Board of Directors Carol Briggs (Chairperson) - Appointed: January 1998 Carol originally trained as an State Registered Nurse and as a wheelchair user has been  involved with local disability groups since 1979 including founding and organising a Disabled Ladies Group which won the Sedgefield Borough Disabled Persons Games in 1981. Carol has completed a training course as a trainer in Disability Equality Training and is also involved with the following organisations. Primary Care Trust Adult Partnership Board South Durham Wheelchair Users Forum George Jones (Vice Chairperson) - Appointed: June 2001 A retired Police Inspector, specialising in Accident Investigation and Project Management. Since retirement due to ill health, George has become increasing involved in the community and voluntary sector. George has completed NVQ Level 2 courses in managing community groups and health promotion and has a Diploma in Supervisory Management. He is also involved with the following organisations. Chairman of the Social Resource Centre Durham County Council Education Appeals Panel Brian Wilson (Treasurer) - Appointed: January 1998 Brian has chronic back pain and took a lead role in establishing the local branch of Backcare, and was Regional Director from 1994- 2002. He is also Honorary Divisional Secretary & Case Worker of the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen Families Association (SSAFA) and served with the Royal Army Medical Corps for 26 years. He is a member of the Institute of Leadership and Management and a Member of the Institute of Training and Development. He has completed a SASDA business course and has significant business administration experience. Brian is also involved with the following organisations. Durham County Council Citizen Panel Soldiers Sailors Airmen's Families Association - SSAFA Michael Dalton (Secretary) - Appointed: March 1998 Michael has spina bifida and is a wheelchair user; he trained and worked in accountancy before becoming a full time carer for his wife until he was widowed. A local councillor since 1997, and previously Mayor of Great Aycliffe Town Council, he has over 20 years experience of voluntary groups and committees. Michael is involved with the Newton Aycliffe Access Task Group who aim to make the Borough a more accessible environment for people with disabilities and mobility problems. He has completed a course to become a Disability Equality Trainer and is involved with the following organisations. Sedgefield Locality Carers Centre Great Aycliffe Town Council Paul Davison - Appointed: July 2003 Paul originally trained as a nurse specialising in working with people with Learning Disabilities and went on to become a manager with County Durham and Darlington Priority Services NHS Trust until his retirement in 2003. He is also a volunteer mediator for Unite and a shadow board member of Sedgefield Borough Housing Project. Paul is disabled and also cares for his wife who has chronic ill health. Additionally, Paul is also involved with the following organisations. The Learning Library South West Durham Social Resource Centre Executive Board of Local Strategic Partnership ‘Unite’ Mediation Service Norma Town - Appointed: March 1998   Norma is blind and has served on the Executive Council of the RNIB and held a number of offices within the National Federation of the Blind of the United Kingdom. She was a local Borough Councilor in Darlington for almost twenty years and has chaired a number of Committees within the Council during that time.She founded Darlington and District Talking Newspaper of which she was Secretary and Chairperson and Darlington Swimming Club for the Disabled, and was a founder member & Chairperson of Advocacy in Darlington. She has served as secretary of both Darlington and County Durham Societies for the Blind. Norma is also involved with the following organisation's. 700 Club Darlington Council for Voluntary Service Dave Bolton - Appointed: July 1998   David is from the Spennymoor area of Sedgefield Borough and become disabled after a serious back injury in 1975. He was Vice Chairman of Ferryhill Local Advisory Group, a local group set up to highlight local health and social needs and act as a consultation forum from 1996 - 2001. He has also been involved in the Sedgefield Area Service User Project Physical Disabilities Task Group, which led to further work with Social Services in looking at solutions to problems of appropriate respite care for people with physical disabilities. He was employed by County Durham User and Carer Forum as a development worker until 2006 and is a Director of Ferryhill Youth Café. Dave is also involved with the following organisations. Segefield Borough Access Group Ferryhill Disability Partnership Dr Marta Evans - Appointed: July 2007 Marta is a retired scientist who graduated in Chemistry (M,Sc, 1961, Jagiellonian), Engineering and Applied Science (M.S, 1966, Yale) and Radiochemistry (PH,D, 1970, Cambridge).Her academic research, mostly at Durham University, was carried out in Plant Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. She is co-author of 55 scientific published papers and two patents. Marta is a member of the Senior Common Room of Trevelyan College in Durham, and a former College Tutor.After retirement, she joined the former Sedgefield Primary Care Trust (PCT), Patient & Public Involvement in Health (PPI) Forum from its inception and was involved in several community projects with the group. She was co-opted by the PCT to the Professional Executive Committee as a layperson and patient representative. Marta is in good health, but has twice recovered from fractures incurred while skiing! Agnes Armstrong (Appointed June 2009) S.R.N S.C.M. City and Guilds 730 Adult Education Agnes began her nursing career as a cadet in 1956, doing general training at Darlington Memorial and midwifery training at Harrogate and Greenbank. Agnes worked at Dryburn and Bishop Auckland Hospitals, and was the Community Midwife for Spennymoor and the surrounding district until retiring in 1999, Education is Agnes’s other great passion and she serves on three governing bodies in Spennymoor and on the board of Bishop Auckland College. As Leader of Sedgefield Borough Council, Agnes worked closely within our neighbourhoods, and enjoyed Community Liaison and Public Service. Syd Howarth - Appointed: July 2008 Syd, born in Nottingham, came to RAF Boulmer to complete his National Service. He met a girl from Alnwick, married and remained in the North East. An opportunity arose and he founded Newton Aycliffe’s first printing business in 1963. Over the years Newton Press has developed along with the growth of the town. From the start Syd took an interest in community life and has been Chairman or committee member of numerous organisations, currently: Chairman of the Newton Aycliffe Youth Centre Management committee, President of Woodham Community Centre, Committee Member of Governors at Aycliffe Village School, past Chairman and currently Vice Chairman of the Business ForumHe has three sons, who now run Newton Press (Howarth Ltd.), but Syd still retains an interest and acts as Editor/Photographer for Newton News and as a consultant in what is supposed to be retirement. I have experience through Newton Press with employment law, H & S etcSyd is a staunch member of Rotary International and had the distinction of leading the North East as Governor in Rotary’s Centenary year in 2005, with appointments at national, North East and local levels. Syd has a keen interest in helping the poor countries in West Africa and is a Trustee of the West Africa Trust.He enjoys the Theatre, Classical Music, Golf and Bowls, and hopes he can bring his business experience and marketing expertise to good use as a Director of PCP.