Newbury charity Charlie Waller Trust welcomes new chief executive Hannah Vickery
A Newbury charity has welcomed a new chief executive.
Hannah Vickery has taken the helm at the Charlie Waller Trust, a mental health charity named after a 28-year-old who lost his life to suicide.
Its mission is to educate young people and those with responsibility for them – parents and carers, teachers, college and university staff and employers – about their mental health and wellbeing.
Dr Vickery, who was previously the director of the Charlie Waller Institute at the University of Reading, brings with her a wealth of experience, having previously worked as a clinical psychologist, and has a particular passion for ensuring the Charlie Waller Trust can deliver its work in an equitable and inclusive way.
She said: “Success, of course looks different to different people but for me, success will include widening the demographic reach of the trust to better address the significant mental health inequities across our systems.
“We will look to invest in more collaborations that best support those children, young people and families who often face additional barriers to accessing evidence-based mental health guidance and treatment.
“For example, our black and brown communities, families of different faiths, and parents/carers of gender and relationship diverse young people.
“The proactive inclusion of marginalised communities will enable us to listen, to work alongside, and ultimately to support provision in ways that can equitably, and therefore most meaningfully, impact on all.”
To find out more about the Charlie Waller Trust, visit https://www.charliewaller.org/
Dr Vickery was also keen to pay tribute to her predecessor, Clare Stafford, who recently stepped down from the chief executive position after leading the charity for ten years.
She said: “I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Clare for all that she has done for the trust and to wish her the absolute best in her next ventures.
“Through her compassionate, innovative and collaborative leadership, the charity now impacts on far more children and young people across the county than ever before.”
