Gavin Bestford
Chairman of The Board of Trustees
Gavin is a retired Local Government Finance Officer and Accountant having worked for over 30 years for the City of Durham from where he retired in 2000 as Head of Financial Services and Deputy Director of Finance.  He lives in Durham and is married with two children.  His connections with the Society began in 1990 when his son, then aged 4 became a pupil at the Society’s school and from which he progressed through to a placement with our Adult Services.  Gavin became a Trustee of the Society in 2002 and was appointed as its Chairman in 2005.

Donald Walker

Born in Nakuru, Kenya in 1947 and after an exciting and adventurous childhood in Kenya, I came to the UK for further education spending four years in North Wales of which three years were on Anglesey at HMS Conway. The next 24 years were spent as a Deck Officer in the Merchant Navy of which the last ten years were as a Master Mariner with other external related appointments. I then joined Northumbria Police in a civilian capacity where I am still employed.

I moved to South Tyneside in the late 1960s and married in 1975 and have one son.

An early diagnosis of my son’s Autism led to him being refered to Thornhill Park School for his education in 1991 and the start of my involvement with the Tyne & Wear Autistic Society, forming closer ties to the Society after being appointed a Trustee in 1995.

I have had the pleasure over the years of seeing a first class autistic service both develop and expand and become widely recognised for its expertise and quality.  

Helen Geldard

Helen Geldard. RGN. RM. MA. Education Studies and Autism

Helen is the mother of three boys Ian (16yrs), Mark (15yrs) and Daniel (12yrs). Mark was diagnosed with severe autism when he was three years old.

Helen currently works for SureStart County Durham within the Inclusion Team. Her role is one of Key Worker for Families with Children Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Since Mark was diagnosed Helen has been involved with many initiatives around Autism Spectrum Disorders and supporting families. Nine years ago she helped set up and co-ordinates County Durham Autistic Support Group (www.cdasg.org.uk) She has been a councillor for the National Autistic Society and is currently a Volunteer Representative for Contact a Family. Helen was the parent representative on the steering group for The National Autism Plan for Children.    

Helen completed an MA in Education Studies and Autism in 2004.

Jillian Crumbie

Although born in Sunderland I now live in Durham.  I have three children and my middle son has attended the school since 2003 as a day pupil.  I am a full time student but do voluntary work for the NCH.  Although I am always juggling my time I joined as a Trustee of the Society in 2005 as I felt it was important that the views of parents should be heard.  I feel privileged that I am part of such a fantastic organisation that is known throughout for its first class care.  It has been wonderful to see at first hand how with the Society’s support our children, young people and adults have a wonderful future being in such caring and importantly enabling environment.

John O Sullivan
John is a member of the Family Law Bar Association and a barrister in private practice in Newcastle upon Tyne specializing in family and divorce law.  He is a Londoner by birth but migrated to the North East in the 1980’s where he married and now has three children.  His interests include walking, swimming, music, sport and literature.

Malcolm Bainbridge
Malcolm is a Corporate Manager with Barclays Bank where he has worked since he was 18. He specializes in the business sector where he has gained experience in corporate finance and has been looking after the banking relationships of north east businesses since 1992. He was born and raised in the Sunderland area. Now living in Durham, he is married with two children. His interests include music and sport and he is involved in running a youth football team in Durham.

John Phillipson

I joined the Society in August 2005 as the first Chief Executive.  I was very much attracted to the post because of a longstanding interest in autism. 

My experience in child care is wide and varied having worked as a care worker and social worker before moving to manage a extensive range of services.  I was an Assistant Director of Child Care with Barnardos for 8 years managing services for children under 8 years, Services for Children with Disabilities, Educational projects and youth work.  I was manager for Special Educational Needs in North Tyneside Council before becoming Head of Childrens Services in 2000.  In 2002 I became Director of Social Services in North Tyneside where I remained until joining the Society.

I hope you will agree that this represents a wide range of experience; it certainly helps me to understand what life is like within a Local Authority, as well as within the Third Sector.  I hope that I will be able to draw on my experience to assist Local Authority colleagues and also  help shape a Society that is fit for the future and at the cutting edge of service delivery for children, young people and adults with Autism.