at age 15, and Stockdales has been her place of work for over 14 years. Jenny became the Service Manager at our Hayling residence in 2019. Jenny’s job satisfaction comes from seeing the positive changes she and her team can make to the residents’ lives. With support and care in the right places, nothing prevents her residents from living their lives to their maximum potential.

When not at work, Jenny has become a keen hiker, having completed two mountains to date and planning more! She is Sloth superfan and foodie.

Service Manager - Fownhope

Kelvin started with Stockdales in 2015. Over his nine years of service here, he has continued to develop his professional qualifications, gaining a Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care and, most recently, a Level 5 in Leadership and Management. Kelvin is a fantastic leader and care provider. Kelvin was chosen as the Service Manager of our new residence, Fownhope, when it opened in 2022—our fifth property in the Stockdales’ portfolio. Kelvin always takes pride in everything he does. His heart lies in supporting our residents to live their lives to the fullest.

Service Manager Headonhey

Lisa started as a part-time Care Assistant when she was 22 years old. Over the 13 years she has been at Stockdales, Lisa has seen many changes, all of which she has approached with positivity and the utmost care and best interest of every resident. In 2022, Lisa became a Service Manager, showing exceptional leadership, care, and mentorship using Stockdales’ values.

Lisa describes no day as the same, and all the residents make everything worthwhile with the fantastic support of the team. Stockdales’ has a family feel and values.

Lisa is a keen runner. She ran the Manchester half for Stockdales and is currently training for the Manchester Marathon 2025. She gets her training miles in, in the gym, on the road and chasing after her children!

Service Manager Ashton

Madi’s Health and Social Care journey began 25 years ago and has always focused on people with learning disabilities and complex health needs. Madi worked at Stockdales from 2012-2016, when she had to leave to concentrate on bringing up her own family. She discovered by trying a few different roles that her true passion in life was in Health and Social Care, and in 2020, we welcomed her back. From the beginning, she aligned with Stockdales’ values, quickly proving her leadership skills and focus for excellent person-centred care. She was appointed Assistant Manager in 2023 and is now Service Manager since 2024. Madi enjoys her job and gets great satisfaction from making a difference in the lives of our residents and enabling them to live their lives to the fullest. She loves to see the smiles on their faces when Stockdales create memorable experiences for them. She loves the challenges that a new day brings.

Service Manager Community Services

Since joining Stockdales in 2022 as the Activity Coordinator for Community Services, Natasha has shown remarkable professional growth. Her journey has seen her rise to the role of Service Manager. Natasha’s degree in Early Childhood Studies and her love for working with children has made her a perfect match for Community Services. Natasha is thrilled to manage a team that ensures quality care, provides numerous opportunities, and promotes inclusivity for adults and children with learning disabilities.

Natasha has a young son, so she doesn’t have much spare time, but when she does, she enjoys cooking, catching up with friends, and watching a good film!