Colin Barcroft

Chair of Trustees

Colin has been a Trustee of the Peter Pan Centre for a number of years, most recently as Treasurer. Colin is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (FCA), a Member of the Institute of Securities (MSI) and has more than 25 years experience with both KPMG & Baker Tilly. Colin is passionate about the voluntary sector, dedicating much of his time to volunteering his skills to three other local charities, as well as being Chair of Trustees of the Peter Pan Centre

Michelle Owen

Treasurer

Michelle is Group CEO of JSSH Limited, a family-owned property maintenance and management business where she previously held the role of Group Finance Director for 10 years. Michelle is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants with 30 years of accountancy experience.  She has previously held the role of Corporate Finance Partner working closely with Boards of Directors helping them to achieve their strategic goals and raising finance for a variety of businesses across multiple sectors including charities and the financial sector.  She provides a full spectrum of strategic and financial support to the Peter Pan team.

Sarah McDowell

SEND and Early Years Specialist

Sarah is the former Peter Pan Centre Manager and has extensive experience supporting children with special educational needs both here at Peter Pan and through managing various different childcare provisions. Sarah is qualified with a Level 6 Honours Degree in Early Childhood Studies.

Diane McVey

SEND Specialist

Diane worked in education for 25 years, teaching in a local special school, for the majority of the time managing the early year’s department. She also managed the Key Learning Centre which offered support to mainstream schools with pupils who had special educational needs. With a vast amount of experience using PECS and TEACCH, in 2012 Diane became a Special Educational Needs Early Years Advisor for nurseries across Newcastle and Moorlands. Now retired, Diane is dedicated to ensuring that our Early Year’s team give every child their best chance in life.

Michelle Friel-Martin

Fundraising Specialist

Michelle is Head of Fundraising and Development at local Charity the New Vic Theatre. With over 20 years’ experience of supporting charities of all sizes creating and implementing fundraising, marketing and communication strategies, she supports the Peter Pan team with creating sustainable income streams to ensure we remain a strong and resilient charity, to support the local children and families that need us.

Dr Meghana Pearson

Consultant Paediatrician

Meg is a consultant community paediatrician, with 20 years’ experience in paediatrics, based at the Child Development Centre, Staffordshire Children’s Hospital at Royal Stoke. She manages children with a variety of special medical and educational needs and runs a Down’s syndrome/ ex-preterm neurodevelopmental clinic. Meg is Designated Doctor, and clinical lead, for Looked After Children in Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire; responsible for the operational and strategic oversight of all looked after children in the area. Meg also sits on the Staffordshire Early Years Forum and joined the Board of Trustees in 2021.

Katrina Espley

Parent Trustee

Katrina is our parent trustee. Katrina’s daughter Meliah attended the Centre from 2015 to 2017. Meliah has a diagnosis of  Basilicata-Akthar syndrome. Katrina is a fantastic asset to our Board of Trustees thanks to her lived experience of our charity as Meliah’s mum, and she firmly believes that “special needs parents need special needs parents.”

Paul Farrelly

Strategic Planning

Paul initially became involved with the Peter Pan Centre back in 2001 as the local MP for Newcastle under Lyme and continued to support the Centre throughout his time in office. Paul was instrumental in securing our current premises on Hoon Avenue and has supported us immeasurably. We are delighted that he elected to join our Board and he continues to be a great asset to the centre and in helping us to deliver sustainable growth for the children and families we serve.