People
Duncan Fraser, Project Director
Duncan is the founding director of Useful and Kind Unlimited and of the Mindful Leadership Foundation and has worked as a therapeutic coach, facilitator and trainer with many senior clients enabling them to focus on their vision and to deliver it. He has twenty years experience as manager and leader having been CEO, Artistic & Community Director, trainer, funder, marketeer and broadcaster. He has advanced psychotherapy training (CBT, Transactional Analysis, Integrative, Attachment) and is constantly trying to find ways to use the latest learning in the service of others. In addition to working with top teams he has trained and supervised coaches and given coaching masterclasses.
He is also a composer.
Carolyn Smith, Finance Manager
Carolyn has been working in accounts for over fifteen years. She’s a Fellow at the AAT and a member of ICB (Institute of Certified Bookkeepers)
As well as her spreadsheet expertise she is a dab hand at crochet, knitting and baking.
Hannah Johnson Administration and Podcast Producer
Hannah has been working in administration since leaving university in 2007. The pandemic honed her podcasts and YouTube skills. She loves to-do lists and is never too far from a notebook/planner.
When she’s not working or busy being a mum, she loves to watch movies especially musicals. She loves medical dramas and often tries to diagnose the patient before the doctors. She loves to knit and crochet.
Lyanne Young Schools’ Mark Manager
Lyanne is an experienced and passionate educator with over twenty years of experience in the primary education sector. As a deputy headteacher and education consultant, Lyanne has worked with whole school communities to reflect on current practice, empower individuals and facilitate change. She has a sharp focus on improving outcomes for pupils and has led education research groups and projects, supported the development of successful whole school curriculums and coached individuals.
Lyanne enjoys delving into educational research, reading, painting and exploring the great outdoors.
Mae Sass Comms and Social Media Specialist
Mae, as part of smokytoast created the visual identity of Useful and Kind Unlimited and helped us to communicate visually our values and approach. She is a filmmaker, director, editor, and graphic designer and is driven by a desire to understand the psychological and emotional elements that make people who they are. Mae’s experimental approach has given her both commercial and documentary filmmaking experience (SHOWstudio and Sarabande Foundation: Established by Lee Alexander McQueen).
We are looking for new trustees.
We are always keen to hear from potential new trustees to join us in helping to develop Useful and Kind Unlimited. We know from a recent board skills analysis that we need trustees if you …
are passionate about developing prosocial leadership (especially with young people)
have a track record in one or more of: finance / marketing / fundraising/campaigning experience
have a great network (especially in the private sector) and are willing to use it
How you will benefit…
working with committed, experienced people on something life changing for the individuals involved
working at the cutting edge of personal and leadership development
seeing the organisation grow to reach its potential
be part of a great network
help in developing passionate young prosocial leaders
play an important part in developing a new sort of leadership
Here is a pack of more information.If you are interested in receiving more information please email admin@usefulandkindunlimited.com.
I N T E R N A T I O N A L A D V I S O R S
Sir Nick Young
Ben Phillips
U S E F U L A N D K I N D A D V I S O R S
David Royce, FRSA, ex CEO Change Grow Live
Kate Willard OBE, Chair of the Thames Estuary Growth Board and Thames Estuary Envoy
Maggie Semple, OBE, I-Cubed, Maggie Semple Limited
E D U C A T I O N A D V I S O R S
Amy Morgan, Secondary English Specialist
Anita Bašic, Coach and former Deputy Head
Catriona Stewart, Head, Kingsmead Community Primary School, Cheshire
Chris Jeffrey, Head, Bootham School, Quaker Foundation School, York
Helen George, Chair Dunraven School
Kehri Ellis, North Tyneside Learning Trust
YOUTH ADVISORS
Gonçalo Brett (see above).
Harrison Green is passionate about #usefulandkind aims and objectives and I tries his best to live with the core values everyday through Volunteering at the NHS I completed or endeavouring to make each action have a positive outcome. He is studying A-Levels with the intention of studying a degree at University that will help me to make a better world. Having worked with U&K he wants a career in the third sector knowing that organising and planning projects can be so impactful to Self, Others and the World. He is also a #unite2030 participant.
Jen Hargreaves Jen is reading Medicine at Newcastle University. She had been a school form rep, a prefect, and has been involved in Girl Guiding for 8 years. She is a volunteer Young Leader at a Rainbow group. She is extremely passionate about literature, art, and science. She hopes to pursue a career which will help her to improve people’s lives, and make the world a more #usefulandkind place.
Sarah Routley Sarah is reading philosophy at the University of St Andrews, who is particularly interested in contemporary philosophy that engages with social issues. Aiming to make the world more #UsefulandKind, she helps to campaign for the university’s environmental initiatives, and has been involved in volunteering for the Brownies, a music charity and in Useful and Kind’s own projects.
TRUSTEES
Andrea Jackson, Chair, was U&K senior mentor for the Summer School. She worked within the social care sector for forty-two years before retiring in 2017; twenty-two years of which was at a senior management and executive director level working with adults with learning and physical disabilities.
She has a special interest in working with people whose behaviour challenges the shape of their support and holds a Diploma in Applied Psychology – Challenging Behaviour. Andrea currently volunteers for a local foodbank, acts as safeguarding lead for her local church and is a non executive director of a newly established CIC aiming to develop community engagement opportunities for people with mental health problems. She also acts as a Relevant Persons Representative for people who are subject to Deprivation of Liberty sanctions
Gonçalo Brett is reading Business and Economics at Lancaster University. He was head boy at Biddenham International School and has been tutoring Maths for over 3 years. He is also passionate about running, real-life uses of maths and making the world more #usefulandkind
John Niland was the Chief Executive of Provide a community interest company responsible for delivering a broad range of health and social care services in the south-east of England, a company he created and led out of the NHS in 2011. He has significant experience of working in public, voluntary and social enterprise sectors. John is a hugely successful and well-respected business and social entrepreneur, he is passionate about social business and supports the wider industry by sharing knowledge of best practice.
His track record has earned him a prestigious national award, and the organisation he led set new standards in efficiency and quality. In 2014 John was Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the year for the social enterprise category. In 2015, John was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Health Science by Anglia Ruskin University and in 2017 the University of Essex awarded John an Honorary Professorship for business
Kuldip Saggu is a U & K Mentor and Residential Safeguarding Lead. Since graduating in Law she qualified as a teacher and completed her Masters in Law. She has been working in Further and Secondary education since 1986 teaching her specialist subject Law and more recently Criminology to students on both professional and A level courses. She has also been a moderator and Senior Examiner with a leading examination board.
Kuldip is Head of Law, Criminology and Assistant Head of Sixth Form at Biddenham International School. She has responsibility over academic achievement and pastoral care of the students in the Sixth Form
Lincoln Abbotts is a leader in education with a track record in strategic development, solutions-focused advocacy, and partnership building. He is Executive Director of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) and Vice Chair of Heartlands Community School Trust.
He has twenty-five years’ experience as a manager and leader, including galvanizing the next generation of creative leaders at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, and directing BBC initiatives that brought together families and communities with artists from around the world. Between 2008-2012, Lincoln was Chief Executive of Music for Youth. He is a flautist, composer, conductor, and workshop facilitator who has worked extensively throughout the UK, Europe, USA, Southeast Asia, and China.