About us
The Rees Foundation exists to provide life-long help and support to those with care experience.  We are continuously developing our services to meet as many needs as possible.  We want to help make a difference, to help care experienced people thrive.

Meet the team - play this video clip...

Rees staff team

Melody Douglas – Chief Executive
Davinder Shergill – Participation and Engagement Manager
Charlotte Ebanks – Support Worker
​Bola Latunji - Support Worker
Sarah Collett – Business Development Manager
Luke Chapman – National Service Development Manager
Faye Francis – Business Support
Alice Davey – Service Development Support Worker
Kerry Foster – Mentor/Outreach Worker
Claire Banner – Careers Coach/Training & HR Manager
Matthew Williams – Finance Director
Sanjeet Shoker - Support Worker
Becky Dashfield - Social Media & Marketing Manager ​
​Jenny Hughes - Purchase Ledger Clerk
We also work with a number of independent consultants and are extremely grateful to our wonderful volunteers and supporters.

Rees Trustees

Jan Rees OBE – Founder and Chair
Jan Rees is widely considered a pioneer in developing therapeutic foster care services and specialist support for children and families, not just in the UK but around the world. In 2016 Jan was recognised and honoured for her services to fostering and support to care leavers by being awarded an OBE.
Rupert Bertie - Vice Chair
Retired social worker with 28 years of social work and senior management experience in the local authority and independent sector.
Jim Robinson
Retired CEO England Women’s Golf Association. A highly experienced and successful Senior Executive and Non-executive Director who has worked in private, public, not-for-profit and charity sectors.
Ivor Franks
A Barrister with four decades of experience in child protection, human rights and family law. He is care experienced and chaired the 2019 independent inquiry into child sexual abuse.
Katrina Higgins
A 2019 graduate of Coventry University where she completed an MSc Careers Guidance she is a Registered CDI Professional Career Guidance Practitioner. She wanted to be involved with the charity to offer experience, expertise and knowledge, after receiving support herself.
​
Abigail Foster-Brown
​Abs went into care aged 13 and threw herself into education to cope with the trauma. She has gone on to gain a joint Honours degree in Linguistics and European Studies and also a Masters in International Development. She is passionate about advocacy and loves reading and hiking – even having trekked through Borneo jungles at 16!

Rees Ambassadors

Alison Poole
I am a care experienced person, having been placed into foster care at the age of 13 until leaving to live independently at the age of 17. I became an ambassador as I strongly believe its important for CEP of any age to not just be able to access practical support but also the emotional support that can be gained by linking with people who share similar experiences.
​
Brett Service
Hello, my name is Brett and I am a CEP Ambassador for the Rees Foundation. I became an Ambassador in July 2019 as I am passionate that all CEP across the country should be able to get the help and support that they need to succeed in life. For my day job, I work in the UK Civil Service as a Personal Assistant supporting two Senior Civil Servants and their teams with their work priorities.
Jackie McCartney
Proud mother of two. Self-employed, Ofsted registered Childminder of 20 years. Residential care from 5 yrs to 16 yrs in 70’s/80’s.
Jacqui Adams
Retired, worked with learning disabled adults. Kinship care and residential units until 18. Interests are animals, nature, music. Likes challenges.
​Jacqui
I'm an independent member of a Fostering Panel after completing Rees training. Really happy to be a Rees Ambassador and be able to support the work of the organisation. I'm care experienced, both foster care and children’s homes. Enjoy family, friends and walking. 
Jamie Crabb
​I was in foster care from birth to 18. After university, I worked in education, mental health and wellbeing roles that lead me to train in counselling and psychotherapy.  I'm passionate about social justice, community and the power of relationships for healing and promoting wellbeing. 
Sarah Francis
I am passionate about sharing my care experience story to help make a difference within my ambassador role. Over the years I have found huge freedom which has empowered me to make sense of my history, my heritage and who I am today. I enjoy walking, reading but most of all being that difference!
Shabnam Karim
​I want to help care experienced people and support them. All the values and ethics I believe in, Rees Foundation reflects it in their work. I am involved in an organisation called 'a new direction', who provide creative opportunities for people from disadvantaged backgrounds. I love reading, watching films and tv shows and going for a walk in the park and working out. ​
Zena Young
I was in foster care from age 3 yrs to 18 and have been a foster panel member for over 10 years. I’m a parent of two adult children.
I enjoy photography, walking dogs and camping holidays when the sun shines. I wanted to become an ambassador for Rees organisation as it's so supportive and something I wish was around when I was a young care leaver.

How is the Rees Foundation Funded?
Some of our funding comes via grant funding from The Welland Trust, a Charity registered in England and Wales 1181775.  We gratefully accept donations from organisations and individuals looking to support our cause.  And we generate income from commissioned projects and services.