Meet The Team
Claire - Projects Co-ordinator & Co-founder
I am married and have 2 children + 7 grand children. For over 20 years I worked in the voluntary sector, as a Community Development Officer, supporting groups to set up- apply for funds - and help organisations to provide services for the communities across Suffolk. I joined the Voluntary sector over 25 years ago and worked at a Women's Information and support centre, we catered for a huge array of Women's health and well being issues. Women Like Me is based on the principals I learnt whilst there. I am so excited to be associated with this amazing charity and to see where it goes from here.
Rachel - Treasurer
I joined the board of trustees as treasurer in July 2021 so I’m still very much feeling my way. I bring to the role a variety of administrative and customer service experience, gained largely in the public sector and my day job for the last 20 years has been as a work coach, supporting and encouraging people into work. I like to keep busy and, with my son now away at university, I was looking for an opportunity to get involved with a community organisation. I became aware of Women Like Me and their mission to enable women to grow in confidence and positive well-being, when I heard they were looking for a treasurer I jumped at the chance and the rest, as they say, is history. When not at work I indulge my passions of music and hiking, playing the French horn in a symphony orchestra. In 2020, I celebrated my significant birthday with a solo backpacking trip along the 268 miles of the Pennine Way whilst raising money for charity.
Christine
After working for a local oil and gas company, setting up my own business. I then took my training skills and went to work in the voluntary sector which is where I met my first voluntary organisation in Milton Road Lowestoft Waveney Women's Health Information Centre (WWHIC). I organised and helped many
local groups with training and getting funding which made me very passionate about the work in the community that is so much needed especially in these strange times we are living in now.
I became chair of the The Waveney Community Forum and was responsible for getting The Kirkley Centre set up and got involved in the community of Beccles where I ran my own business – live and am still involved in a diverse range of events. I am always keen to help where I can and hope I can do so with Women Like Me.
Lesley - Chair & co-founder
Hi my name is Lesley. I work fulltime as a Sensory Support Practitioner at a local school which (and I know I’m very lucky) is a job I really enjoy. For the last four years I have also trained and qualified as a counsellor and have volunteered at a local organisation to offer low cost counselling sessions. Amongst all this stuff I have to do -as we all do - I have the joy of children, grandchildren, family and friends who are the glue in my life that keeps all the other things together.
I have been involved with WLM since its inception when Claire and I realised that something was missing for ‘women like us’, not that we want it all we just wanted something that was just for us: mothers - sisters - carers - grandparents + wives. We want to nurture mental health in a positive way. Through WLM we hope to offer support in one form or another that could reach out to as many women as possible to support positive well-being, form friendships, stop social isolation and get as many ‘women like us ‘ doing it for themselves.
Jayne
I was born in West Yorkshire , and as a young Mum I was encouraged to return to study aged 30 to gain a degree In Youth and Community Studies at Ilkley College.
Widowed at 32 with a 12-year-old daughter I moved to Suffolk to follow a career as a Community Education Officer.
One of my first project was Breaking Through The Barriers a project encouraging women to challenge the status quo , which culminated in a visit to our Euro MP in Brussels to challenge the lack of affordable housing in coastal areas.
I was delighted when Claire asked me to join the Trustees of “Women Like Me”, and that it aims to support women to believe in the ability of collective action to make real changes to people’s lives.
justine - secretary
I am married and have 2 amazing boys, who keep me on my toes! I own and run a Marketing Agency called Metachick Marketing (now in its 4th year) in Lowestoft. I have 12 years experience in marketing and I am really passionate about helping businesses to succeed online and grow their business. My speciality is Social Media marketing and I run training courses throughout East Anglia helping businesses get to grips with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Linkedin. I really can't wait to see what Women Like Me has in store for us all.