Find out a little more about the team at Head Office and our regional Hubs.
Steven joined PAT in January 2024 and has been building on 42 years of extraordinary work by volunteers, who, with their pets, bring companionship and emotional support to thousands. Working closely with the Board, staff and volunteers, his focus is on enhancing the volunteer experience, securing sustainable income, and delivering a new corporate strategy to ensure PAT continues to grow and thrive.
For the first two decades of his career, Steven worked in the NHS, initially within health promotion and public health, and then leading the NHS Direct helpline across London. He then moved to the charity sector, taking on senior leadership roles at Macmillan Cancer Support, the British Lung Foundation, and most recently, Cruse Bereavement Support. Alongside this, he’s served as Chair of the Board for two local charities.
Steven is a huge pet lover and says it’s a privilege to lead Pets As Therapy and help more people experience the unique joy and comfort that time with a pet can bring.
Meg is responsible for all aspects of the day-to-day operational activities at PAT, reviewing how we currently work and looking where improvements can be made.
John leads our fundraising, marketing and communications activities at Pets As Therapy.
He brings a lifelong passion for impactful charity work, with a strong track record of helping organisations grow their reputations and fundraising capabilities. At Pets As Therapy, John is inspired daily by the dedication of volunteers and the visible, transformative impact that pet visits have in hospitals, schools and care homes.
Working for a charity that brings joy and comfort through animal companionship combines John’s professional expertise with his personal values. He is committed to expanding the charity’s income and reach, ensuring more people across the UK can benefit from the unique magic that pets bring.
Darren leads the volunteering team at PAT, creating, developing and implementing strategies to ensure our volunteers have an experience that's easy, fun and rewarding. He is also the Safeguarding Lead for the charity.
Darren has worked in volunteer management for nearly 20 years, as Head of Volunteering for both the Metropolitan Police and the Royal British Legion. He was National Coordination Manager for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Volunteering programme.
Helen has been with Pets As Therapy since 2014 and ensures the welfare and care of PAT Pets is upheld in line with our guidelines, while providing vital support to Assessors and PAT Volunteers by answering queries about PAT Cats and PAT Dogs.
No two days are the same, but Helen loves helping volunteers bring joy and comfort to others with their pets. She especially enjoys chatting with people about their pets. Whether it’s a funny habit or a heartfelt moment, it’s the best part of her day.
Adele leads and inspires our dedicated Volunteer Experience Team at Head Office, ensuring exceptional support for PAT Volunteers.
She has previously worked for Mind and Cruse Bereavement and currently volunteers with Simon Says, a bereavement charity supporting children and young people.
Jen looks after the technology and systems that help keep everything running smoothly behind the scenes - from managing the look and functionality of MyPAT, to supporting processes around visits, fundraising and reporting.
Sarah ensures that our financial records of donations and annual contributions are acknowledged and kept accurate and up to date.
Ann supports volunteers and their pets on school visits, and also coordinates one-off visits.
Sheena is in the Volunteer Experience Team and supports our volunteers, answering any queries by phone or email. She also helps with general enquiries.
Rachel supports our volunteers, answering any queries by phone or email. She also helps with general enquiries.
Camilla supports our volunteers, answering any queries by phone or email. She also helps with general enquiries.
Beth supports our volunteers and the places we visit in the North West, making sure each visit is safe and enjoyable.
Becky supports volunteers in the North West, helping them to find places to visit and answering any queries people may have.
Winnie is based in Scotland and recruits and supports volunteers who live there, as well as those in Northern Ireland. She also engages with local communities for fundraising activities.
Lucy is based in Scotland and helps Winnie to support our volunteers with any admin-related or queries they may have.
Wordsmith Lorna writes our newsletters, leaflets and other PAT literature, as well as content for our website. She's worked in journalism and publishing for over 35 years and has been editor of several magazines, including Which? Travel.
Romy leads our digital storytelling, showcasing the powerful bond between volunteers, therapy animals and the people they support. With a passion for community engagement and creative content, she ensures our mission reaches and inspires audiences across all platforms.
Bernadette looks after our PR and media. Passionate about storytelling to raise a charity’s profile, she enjoys meeting people from all walks of life. Bernadette is also a PAT Volunteer with her 11-year-old Shih Tzu, Bailey, sharing the joy he brings her during visits to their local hospital and children’s hospice.
