About us

We rely on donations to keep us active in the community. All money raised is spent locally supporting people in Plymouth.

To donate click here or call into any Age UK Plymouth centre.

Liz Harding, Interim CEO

Sarah Allen, Director of Services

Managing arguably the most successful I&A team in the Age UK network, Sarah’s leadership enabled the delivery of over £2m of benefits for Plymouth’s elderly population and a 100% score in the national advice audit. As the Director of Services and a former AUKP volunteer herself, Sarah is best placed to lead the many wellbeing and community programmes we offer, including our Veterans groups and Wellbeing Hub.

Mike Hardie, Director of Operations

Mike’s hospitality expertise makes a hugely positive impact on the Charity and our day to day operations. He works to assure our compliance with complex Health & Safety legislation, manages the excellent running of our catering, fleet and housekeeping provisions.

Tara Dale, Head of Fundraising

Having designed a complete programme of internal fundraising campaigns, external corporate relationships, and international funding events such as our Sahara Trek, Vietnam Cycling, and Mountain Climbing trips, it’s clear that Fundraising is Tara’s strength. She has also worked tirelessly to create Charity specific events, including our gala and forest walk, which raised our profile in the city and helped us create relationships with important players in the city.

Claire Langmead, HR Manager

Claire embodies the entire ethos of the Charity; she started as a volunteer and through diligence and commitment to Age UK Plymouth, worked her way up to becoming our trusted Human Resources expert. With a consistent eye on championing the needs and welfare of the employee, Claire supports every team with the same duty of care, and helps the Charity run smoothly by ensuring that all company processes are compliant with employment regulations and that all personnel are supported to be their best.

Steven Hookway, Head of Finance

Offering years of professional finance and accounting experience in the private sector, Steve provides a steady financial hand for the Charity. Steve has tightened all financial policy and procedure at the charity in order to ensure the Charity’s financial health, and leads our financial audit process.

Tracy Walker, Head of Day Centres

Tracy has managed care and care-related training teams for over two decades, and manages the client journey from initial dementia diagnosis. Her running of our two day centres has enabled her to build a team of dedicated professionals we are proud to have associated with the Charity. She is expertly qualified in management of care, specifically the care of those living with Dementia, and has connections with many professional bodies and health providers in the city.

Patron: Dame Janet Fookes DBE, DL

All of our trustees are volunteers and give their valuable time and energy in the strategic planning and direction of the charity. The Executive Committee meet six times a year.

There are various sub-committees and special interest groups that are also held throughout the year focusing on different topics. These are investments, finance, care services, support services and training. Many of our trustees are members of one or more of these groups.

Elizabeth Bombieri

Elizabeth is a member of The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, with over thirty years of experience in the NHS. Elizabeth settled in Plymouth in 1995 and is the former Falls Service Lead for Livewell Southwest. 

Elizabeth is committed to Age UK Plymouth's mission of making Plymouth a great place to grow old in; she intends to use her clinical and organisational experience to promote and support the work being undertaken by Age UK Plymouth, to enable the independence,dignity and wellbeing of those in later life. In her spare time Elizabeth enjoys hiking, travelling and reading.

Peter Burroughs MBE

Peter is a qualified accountant with over 50 years experience in the National Health Service and the Charity sector and has served over 30 years at senior executive and non–executive Board level as Strategic Development Director, Finance Director and Chief Executive.

Peter was responsible for the completion and commissioning of the new £450M University College Hospital, one of the largest and most complex teaching and research hospitals to be built under the Government’s Private Finance Initiative. Peter also served as Financial Advisor to the University College London Hospitals Charities managing assets of £100M and on retirement from the UCLH NHS Foundation Trust Board in March 2006 took up the part-time post of Development Director to the University College London Hospitals Charity.

Following a move to the West Country in July 2006, he was appointed a Trustee of the Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Education to advise on the financial management of the institution and the redevelopment and building of a new school and college and during the term of office served as Chairman of the Finance and Resources Committee and latterly Chair of the Charity up to the end of his term of office in August 2020.

Peter was also appointed as a Non-Executive Director of Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust in April 2009 and served as Vice Chair and Chair of the Trust Board for a period of 4 years.

Neill Robb

Neill has worked for over 20 years, at global executive level, in London-based advertising agencies before moving into the world of Innovation Consultancy. He has a wealth of experience in designing strategies and implementing transformative business solutions to ensure brands and organisations can evolve and remain relevant to their consumers.

Very conscious of the importance of movement and strength as we age, Neill has an active lifestyle and is a keen runner, walker and likes to practice yoga and anything else his trainer throws at him. He's also a keen theatre goer and likes to stay abreast of all sorts of new trends.

Donna O'Connor

Donna has worked for over 25 years in senior HR roles within Higher Education and more recently the NHS. She has extensive HR and leadership skills to include successfully leading and enabling organisational change and people strategies, initiatives and processes. Prior to moving to Devon, Donna was a Group Head of an advertising sales team across two national newspapers based in London.

Beyond working time, Donna enjoys spending time with her friends and family, walking the dogs and more recently gardening.

Chris Harvey

Chris has worked in health and social care since 1974, beginning his career as a Biomedical Scientist in pathology before moving into regulation, inspection, compliance and audit. He has extensive board-level experience within the NHS, including as Director of Business Development, where he led major service developments and supported organisational growth.

Chris later established his own consultancy, advising boards and senior leaders on corporate and clinical governance, audit and risk management. He continues to provide strategic support and mentoring to organisations and individuals, with a particular focus on improving quality, accountability and outcomes.

Chris is passionate about learning and development and is committed to supporting organisations that enable people to live independently, with dignity and wellbeing in later life. He brings significant board experience, including previous roles as a school governor and trustee at the Royal National College for the Blind.

In his spare time, Chris is an accomplished photographer, specialising in alternative and historical techniques. He is also a keen motorcyclist.

Laura Juett

Laura is an experienced Public Health professional who has contributed to a wide range of initiatives at a local, regional and national level. Her work spans programmes aimed at improving population health and wellbeing with a strong emphasis on community engagement and partnership working. She has led work to improve access to sexual health services, to reduce harms from alcohol and drugs and to prevent violence.

She has a particular interest in collaborative approaches that address health inequalities and advance social justice. Her work is driven by a commitment to fairness, equity and supporting healthier environments for all.     

Laura is inspired by all aspects of the arts and culture in particular visual arts, literature and food. She loves to travel, meet people and absorb life in different places. She enjoys walking at home and abroad.         

Our achievement of the Organisational Quality Standards recognises the high standard of our performance as an organisation. It certifies that we are a well-governed and effective organisation committed to the wellbeing of older people, our staff and volunteers and to working in partnership with others. The Standards are externally assessed by industry leaders SGS and endorsed by the Charity Commission.

To find out more about our Organisational Quality Standards certification, please contact us.Assessed by SGS United Kingdom Limited

The story behind Age UK Plymouth started in 1942, when a young Elspeth Sitters began voluntary work visiting and helping older people.

Shortly after arriving in Plymouth, a young bride, Elspeth Sitters began voluntary work visiting older people. She became acutely aware of the plight of many of the older residents in the City and set about seeking ways she might make an effective contribution to their welfare.

Elspeth Sitters was not prepared to take ‘no’ for an answer, she worked tirelessly in pursuit of her objectives –chief among which was the determination to alleviate the distress brought about by loneliness and deprivation experienced by older people in war-torn Plymouth.

In 1946, Elspeth Sitters helped to set up and organise a Home Help Scheme. This was followed by a voluntary visiting scheme, the introduction of old peoples’ clubs, handicraft groups and a day centre based at King Street Methodist Church.

With the help of a benefactor, a new day centre was opened in Plymstock, the William Venton Day Centre. Plymouth Age Concern continued to benefit from the generosity of Mrs Patricia Venton as a further centre was opened in the year of the charity's Golden Jubillee Year in 1992.

The charity continued to grow and in 1997 the Dementia Services Centre was opened providing day care and respite care to those suffering from cognitive impairment.

Age UK Plymouth still cares for older people in Plymouth and maintains it's independence and self funding. The charity is grateful to all it's benefactors, for whatever amount has been generously donated, to further the charity and the good work it does.

Sadly Mrs Elspeth Sitters passed away in October 2008, but her work continues to inspire our managers, staff and volunteers and the diverse range of services we provide.

For information about any of our internal policies and procedures please submit a request to enquiries@ageukplymouth.org.uk