Meet the Team

Trevor is an award-winning leader, British Army veteran, community advocate and Founder & Chief Executive of the Hadleigh Mental Health & Wellbeing Hub CIC.

Following the devastating loss of his daughter, Chloe-Rose, to suicide, Trevor made a commitment to turn his personal experience of grief into something positive by helping others who may be facing their own darkest moments. That commitment has become a driving force behind his work in mental health, suicide prevention, bereavement support and early intervention.

With more than 25 years of leadership and operational experience across the British Army, Border Force and HM Revenue & Customs, Trevor brings extensive experience in leadership, risk and intelligence, safeguarding, people development and organisational management. He combines this professional expertise with powerful lived experience to create practical, compassionate and community-led approaches to supporting people.

Trevor is a Royal British Legion Ambassador, PAPYRUS Champion and SPARK Presenter, a Cruse Bereavement Support Worker, NLP Practitioner and Designated Safeguarding Lead. He regularly speaks to organisations, schools, professional groups and community audiences about mental health, suicide prevention, resilience, trauma, bereavement and his own journey from trauma to recovery.

His commitment to helping others has also taken him onto an international stage. Trevor represented Team UK at the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 and has been selected to represent the UK again at the Invictus Games Birmingham 2027. His journey through the Invictus Games has reinforced his belief in the power of sport, purpose, community and connection to help people rebuild their lives.

In recognition of his contribution, Trevor was named Inspiration of the Year at the British Forces in Business Awards 2026. He has also raised more than £120,000 for charity through major fundraising challenges and events.

Through the Hadleigh Mental Health & Wellbeing Hub CIC, Trevor has built a growing network of professionals, volunteers, organisations and community partners united by one common purpose: to make sure people do not have to face mental health challenges alone.

His vision is Chloe's Place a permanent community mental health and wellbeing centre in Hadleigh, created in memory of Chloe-Rose and designed to provide accessible support, early intervention, counselling, therapeutic services, suicide prevention, bereavement support and community connection under one roof.

For Trevor, this is about more than creating a building. It is about creating a place where people feel seen, heard, valued and supported before they reach crisis point.

His journey demonstrates that even through profound loss and adversity, it is possible to find purpose, rebuild, and use your experiences to help others.

Trevor's mission is simple: turn pain into purpose, trauma into recovery, and hope into action so that fewer families have to experience the loss his own family has endured.

Paul serves as Secretary of the Hadleigh Mental Health & Wellbeing Hub CIC, providing trusted and invaluable support to Founder and Chief Executive Trevor Bygate and the wider Board.

With a calm, dependable and organised approach, Paul plays an important role in the governance, administration and day-to-day running of the organisation. As Secretary, he supports the effective operation of the Board, helps coordinate meetings, maintains organisational records and provides the structure and consistency needed as the Hub continues to grow. His appointment as Secretary of the CIC is formally recorded with Companies House.

Paul is passionate about the Hub's purpose and the difference it can make within the local community. He understands that building a successful community organisation requires more than great ideas; it also requires good governance, organisation, accountability and people who can be relied upon to make things happen behind the scenes.

Working closely with Trevor and the Board, Paul helps provide the foundations from which the Hub can continue to develop its services, partnerships and community support. The Hub's wider vision is to create a welcoming, inclusive and community-driven environment where people can access support, connection and opportunities to improve their wellbeing.

Paul is particularly committed to supporting the development of Chloe's Place, the Hub's vision for a permanent community mental health and wellbeing centre in Hadleigh.

While he may not always be the person at the front of the room, Paul's contribution is fundamental to the organisation's development. He provides the calm, consistency and trusted support that helps turn the vision into something sustainable and achievable.

Paul believes that strong organisations are built on strong foundations and his role is to help make sure those foundations are there.

Sira is a business leader with a professional background spanning social work, youth work, adult social care and business development. Her early career and experience within social and youth-focused services gave her a strong understanding of supporting individuals and families through complex circumstances, safeguarding, advocacy and helping people access the right support and opportunities.

She has extensive experience within adult social care, including community-based support, domiciliary care, supported living and workforce development. She is the Founder and Director of Sycamore Care, supporting vulnerable adults while also developing employment and training opportunities within the sector.

Alongside her care background, Sira is an experienced entrepreneur and company director, having founded and co-founded businesses across different sectors. She brings together commercial experience with a strong commitment to community development, creating opportunities and developing services that have a genuine social impact. Her involvement with the Hub brings these areas together, combining practical frontline understanding, business leadership and a commitment to creating accessible support for people within the local community.

Catherine is a psychiatrist with a particular interest in Autism and ADHD and is late-diagnosed Autistic/ADHD herself. Her work focuses on improving understanding and support for Autistic and other neurodivergent people within mental health services, and on developing more compassionate, person-centred approaches to care.

Catherine is passionate about reducing health inequalities and ensuring that people experiencing mental health difficulties are understood in the context of their whole lives, communities and circumstances, rather than being defined by diagnosis or distress. She is involved in research, education and advocacy, including work as Deputy Psychiatry Lead with Autistic Doctors International, and has published on adapting approaches to mental health care for Autistic people.

Catherine has lived in the local area since 2010 and has been in Hadleigh since 2024. She is delighted to bring her clinical experience, commitment to inclusion and belief in the importance of community-based support to the Hadleigh Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub. Outside work, Catherine is a parent and carer, and enjoys dogs, music, crochet and finding opportunities for curiosity and wonder in everyday life.

Robin is a proud mum of four grown-up children and a very proud nanny to two beautiful granddaughters. Her youngest grandchild is autistic and has experienced mental health challenges, making supporting and advocating for her a huge and very meaningful part of Robin’s life.

Originally from St Paul, Minnesota, USA, Robin has called England home for over 40 years.

A naturally curious person, Robin’s interests are as varied as she is. She loves spending time with her three much-loved dogs, reading, walking, visiting tea shops, crafting and exploring charity shops in search of those unexpected little treasures.

Robin brings over 40 years of experience working with and supporting people across a wide range of areas, including mental health, suicide prevention, disordered eating, elderly care, end-of-life care, autism, sensory processing disorder, social anxiety, general anxiety, selective mutism and OCD.

Alongside her caring work, Robin works part-time and is passionate about sharing the knowledge, experience and understanding she has gained throughout her life and career.

She doesn’t believe in having all the answers. Instead, she understands that sometimes having someone who genuinely “gets it” can make all the difference.

That is what Robin hopes to offer: a listening ear, genuine understanding, lived experience and a safe space where people can feel a little less alone.

Robin is a mum, nanny, carer, dog lover, crafter, treasure hunter, lifelong learner and someone who genuinely wants to help others feel a little less alone.

Heather is a Registered Mental Health Nurse, qualifying in 1997, with almost 30 years of experience supporting people across acute inpatient services, community mental health, crisis intervention and specialist personality disorder services.

She began her nursing career at Peter Bruff Acute Admissions Ward in Clacton, before moving to Martello Court Day Hospital. From 2000, Heather took on the role of Group Nurse at Peter Bruff, where she organised therapeutic groups and activities for inpatients.

In 2004, Heather became Crisis Services Manager at The Haven Project in Colchester, a specialist 24-hour service supporting people with personality disorders. The Haven provided crisis management, respite, therapeutic activities and crisis beds, offering an important alternative to hospital admission for people experiencing significant mental health difficulties.

Heather later became Crisis Intervention Co-ordinator, undertaking home visits, attending hospital ward reviews and working with individuals to identify appropriate alternatives to inpatient admission where possible.

Alongside her clinical career, Heather developed her therapeutic knowledge and skills, gaining a Diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling in 2010 and an Advanced Diploma in the Application of the Arts in Therapy and Education in 2013.

Following the closure of The Haven in 2015, Heather worked as a Senior Community Mental Health Nurse with the Colchester Community Mental Health Team, carrying a caseload, undertaking home visits and coordinating care for people within the community.

Although she retired from full-time NHS work in 2017, Heather continued to use her experience and expertise within the NHS. She worked with the Older Adults Community Mental Health Team and, from 2018 until 2026, worked as a Senior Community Mental Health Nurse with the Home First Team, based at The Lakes in Colchester.

Within Home First, Heather assessed referrals and provided crisis support, including daily visits, coordinating medical reviews and supporting people as a direct alternative to inpatient admission where appropriate.

Heather retired from the NHS in 2026 but remains a Registered Mental Health Nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

With her combination of extensive clinical experience, crisis intervention expertise and training in counselling and therapeutic arts, Heather brings a wealth of knowledge to the Hadleigh Mental Health & Wellbeing Hub CIC.

Above all, Heather brings a compassionate, person-centred approach, with a strong belief in supporting people through difficult periods, helping them remain connected to their communities and finding alternatives to hospital admission wherever it is safe and appropriate to do so.

Heather brings nearly three decades of mental health experience, but at the heart of everything she does is a simple belief: people deserve to be listened to, understood and supported as individuals.

Helen is an experienced education leader, coach, mentor, mediator and safeguarding consultant with more than 25 years’ experience dedicated to supporting children, young people, families and professionals.

Having spent over two decades working within education, including 10 years as a Headteacher, Helen has developed extensive expertise in educational leadership, safeguarding, pastoral support, coaching, mentoring and developing the potential of both individuals and organisations.

Her experience as a school leader has given Helen a deep understanding of the challenges faced by children and young people, families, teachers and education professionals, as well as the importance of creating environments where people feel safe, valued, listened to and able to thrive.

Through her business, Unmask Your Potential, Helen now brings together her extensive educational and leadership experience with her passion for personal development. She works with young people, adults, families, schools and organisations through coaching, mentoring, mediation and safeguarding consultancy, helping people understand themselves more fully, recognise their strengths and move forward with greater confidence.

Helen is also the creator of Be Strengths Ready, a programme designed to help people recognise and develop their individual strengths, build confidence and improve wellbeing. Her approach focuses on helping people move beyond the expectations and labels that can sometimes hold them back, encouraging them to understand their own strengths and potential.

This philosophy is reflected in Helen’s wider work, which creates safe and supportive spaces for people to have honest conversations, develop new perspectives and find clarity. Her website describes her approach as one where every story matters and every voice is heard, with a particular focus on helping people become more confident in who they are.

Helen also brings professional experience in mediation, including civil and commercial mediation, further strengthening her ability to support individuals and organisations through challenging situations and find constructive ways forward.

As a member of the Hadleigh Mental Health & Wellbeing Hub CIC Board, Helen brings a unique combination of education, safeguarding, leadership, coaching and community experience.

Her passion is simple: helping people recognise that they have strengths, potential and a voice and supporting them to find the confidence to use them.

Anna has a professional background in social work, with experience across child protection, looked after children and mental health services. She holds a First-Class BA (Hons) in Social Work and has worked directly with children, families and adults experiencing a wide range of challenges and vulnerabilities. During her social work career, Anna worked within frontline child protection as well as supporting looked after children and the professionals and families caring for them. She has also worked within mental health services, supporting adults experiencing mental health difficulties and helping them to access appropriate support, build confidence and move towards greater independence. Alongside her professional experience, Anna is actively involved in her local community.

She is the Welfare Officer for Hadleigh and Sudbury Swimming Club, supporting the welfare and safeguarding of children and young people within the club and providing a point of contact for swimmers, parents, coaches and volunteers. Anna is also an experienced Scout volunteer and leader, working regularly with children and young people through both Cubs and Scouts. This has given her further experience of creating safe, inclusive environments where children can build confidence, develop independence and feel a sense of belonging. Anna is passionate about creating environments where children, young people and adults feel safe, listened to and supported. She brings to the board a strong understanding of safeguarding, wellbeing and mental health, alongside practical experience of working with children and families, supporting vulnerable people and advocating for those who may need additional support.

Aurora is an Integrative Sexual, Fertility and Reproductive Health Therapist and Coach, specialising in the often-overlooked connection between reproductive health and mental wellbeing.

Her work supports individuals through significant reproductive and life transitions, including puberty, menstrual health, fertility challenges, pregnancy, pregnancy loss, postpartum recovery, perimenopause and menopause. Aurora takes a trauma-informed, person-centred approach, recognising that these periods can involve profound biological, physiological, emotional and psychological changes.

Aurora is passionate about helping people understand that reproductive mental health is about much more than hormones or individual diagnoses. Experiences such as severe cyclical mood changes, fertility difficulties, pregnancy loss or the transition through menopause can have a significant impact on identity, relationships, emotional wellbeing and mental health.

One area of particular interest is Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), a severe hormone-related mood disorder which can involve symptoms such as anxiety, depression, hopelessness and suicidal thoughts or ideation. Aurora is passionate about improving awareness and helping people recognise patterns in their mental health so that they can seek appropriate support earlier.

Alongside her therapeutic work, Aurora is committed to education, early intervention and reducing stigma. She believes that giving people the right language and understanding can be a powerful first step towards asking for help and feeling less alone.

Her work also focuses on supporting families, partners and communities to have more compassionate conversations around reproductive health, mental wellbeing, bodies and emotional experiences.

Aurora is particularly passionate about the relationship between reproductive health and suicide prevention, recognising that while suicide and emotional distress are complex and never caused by one factor alone, reproductive transitions can represent important windows of vulnerability where greater awareness, understanding and trauma-informed support can make a meaningful difference.

She is committed to creating spaces where difficult conversations can happen without shame or judgement, empowering people to understand their experiences, recognise when additional support may be needed and find the right pathways to care.

Aurora believes that suicide prevention isn't something we focus on for one day a year. It is part of the everyday work of helping people feel seen, heard, understood and less alone.

Kairi is a business owner, community leader and co-founder of Fork Kitchen & Deli, an independent, family-run café, bakery and deli in the heart of Hadleigh. Alongside her husband Justin, Kairi established Fork in 2020, turning their shared experience in hospitality into a thriving local business built around quality, exceptional customer service and a strong connection to the community.

With a degree in Economics, Kairi brings a strong understanding of business, financial management and strategic decision-making to her work. As a director and company secretary of Fork Kitchen & Deli, she has played an important role in developing the business and adapting it to the changing needs of its customers.

Fork has developed into much more than a café and deli. Under Kairi and Justin’s leadership, it has grown into a genuine community space, with a focus on locally sourced produce, in-house products and creating welcoming experiences for customers. The business produces a range of its own products, while actively supporting local suppliers and Suffolk producers.

Kairi also brings valuable experience in team development, hospitality, business leadership and community engagement. Her commitment to the wider community extends beyond Fork, with her involvement in local education and governance as a governor and vice chair at Beaumont Community Primary School.

Passionate about giving back to the community that has supported her own business, Kairi is committed to initiatives that promote health, wellbeing, inclusion and social connection. She is proud to be a valued member of the Hadleigh Mental Health & Wellbeing Hub CIC Board, contributing her business knowledge, financial understanding and community perspective as the Hub develops its vision for the future.

Kairi brings together business experience, financial insight, community leadership and a genuine belief in the importance of creating places where people feel welcome, connected and supported.

Mother to an amazing 9-year old daughter. Hadleigh resident for 15 years, Wellbeing Lead Governor at a local Primary School. 

Personal wellbeing remedies - reading & exercising. 

Sharon is an experienced counsellor, trainer and facilitator with many years of experience working within private practice and a wide range of organisations. Throughout her career, she has supported people across many areas, including addiction, bereavement, acquired brain injury and mental health, alongside many other personal and emotional challenges.

With a passion for sharing knowledge and developing others, Sharon has spent over 18 years tutoring and facilitating, delivering counselling and mental health training programmes, workshops and educational sessions. Her dedication to supporting learners has resulted in a 100% success rate across her tutoring and facilitation work.

Sharon is committed to creating safe, supportive and professional environments where people can learn, develop and access the support they need.

The Sharon Michell Centre for Counselling is an Organisational Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), demonstrating a commitment to providing safe, ethical and professional counselling, psychotherapy and training services.

Through the centre, Sharon and her team provide:

• CPCAB Counselling Training – Levels 2, 3 and 4

• Supervision for qualified and trainee counsellors

• Professional counselling services, including discounted counselling provided by trainee counsellors

• EMDR Therapy

• Bespoke wellbeing packages for organisations and companies

Sharon’s approach is centred around experience, compassion, professional development and creating opportunities for people to grow. Whether supporting someone through counselling, developing the next generation of counsellors or helping organisations improve wellbeing, Sharon brings a wealth of knowledge and a genuine commitment to making a difference.

Hi, I’m Katie, founder of Bloom Media - a social media management business helping local businesses build their online presence, attract new customers and grow through social media.

With over 3 years’ experience in social media management, I offer everything from content creation and social media management to strategy, planning and engagement, taking the stress of social media off your hands so you can focus on your business.

I’m also proud to be the Social Media Manager for The Hadleigh Health & Wellbeing Hub, helping them connect with the local Suffolk community online and highlight the support that they offer.