Rachel Johnstone, Trustee Rachel has eleven years experience of working in the voluntary sector - running advocacy campaigns and supporting small charities to take a sustainable and enterprising approach to fundraising. She is a trained Community Justice Practitioner and a volunteer on a Community Justice Panel - and has been a mentor, a girls football coach and enjoys travelling in her spare time.

Jen Pheby, Project Manager In previous years, Jen has worked in Hospice care and has been a teacher both in the Primary and Secondary Sectors. Most recently she has project-managed a charity supporting carers and their families, and also a Mental Health Project in Cornwall.

Deborah Butler, Family Worker Deborah has spent many years training qualified counsellors to specialise in working with children and young people, alongside having her own private counseling practice. She is passionate that the services children and young people receive are qualitative and respectful from the viewpoint of children, young people, carers and professionals alike. Before she came to Balloons she worked in project management for South Devon Women's Aid and the Coalition of Disabled People South Devon before going onto work for Quality Training as a National Trainer teaching those in the caring professions how to respond sensitively and appropriately in specialised areas that impact upon young people.

Julia Hammond, Chair of Trustees Julia is a primary school teacher in a village school in mid-Devon, with a particular interest in children with special needs and is the Special Needs Coordinator as part of her job. She has been a trustee with Balloons from almost the beginning of the project and is passionate about moving the charity forward and reaching as many young people and professionals as possible, in order to help them deal with this most difficult time in their lives.

Charles Holme, Trustee Charles Holme is a semi-retired paediatrician working part time for NHS Devon and NHS Plymouth. He and his wife Frances live in East Devon, they have 5 grown up children and one grandchild. Having observed the profound effects of bereavement on children over the course of his professional career, Charles has been a trustee for the charity from the early days.

Tanya Carver, Trustee Tanya joined Balloons in 2007 as a volunteer. She became a trustee in 2008 and she is now part of the publicity and fundraising sub committee. She very much values the services offered by Balloons because her father died when she was fourteen and she feels certain that she and her family would have benefited from the kind of support Balloons offers. She loves to make balloon sculptures, giant bubbles and music with the young people of Balloons.

Drummond Johnstone, Trustee Drummond has extensive experience in education and publishing. His company, Southgate Publishers, specialises in family learning and parenting resources for schools and Children's Centres. His past experiences include teaching in Secondary schools, starting the Devon Federation of PTAs, trustee of the National Confederation of PTAs and governor in primary and secondary schools.

Julia Bradley, Trustee Julia, a lawyer, has been working in the criminal justice system for many years. Over this time she has encountered a significant number of individuals who have been negatively affected by bereavement, particularly when young. Realisation of the link between bereavement and criminality motivated Julia to lend her support to Balloons in order to help those who have suffered loss.

Gavin Collett, Trustee Gavin is a local barrister, based in Exeter at the Rougemont Chambers. He was previously in HM Forces. When he's not working or teaching at Exeter University, he cooks gourmet food, drinks wine and follows Arsenal Football Club.

Clare Selley, Trustee Clare has been involved in Balloons from the very beginning. She lives in mid-Devon and has four grown-up children and three grandchildren. She is a palliative nurse, currently working at the hospice in Exeter. Before that she worked an an oncology nurse at the R.D.& E Hospital. During the past two years she has had the opportunity to travel and work abroad and has been involved in medical projects in Ecuador and India. When she has any spare time, she loves running and cycling.

How to Contact Us

We accept referrals from children, young people and their families as well as statutory and voluntary organisations. You can contact us in the following ways –

By post: Balloons, Unit 34, Basepoint Business Centre, Yeoford Way, Marsh Barton Trading Estate, Exeter, EX2 8LB.

For referrals and bereavement support, please contact:

Family Worker/Trainer: Deborah Butler, by telephone on 01392 826064 or email familyworker@balloons-devon.org.uk

For information about Balloons, fundraising and events, please contact:

Project Manager: Jen Pheby by telephone on 01392 826065 or email projectmanager@balloons-devon.org.uk

Mission Statement

Few life events have a greater impact on families than the death of a family member, and while life will never be the same again, with help and support children can make a positive and successful transition to adult life.