Our Team

Through Anne’s extensive experience as an Early Years Leader, she became aware of the importance of the core fundamental experiences in early childhood.

Cognitive development is essential in supporting the growth mindset of resilience. Resilience develops when children experience challenges and learn the skills of how to deal with them positively. We rely on in this in later life when faced with adversity.

As an experienced and highly respected Senior Leader in a large Primary School, she built strong relationships and worked collaboratively with other local schools and businesses, to engage families in becoming more active in their local community. Anne is an advocate for community cohesion and bringing people together to enhance opportunities and experiences for all.

Most recently, Anne has worked at Durham University, offering administrative and student support to the Foundation year students. She has worked with students with disabilities and those in crisis, who require additional support. She has been a pillar of support and strength to those in greatest need building resilience for a positive growth mindset.

Throughout her career her core objective has been to offer a high-quality education to encourage and motivate both children and adults, and to support them to be happy, achieve success and inspire them to become life-long learners.

Anne is passionate about maintaining an active lifestyle, pursuing a variety of outdoor activities in her spare time, particularly running and walking. She believes that all children and adults should experience movement outdoors daily. In a world heavily dependent on technology and in roles which are often sedentary, Anne encourages everyone to experience the outdoors daily, to improve mental health and a positive outlook.

Anne is excited to be supporting the RDHP with their engaging fundraising activities throughout the year and has previously taken part in several Great North Run charity events challenging her own physical and mental resilience.

Anne feels incredibly proud to be part of the RDHP team and a project that significantly helps to improve the lives of those living in the Tees Valley.

Katie joined the Headlight Project in 2022 as a Counsellor and took on the role of Project Lead in December of the same year.

Katie manages the day-to-day clinical work, and service development of the charity. She is the person you will speak to if submitting a referral. Katie is passionate about the work of Headlight; particularly its message of hope, and she is driven from both personal and professional experience of to deliver the best service possible to the local community.

Prior to joining the charity Katie worked as an Independent Sexual Violence Advisor. She has supported women, men and children who reported their experience of sexual violence to the Police through the criminal justice process from initial report to attending court to give evidence.

Katie has worked in a variety of different roles supporting people with their mental health and trauma in the 10 years she has been a Counsellor.

Sophie has worked in the Education sector within the Tees Valley for the last 14 years as a senior leader.

She has a deep understanding of the importance of positive mental health in order for young people and adults to thrive and achieve. Sophie is passionate about promoting mental health awareness and providing support to those in need.

As a leader, Sophie is experienced in leading a team to achieve their goals and held responsibility for driving a successful fundraising campaign that has made a significant impact in the quality of outdoor play available to young children.

Highly skilled in curriculum design, Sophie has an extensive track record in designing effective curriculum and programs which are motivating and inspiring. Sophie has experience of working with young people who have had adverse childhood experiences and who require additional specialised support. In past employment, Sophie has worked extensively with large profit and non-for profit organisations including The Insolvency Service and worked with individuals in a mentoring capacity to find suitable employment roles.

Sophie is responsible for providing preventative suicide awareness training across the Tees Valley region and works collaboratively with schools, colleagues and businesses to help create ‘Suicide Safe’ environments and removing the ‘taboo’ that prevents important conversations from happening. Alongside this, Sophie delivers important mental health and resilience awareness training to young people to provide them with the tools required to deal with adversity that they may face in their lives.

Outside of work, Sophie lives in a house with three dedicated football fans and has witnessed first-hand the positive impact that sports and community engagement can have on mental health. Sophie is proud to support her husband in the development of the charity and football club FC Hartlepool and believes in the power of sports for promoting mental health and overall well-being.

Sophie is incredibly proud to be part of the team at RDHP and is motivated to reduce suicide numbers across the Tees Valley, following the death of a family member to suicide. Together we work together to Shine a Light on suicide across our region.

Amelia has been an advocate for the Headlight Project for many years. After performing at the very first annual golf day back in 2017 Amelia has always followed and supported the charity.

Alongside her performing career, Amelia has always done a lot of charity work. She is a type 1 diabetic and has been for nearly her whole life and has worked with Diabetes UK and JDRF UK for many years and is also an Ambassador for Freestyle Diabetes(Abbott).
Amelia is thrilled to be joining the Headlight project as the Events and Fundraising co-ordinator as she has always tried to use her platform to raise awareness. With her 14 years of experience of working in the entertainment industry, she is very much looking forward to bringing her creative skills and knowledge to the events and fundraising side of the charity.

Karen is a degree-qualified marketing consultant with a wealth of personal and business development knowledge, including a level 5 certificate in Human Resource Management.

Her experience covers public relations, copywriting, styling, digital and print media, networking, and events management, as well as overarching marketing strategy.

Her role within the charity is to communicate our mission across a range of channels, including social media, helping to spread the message about the work we do and ensure that our fundraising campaigns reach those it needs to.

Anna is a certified Play Therapist on the project. She has a membership and is registered with Play Therapy UK. She has always had a specific interest in the emotional wellbeing of children.

From her background of 20 years of working as a Teaching Assistant and mental health mentor in schools, she has had first-hand experience of how emotional needs can impact on a child’s ability to thrive, manage and function in school. Anna has always been interested in addressing the needs that drive specific behaviours in children and believes building a relationship based on integrity and trust, forms firm foundations, for this process to occur.

Anna trained with the Academy of Play and Psychotherapy, through Leeds Beckett University to become a Play Therapist. Anna is also a certified Autplay Therapy provider, which is a play therapy approach for children and young people with an autistic spectrum condition or neurodevelopmental condition. Anna believes that the voice of the child is central to her practice and works hard to ensure that she provides an environment in which children can feel safe, secure, validated and able to explore difficult feelings and emotions through play and creativity.

Bethan recently qualified as a counsellor, having completed her training in 2024. She is a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), adhering to their ethical framework.

Bethan began her role with Headlight in November 2024, where she supports children and young people bereaved by suicide through a range of emotional and mental health challenges.

In addition to her work with the Headlight Project, Bethan contributes to Harbour Support Services, where she supports children and young people who have experienced domestic abuse and exhibit challenging behaviour. In this role, she works both on a one-to-one basis and in group settings, collaborating closely with families and loved ones to ensure holistic care.

Bethan is deeply passionate about helping children who have experienced trauma, ensuring they have the best opportunities to heal and thrive in the future. Her approach is rooted in creativity and play, which Bethan believes are vital in helping children and young people express their emotions and process trauma.

Through building strong relationships based on trust and emotional connection, Bethan works in a non-directive and person-centred way, using creative play and expression as tools for healing. She strives to create a safe and supportive environment where young people can feel heard, understood, and empowered.

Hayley has been an adult counsellor at The Headlight Project since July 2021 after qualifying in 2019 at Teesside University.

In addition to the project, she has worked with adults experiencing post-traumatic stress symptoms, sexual and domestic violence, and various mental health issues.

Hayley wholeheartedly believes in the counselling process, both as the counsellor and as a client herself, and is very proud of the work the project does.

Jade joined the Headlight Project as a student counsellor and completed her clinical training hours with the project supporting children and adults.

She successfully qualified as a counsellor from Sunderland University. In addition to her work with the Project, Jade has experience of working with other charities, most notably The Bradley Lowery Foundation.

Jade was tragically bereaved when her young nephew died from a rare childhood cancer. Her personal experience of counselling was her inspiration to seek to support others in moving forward and healing from their traumatic experiences. Jade feels exceptionally proud to work with such an amazing cause.

Lindsey joins the project with over 30 years of mental health experience in both primary and secondary care.

She is a qualified mental health nurse, CBT and EMDR Therapist. She currently works for the NHS, alongside her role as an EMDR therapist at the Headlight Project.

Lucia joined the Headlight Project in May 2022 on a student placement while studying her Level 5 Advanced Diploma in Integrative Counselling. She is now a fully qualified counsellor on our team.

Previously working as a supported living worker and caring for her Nana, Lucia has always had a passion for helping others. Lucia was inspired to begin her counselling training in 2020 after losing her Dad to suicide in July 2019 and receiving counselling from the Headlight Project. Lucia went on to complete our first Headlight Hub in 2021, now using her own tragic bereavement to help support others like herself.

Lucie is a therapist working for the project trained in a range of therapies including Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) and Clinical Hypnotherapy.

Lucie has been working with adults from the age of 16 and above for many years. Originally trained as an Occupational Therapist, Lucie has worked across a variety of mental health services from acute services, secondary care and learning disabilities.

Lucie currently works part time for the NHS alongside the Headlight Project delivering primary care therapies; working with people identifying and treating a range of difficulties including depression, anxiety and trauma.

Lucie is passionate about mental health; she focuses treatment on the individual and their needs tailoring sessions to support recovery in an empowering, compassionate and supportive way.

With over 30 years of experience in education, my career began teaching Montessori Early Years in London before returning to Durham University to complete a PGCE in Primary Education.

Over the years, I have had the privilege of leading an Early Years team, working in mainstream primary schools, in a Pupil Referral Unit, and supporting anxious secondary pupils in a special provision.

In 2015, I qualified as a psychotherapeutic counsellor for children and young people, which has led me to transition out of teaching and focus fully on counselling. I am a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and work within their ethical framework to support young people through their emotional challenges.

I use an integrative, person-centred approach that incorporates talking therapies, art, story, drama, and play. My aim is to create a safe and nurturing space where, given time young people can explore their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. To freely express and process the impact of traumatic experiences and presenting difficulties.

To be involved with the Headlight Project , specifically supporting those bereaved by suicide, is a cause deeply personal to me due to my own experience of grief from suicide. I understand how such a tragedy profoundly affects not only the individual but the entire family.

My work offered through the charity provides an opportunity for children and young people to navigate the grief and emotions brought on by suicide, helping them find a way forward into recovery.

It is a true privilege to work alongside a team of experienced and knowledgeable professionals at Headlight. I am proud and committed to offering my support. I feel honoured to work with our families, children, and young people during their darkest times, helping them navigate through their grief and pain towards a healing, brighter and more hopeful future.

Rebecca has come to us as a Specialist Sexual Violence Counsellor working with both adults and young people dealing with trauma.

She qualified from Teesside University during the outbreak of COVID, and has therefor learnt quickly how to provide an adaptable therapy for clients. She has been extremely passionate about working with survivors of rape and sexual abuse. A huge part of this work for her was the Pre-Trial Therapy offered to those facing the extremely tough and daunting task or reporting to the police and seeking justice.

Rebecca whole-heartedly believes in the worth of talking therapy, and in her own practice provides an environment that is completely non-judgemental and relaxed so that the individual can explore at their own pace freely. This is just as important with her work with children and young people, to be given a space where they can explore their thoughts and feelings without the pressures from the rest of their environment. She does this through a wealth of options for the young person including creative arts and play.

Rebecca is a firm believer in equality to all which supports every individual’s right to thrive. This in turn adds to the environment she creates for our young clients, where they can feel safe, comfortable, heard, and understood.

Sara is a consultant at the charity, providing specific training for the team as well as advice on policy development.

She has 25 years’ experience of person-centred counselling, supervising, teaching and training, and has worked extensively with Bereavement, Substance Abuse, Problem Gambling and recovery from Child Sexual Abuse.

Sara headed up Bereavement Counselling Service in hospices, most recently at Teesside Hospice, and now works in private practise from her home in Durham where she offers online supervision and counselling. She is a BACP Registered Counsellor (Senior Accredited), and holds a Certificate in Creative Supervision, PGCEd, BA (hons) Counselling and BA (hons) Creative Art.

Sharon’s background in education setting has shown her the impact and ripple effect trauma causes within families and their every day lives.

Sharon qualified as a counsellor from Teesside university in 2023, she also has experience in bereavement counselling having worked through the second lockdown as a volunteer offering support to adults who were not only affected by their loss but the trauma of covid-19 and its restrictions on the grieving process.

Sharon also works as a counsellor/emotional well-being practitioner for a local organisation who offer therapeutic support to children and young people. Her approach is grounded in Person-Centred, while integrating creative strategies and interventions if needed. She understands the power of feeling heard after experiencing significant losses in her own life, including death by suicide and that the relationship between therapist and client is key to offering a safe space to process trauma and grief.
It is Sharon’s passion to work in the bereavement field and to raise more awareness of suicide and its impact, so is proud to be part of the Headlight Project team and all the amazing work they do.

Shaz is a counsellor with the Project, having retrained after moving to the North East from London in 2017 with her two children.

She has experienced mental health struggles after losing someone dear to her and sought grief counselling. It was this prompted her career change from running a nail and massage business to be able to provide counsel and give something back to others in their time of need.

Alongside Counselling, Shaz is also a Counselling Lecturer at Stockton Riverside College and teaches students on the degree course. She is currently researching aspects of cultural competence and diversity, and she is passionate about making counselling inclusive for all, regardless of race, religion, disability, or gender.

Catherine founded the Russ Devereux Headlight Project after the tragic death of her husband, Russ, by suicide in May 2018.

The Headlight Project has continued to grow with the love and support from family and friends, numerous fund-raising events, and donations received from many business colleagues in the local area, together with a strong board of Trustees and the very special team that make up the Project today.

Having studied law in Leeds and qualified as a solicitor in 2003, Catherine has specialised in employment law and HR practice for over 20 years and advises organisations of all sizes. She runs her own consultancy and is a Partner in the Employment Team at Knights PLC.

From an early stage in Alison’s career she has been involved in supporting vulnerable children and their families.

She started working in Education Inclusion, and then completed her professional qualifications as a Youth Offending Officer.

Following the birth of her children she moved across to Social Care offering emergency respite care and emotional well-being support to Children in Need within the CATS team. From there she moved into Education Management in the Vulnerable Pupils section of Durham Education Department.

After over a decade of local authority working Alison made the move to the charity sector and spent six happy years with the Prince’s Trust. Firstly as a
programme manager in Middlesbrough offering alternative education to vulnerable young people aged between 13-25 and then as the National Safeguarding Advisor. After spending time honing her skills as Head of Safeguarding in a Teesside academy trust, Alison returned to the Prince’s Trust and worked throughout the pandemic connecting young people with support as an Operations Manager across the North East region. Alison has recently returned to the local authority as a Team Leader in a multi agency and coproduction team. Embedded within a deprived community in County Durham the team will be addressing multifaceted poverty in a new way of working. This will involve being closely linked with Mental Health services.

Alison’s support to the project will be to provide strategic safeguarding support to the team on the ground. She considers it an absolute honour to be involved with the Headlight Project.

After a few years working in the power industry, Andy changed careers to teaching and never looked back.

Since the early 2000s, Andy has worked as a teacher, adviser, and senior leader in schools in Stockton and Hartlepool and he loves the infinite variety that children bring to his working day.

In his spare time, Andy is a children’s author – not too surprising for someone who spent his childhood hooked on books and his adult life working with children!

Andy feels very fortunate to be part of the wonderful team at The Headlight Project and looks forward to supporting the charity in any way he can.

Anna spent the majority of childhood living in Hutton Rudby, North Yorkshire but moved to London to embark on a career in the media industry where she lived for over 10 years.

During her time in London Anna has worked for publications such at The Times, The Sunday Times, Metro Newspaper and The Sun newspaper as a creative solutions specialist. She has since returned back to the North East where she lives with her husband and two children and now works for a leading property portal as a digital advertising consultant for property developers.

Anna has a keen interest in mental health and has had first hand experience dealing with the effects of suicide after losing her boss Adam to suicide in 2015 and in 2018 her friend Russ who’s legacy lives on through the Headlight Project. As soon as Anna was asked to be a trustee she jumped at the chance of getting on board knowing how vitally important the services the Headlight Project provide.

Ken has ran Devereux Transport & Distribution for the last 50 years. The business was started by Kens father over 70 years ago and is one of the leading and most recognisable haulage firms in the North East.

It employs almost 200 staff and has around 100  vehicles. Russ, Ken's oldest son, joined the business after leaving college and worked with him for almost 25 years, more latterly in running the business with Ken, until Russ's death in 2018.

Russ’s death devastated the family and is a huge loss to both them and to the business that he was so passionate about. He was extremely proud of his family roots and worked hard to help make the business the success it is today. Past events have shown Ken and the wider family of the need for support for families and children affected by suicide and Ken feels that the Headlight Project is a fitting tribute to the legacy of his son.

Paul is a qualified Chartered Accountant, with over 25 years’ experience in advising on all matters relating to owner-managed businesses on Teesside and beyond. He is the Managing Director of Waltons.

Aside from being a trustee of The Headlight Project, he has also been trustee of another local children’s charity for almost 20 years, a lifelong Middlesbrough FC fan and season ticket holder, a dad of two young children, and an all-round sociable chap – which takes up most of his spare time outside of work.

Richard has spent the majority of his career working at Teesside University, in the sport and well being department providing a service for and supporting students.

Sport has always been Richard’s main passion and in recent years, golf has taken up a lot of his spare time. It was through golf that he met Russ as a fellow team member and friend.

Richard feels it is an honor and privilege to have been invited to be part of the Project as a Trustee and will provide whatever help he can.

Hayley is lead anchor with Sky Sports News, where she has had a career spanning over a decade. Hayley has roots in Teesside and is keen to use her high profile platform to help raise awareness of mental health issues and in particular to help male followers to open up about their worries.

Hayley is proud to be a patron having seen first-hand the devastating effects of loss by suicide, particularly to children. She saw how Russ' death affected not just his immediate family but his colleagues, his many friends, and the whole community who miss him greatly. Her support to raise awareness is invaluable.