Our People

Founder & CEO

Jess is a qualified ASIST trainer with a background in Business Development & Marketing. Jess left her Business Development career in October 2017 following her father’s suicide. Jess started The Martin Gallier Project with the aim to reduce the number of suicides in the local area, whilst breaking down stigmas and supporting families like hers. Merseyside Women of the Year 2019 winner Jess, is heavily involved in the charity's strategic forward planning along with the day to day running of the organisation. She can often be found challenging the stigma that surrounds suicide via local and national media outlets.

Chief Operating Officer

Deryn joined The Martin Gallier Project as a volunteer following the loss of her brother Daniel to suicide in May 2020. She then joined the team full time in May 2021 as Head of Service and Operations, heading up our suicide intervention team and working closely with team MGP to continuously improve our services. Deryn has a strong passion for Suicide Prevention and uses her training and lived experience to help and support people effected by suicide.

Suicide Intervention Service Lead-Wirral

Sarah joined Team MGP as a Suicide Intervention Worker in August 2023. Sarah lost her brother to suicide in 2004 and has also overcome her own mental health struggles. Sarah has recently become service lead at our Wirral base and heads up a team who are all dedicated to supporting anybody who is affected by suicide. Sarah’s lived experience has given her a fire in her belly to make sure we can prevent as many families as possible knowing how it feels to be bereaved by suicide. 

Suicide Intervention Service Lead-Chester

After losing her best friend to suicide in February 2022, Georgia decided to begin her journey as a Suicide Intervention Worker, to help those affected by suicide. Drawing upon her lived experience she now makes a massive difference in the community and beyond by leading a team of dedicated Suicide Intervention Workers at our Chester base.

Partnerships Lead

Jodie’s journey at The Martin Gallier began in 2021 following the loss of her cousin to suicide, since then she has made it her mission to help people achieve happiness and create a life worth living. During her time at MGP she has volunteered at The Self Care Movement which supports women affected by suicide, became fully ASIST trained and became MGPs first well-being coordinator. The role ties in perfectly with her mission, supporting people who have achieved safety from suicide by offering guidance, advice, an ear to listen and a friendly chat with someone who gets it!

As of June 2022, Jodie became MGP’s Partnerships Lead, working in partnership with local businesses, organisations and schools regarding suicide awareness and Workplace Wellbeing. Jodie also coordinates training such as ASIST, MHFA and safeTALK with the aim to break down stigmas surrounding suicide and creating a suicide safer community.

Executive Administrator

The wonderful Em joined our team on a kickstarter position in July 2021 as they have a huge passion for suicide prevention and helping others. Em plays a key role in keeping us all organised here in MGP! Most recently Em has taken a proactive approach towards leading the Belong group and will be contributing greatly to it’s growth. Em is also Team MGP’s data guru and can often be found analysing our data and trends allowing MGP to evolve quickly and effectively to meet current demand.

They/Them.

Suicide Intervention Worker

Marlene joined MGP in January 2023 after experiencing the loss of her mum and sister to suicide in 2021. Marlene has always felt passionately about mental health and has most recently finished her counselling course level 3 which led her to her dream job working for MGP as a Suicide Intervention Worker, Marlene hopes to inspire and save lives creating a happier safer environment.

Domestic Abuse & Healthy Relationships Specialist

Jules works with The Martin Gallier Project to deliver crucial support to those facing crisis due to contributing factors such as relationship breakdowns and domestic abuse. Jules has 17 years experience of supporting families across Wirral and previous jobs have included early years and youth work, family support and domestic abuse specialist/trainer. These roles have led Jules to recently co-create a Healthy Relationships Hub.

Wellbeing Coordinator

Lara joined The Martin Gallier Project as a volunteer back in February 2022 as part of her workplace experience module for her master’s degree in Applied Psychology. She then became a permanent member of the team in summer of 2022 as a Well-being coordinator. Her main role as well-being coordinator involves co-running the Recovery Star Workshops and curating a tailored well-being support programme for our clients.

She/They

Suicide Intervention Worker & Man Cave Coordinator

Steve lives very local to MGP and joined as a coordinator running Martin’s Man Cave in June 2023, he feels very strongly about helping and assisting people and wanted to give something back to his local and wider community.  Following on from this, Steve felt passionately about wanting to extend his involvement and so has recently taken on a role as a Suicide Intervention Worker. He continues to co run Martin’s Man Cave from the New Ferry Office every Sunday.

Events & Fundraising Lead

Adam aka Sid became a member of The Martin Gallier Project in July 2022 after successfully organising various fundraising events across Wirral. He has big plans for future events so keep your eyes open for some appearing in our community very soon.

Sid's background is in radio broadcasting after working for local stations Wirral Radio, Bliss on DAB and is currently on the match day broadcasting team at Tranmere Rovers.

Support Banana

Beatrice joined our team back in April 2022 to help teach the young people in our communities how to keep safe from Suicide. She has been sliding through the doors of many schools across the north west to provide students with the tools needed to help themselves and others if they ever had thoughts of Suicide. During her visits to the schools Beatrice plays the role of a suicidal banana, and through the informative session provided the young people get the opportunity to save her life. Beatrice has helped out at multiple events and has even appeared on the news to support MGP with their mission of breaking the stigma surrounding suicide by making the topic more approachable to talk about. She has now became a valuable member of the team.

What would you like to see her do next?!

Wellbeing Coordinator

Sophia first volunteered for MGP when it was born back in 2019 because it was her passion to support individuals in her local community, this value remains the same but fast forward a few years and Sophia is now a qualified Occupational Therapist. She understands the connection between an individual, their environment and the things they need and want to do and how this impacts their mental health and wellbeing. We are thrilled that Sophia is our Wellbeing Coordinator for New Ferry where she provides 1:1 support as she has experience locally and overseas discussing mental health and the vast amount of strategies that can be used to manage it to improve an individual’s quality of life.

Woodshop Coordinator

Gary is a local handyman who offered his services to the project free of charge in 2018 following the loss of his sister in law to suicide. Gary soon became an instrumental part of the team and began running Martins Man Cave in June 2019. In recent years Gary has been tasked with nurturing our partnership with Bee Wirral. Based at the beautiful Tam O’Shanter Farm, this one of a kind partnership creates a safe space for men to make and create at our wood workshop and grow a variety of flora at the allotment.

Administrator-Wirral

Tasha has been attending The Self Care Movement for over 2 years. Keen to increase her involvement, Tasha joined Team MGP as an Administrator for the New Ferry base in January 2024. Tasha has a positive approach and is enthusiastic about helping people, whether it’s seating you and providing a hot drink when you attend an appointment or fulfilling her administrative duties keeping us on track. Tasha continues to give back to the community by co-facilitating The Self Care Movement with Jodie, providing hope and support to women just like her.

Administrator-Chester

Peter has recently joined the team as an Administrator for the Chester base. Peter is extremely passionate about providing valuable support and helping other people in need, he describes his role at MGP was the “perfect opportunity to keep fulfilling that dream”. Peter plays an instrumental part as the administrator making sure every process runs smoothly and reliably, contributing to the growth and success of the new Chester base.

Suicide Intervention Worker

Megan feels very strongly about helping people who are struggling with their mental health, and believes every individual’s story is important. This led her to completing a master’s degree in Psychology in 2022, followed by recently finding her dream job at MGP as a Suicide Intervention Worker. Having struggled with her own mental health in the past, Megan is looking forward to helping MGP create a safer and happier community.

Wellbeing Coordinator

Katie joined the Martin Gallier Project team in March 2024 as MGP's Wellbeing Coordinator in our Chester Base. Katie has a background in care and support work and is currently studying at university for a Bsc in mental health and wellbeing. Her role as a Wellbeing Coordinator is to curate a tailored wellbeing support programme for our clients.

Chair

Ellie has brought several years’ experience in management and as a specialist in Marketing recruitment across the Northwest region to the board of Trustees. Ellie’s expertise include: Permanent professionals within; Generalist Marketing, Digital Marketing, Marketing Strategy, Communications Internal and External and Analytical.

Ellie has incredible passion for suicide prevention, the progress of The Martin Gallier Project and ensuring its beneficiaries receive the best possible care.

Trustee

Pauline has been promoting mental health and wellbeing for many years and recognises the increasing need that people have for support, awareness, education and understanding. Pauline was awarded an MBE due to her selfless commitment and work towards improving mental health in the military and civilian community. Pauline has completed 33 years regular service in the army and has been a reservist for 4 years. Pauline was mobilised in March 2020, as a Military Liaison Officer, to the Scottish Government, as a member of their COVID planning team and is now a volunteer vaccinator.

Pauline promotes equality, diversity and inclusion. Pauline believes we all have the right to live life in our own way as long as it does not have a detrimental impact on others. Pauline hopes that the stigma around mental health ends soon. With education and understanding, we can promote better mental health and wellbeing as a whole.

Trustee

Janet provides a strong belief in the importance of mental health and the support people require due her own personal experience of being bereaved by suicide.

Janet’s strong interpersonal and relationship skills, as well as her experience within administration, providing advice and support to our administration team has been and will continue to be a fundamental asset.

Trustee

Jeremy has worked as a Civil Servant in the Department of Health and Social Care for 18 years, spending half that time in the Mental Health Policy team. He has extensive volunteering experience and will soon complete nine years as a trustee for Bipolar UK.

As someone with lived experience of suicidal ideation, Jeremy is passionate about the provision of effective interventions for people who feel suicidal.

Trustee

Brenda Slater has recently joined the Board of Trustees following her own journey with The Martin Gallier Project. Brenda comes to us with 20 years experience in the Civil Service and 23 years experience as a School Secretary. Brenda describes herself as a little bit wacky and a little bit serious (only when needs must), she loves to live life to the full as best she can.

Brenda is married to Colin, who she describes as her rock as he supports whatever adventures she gets up to. They have a dear, daft dog called DJ who rules the roost at home.

Brenda loves socialising particularly when it involves food and dancing.

Brenda tells us she is pleased and grateful to be able to play a part in helping suicide prevention. Brenda is looking forward to working alongside the devoted team that is MGP.