Bridge Creative
Bridge Creative
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    • Home
    • Our Story
    • Meet the Team
    • Projects
    • Events
    • Get In Touch
    • Work with Us
    • In Work Support
  • Home
  • Our Story
  • Meet the Team
  • Projects
  • Events
  • Get In Touch
  • Work with Us
  • In Work Support

Meet the Team

Ben, Managing Director

Ben, Managing Director

Ben, Managing Director

Ben has worked with adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults for over 10 years. Ben previously managed a local music festival. He loves going out for food (Chinese, especially) and watching live music.

Laura, Director

Ben, Managing Director

Ben, Managing Director

Following her time as Chief Commercial Officer at an international intelligence firm, our super spy director Laura now runs her own start-up & marketing business called Nova Consultancy. Laura loves going out for nice meals and enjoys long walks with her dog, Jax. 

Chantelle, Director

Ben, Managing Director

Lynn, Deputy Managing Director

Chantelle is an established print designer at ASOS and has worked for brands such as Next, River Island and Boohoo. Chantelle's younger brother Ben is autistic and has Down's Syndrome and she enjoys spending time with him and going out for food. 

Lynn, Deputy Managing Director

Rachel, Executive Assistant & HR

Lynn, Deputy Managing Director

Lynn has over 20 years of experience working in the field of Health and Social care. For the last 10 years this has been at a strategic level. She loves walking with her two dogs Bella and Bruno.

Anna, Project Manager

Rachel, Executive Assistant & HR

Rachel, Executive Assistant & HR

 Anna manages our Creative Placements and Volunteer Project. Anna has a wealth of experience in working in communities on large scale arts and cultural projects and has managed a team of over 1,000 volunteers. 

Rachel, Executive Assistant & HR

Rachel, Executive Assistant & HR

Rachel, Executive Assistant & HR

Rachel supports our Managing Director, Ben and also provides HR support to the organisation. Rachel's younger brother Chris is one of our COSE Assistants. Rachel has two children and enjoys spending time with her family.

Stacy, Bridge Academy Lead

Aiden, Marketing & IT Officer

Stacy, Bridge Academy Lead

Stacy leads our Bridge Academy delivering adult education, training and apprenticeships and leads our expert training teams including the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training team. She brings years of experience in education to support staff and people we support. In her spare time she enjoys walks, family game nights and the gym.


Ross, Finance Lead

Aiden, Marketing & IT Officer

Stacy, Bridge Academy Lead

Ross is our Finance Lead based at The COSE, where he oversees all things finance-related. Away from work he's either keeping fit in the gym or at a Newcastle match. 

Aiden, Marketing & IT Officer

Aiden, Marketing & IT Officer

Jonathan, In-Work Support Coordinator

Aiden works at the COSE managing our social media, website and all things marketing. He's a very busy man and has two other jobs at a care home kitchen and working for Eric Knows charity. He is very active in his spare time, crafting, going to the gym and meeting friends. 

Jonathan, In-Work Support Coordinator

Jonathan, In-Work Support Coordinator

Jonathan, In-Work Support Coordinator

Jonathan coordinates our In-Work Support service, making sure the service runs seamlessly. Jonathan used to run his own dog-walking business and enjoys getting out for walks with his dog, Toby.

Amy, Event Manager

Jonathan, In-Work Support Coordinator

Paul, Centre Manager

Amy brings 12 years of event production experience to Bridge Creative. Amy enjoys working in a corporate environment as much so as working in a muddy field.  Amy has qualifications in Health and Safety, Accessibility, Counter Terrorism and Sustainability. She loves her French bulldog "Happy" and dining out at fancy restaurants.

Paul, Centre Manager

Jonathan, In-Work Support Coordinator

Paul, Centre Manager

Paul is our Centre Manager based at The COSE. He likes to go away on city breaks with his family. Paul is very social and enjoys being with his mates. He is distantly related to artist- Norman Cornish.

Project Staff

Jordy, Lead Support Mentor

Charlotte, Lead Support Mentor

Charlotte, Lead Support Mentor

Jordy (guess where he’s from?!) once interviewed Beyonce when working on GMTV! Jordy has no sense of fear due to an operation - this has been scientifically proven by sending him off a 418ft tower!

Charlotte, Lead Support Mentor

Charlotte, Lead Support Mentor

Charlotte, Lead Support Mentor

Charlotte works in our workshop for our Creative Placements project. If you see her, she'll probably be wearing something green - her favourite colour! In her free time, she gardens at her allotment and goes on adventures with her children.



Charlotte, Lead Support Mentor

Charlotte, Lead Support Mentor

Jayne, Creative Lead Support Mentor

Charlotte runs her own business as a professional make-up artist. She was also the European Champion in Freestyle Dance in 2014! In her spare time she likes to go to the gym and takes her dog (Simba) on long walks.

Jayne, Creative Lead Support Mentor

Jayne, Creative Lead Support Mentor

Jayne, Creative Lead Support Mentor

Jayne is a professional artist specialising in glass and fabric printing. Jayne was commissioned to create The Weardale Tub on display at Killhope Lead Mining Museum - a replica of a lead-mining tub made of glass tiles designed by the community.

Anna, Creative Lead Support Mentor

Jayne, Creative Lead Support Mentor

Anna, Creative Lead Support Mentor

Anna is a professional artist and designer, who for has for the last 10 years delivered community and carnival arts in County Durham , but has professional experience in prop building and design, Visual Merchandising, shop fit and  window display, commercial interior design and architectural design. 

Donna, Support Mentor

Jayne, Creative Lead Support Mentor

Anna, Creative Lead Support Mentor

Donna works out in the community on our Keeping People Connected service and runs our Friendship Friday group and online fitness sessions! She loves early morning jogs along the sea front where she lives and enjoys sky diving, sea swimming and paddle-boarding. 


Rachel, Support Mentor

Keith, Workshop Support Mentor

Keith, Workshop Support Mentor

Rachel has worked with children with SEN in mainstream schools, she loves going out with her family and two dogs (Milo and Roxy) especially to the beach. She loves watching live music and catching up with friends at the pub over food and drink.

Keith, Workshop Support Mentor

Keith, Workshop Support Mentor

Keith, Workshop Support Mentor

 Keith has worked as a teacher and is a qualified joiner. Keith supports the guys on our Creative Placements project, supporting people to gain work experience and learn new woodworking skills. 

Deb, Volunteer Mentor

Keith, Workshop Support Mentor

Emily, Volunteer Mentor

 Deb supports our Volunteer Project, helping people gain sustainable volunteering roles in their community. Deb is very creative and runs a craft group for adults with a learning disability in her spare time. 

Emily, Volunteer Mentor

Emily, Volunteer Mentor

Emily, Volunteer Mentor

 Emily works on our Volunteer Project, supporting our Volunteer Incubators and providing 1-1 support for people to volunteer. Emily loves working with people and making a difference in their lives. 

Event staff

Daniel, Events Assistant

Daniel, Events Assistant

Daniel, Events Assistant

Daniel now works at our many different events. He is a really hard worker and always has a positive attitude and makes the people that come to our events smile.

Emma, Events Assistant

Daniel, Events Assistant

Daniel, Events Assistant


For a while, Emma has been involved with a lot of our creative projects working in our workshop with the Creative Placements Team. She has made a lot of friends at Bridge Creative and loves working with the team. Now she works at many of our events. One day, she hopes to open her own well-being café.

Dean, Events Assistant

Dean, Events Assistant

Dean, Events Assistant

Dean is one of our Events Assistants and has already worked in stewarding at various festivals and events. He does a lot of voluntary work in his spare time for various charities. He even once went sky-diving for one of the charities. He enjoys music, drawing and gaming. 

Josh, Events Assistant

Dean, Events Assistant

Dean, Events Assistant

Josh helps plan and organise our events. In his spare time, he likes to play video games on his PS4. He used to volunteer with the Bishop Auckland fire brigade! 

Chris, COSE Assistant

Chris, COSE Assistant

Chris, COSE Assistant

Chris works at our head office as one of our COSE Assistants. He likes art and drawing and enjoys creating animations in his spare time. He likes to go out with friends and family and likes a good party.

Kim, COSE Assistant

Chris, COSE Assistant

Chris, COSE Assistant

Kim works at the head office as part of our COSE team. She loves spending time with her family and has a pet hamster called Lilly. In her spare time she enjoys going to the gym, shopping, theatre and loves to travel abroad.


Erica, COSE Assistant

Chris, COSE Assistant

Bradley, COSE Assistant

Erica works as a COSE Assistant at our head office. She competes in the Special Disability Olympics for swimming and was recently on BBC Look North news Special Olympics City of Hull. She also likes running and has done the Great North Run. 

Bradley, COSE Assistant

Shannan, Project Assistant

Bradley, COSE Assistant

Bradley is an apprentice COSE Assistant who grew up in Newton Aycliffe but originally comes from Stevenage so has a strong southern accent. His main interests are anime and occasionally writing. His pets are a cross Labrador/collie and two cats.

Thomas, Project Assistant

Shannan, Project Assistant

Shannan, Project Assistant

Thomas helps us with our Keeping People Connected calls and groups. In his spare time, he likes to play video games. Thomas is also an Expert Trainer at Bridge Creative.

Shannan, Project Assistant

Shannan, Project Assistant

Shannan, Project Assistant

Shannan is one of our Project Assistants and often helps with the Keeping People Connected calls and video chats. She lives in her flat in Bishop Auckland and enjoys drawing and crafting and going out for meals. Shannan is also an Expert Trainer at Bridge Creative.

Marta, Event & Festival Supporter

Debbie, Event & Festival Supporter

Debbie, Event & Festival Supporter

Marta is mother to three children and three cats. She is one of our new Events & Festival Supporters starting in 2024, her first event being our Street Food Market in March 2024. In her spare time she likes roller skating, visiting castles and museums and going away in the caravan. 

Debbie, Event & Festival Supporter

Debbie, Event & Festival Supporter

Debbie, Event & Festival Supporter

 Debbie spent the last 5 years studying photography and working with people with disabilities to promote inclusion within photography. She currently works in a homeless project and has experience working in independent support living. Now she works at events supporting people in their working environment. 

In-work support

Grant, Senior In-Work Supporter

Grant, Senior In-Work Supporter

Grant, Senior In-Work Supporter

Grant is one of our Senior In-Work Supporters responsible for supporting the success of the In-Work Support service. Grant lives with is partner and is heavily into Warhammer and listens to an eclectic variety of music. 

Rob, Senior In-Work Supporter

Grant, Senior In-Work Supporter

Grant, Senior In-Work Supporter

Rob lives with his wife Laura and children Finley and Eleanor. He loves spending time with his family going for days out. He likes to go to gigs/concerts. In his spare time he tries capturing wildlife photography.

Sarah, In-Work Support

Grant, Senior In-Work Supporter

Angela, In-Work Support

Outside of work, Sarah likes to go travelling in her touring caravan. She has worked in many jobs and even used to manage her own pub in Evenwood for a while. She is very close to her family of three children.

Angela, In-Work Support

Jack, In-Work Support and Expert With Lived Experience Trainer

Angela, In-Work Support

Angela is a member of the In-Work Support team at Bridge Creative and spends a lot of her free time going on walks, travelling with her children and going to live concerts. She also met Tom Hardy believe it or not!

Jack, In-Work Support and Expert With Lived Experience Trainer

Jack, In-Work Support and Expert With Lived Experience Trainer

Jack, In-Work Support and Expert With Lived Experience Trainer

Jack has come along way since he joined our team!  He is a huge international rugby fan and enjoys travelling to new locations and learning about countries and cultures. He has even met and had dinner with his hero, international rugby manager Eddie Jones, who took the time to chat one to one with Jack too! 

Neil, In-Work Support

Jack, In-Work Support and Expert With Lived Experience Trainer

Jack, In-Work Support and Expert With Lived Experience Trainer

Neil is a professional photographer and is a member of the In-Work Support team at Bridge Creative. He also enjoys playing golf and snooker in his spare time and is a very outdoor person who likes to go camping.

Jess, In-Work Support

Jess, In-Work Support

Jess, In-Work Support

Jess had left the UK to go travelling for 5 years; she settled down in Australia to work as a Restaurant Manager. She met her partner and decided to relocate back to the UK in Sedgefield. Now she enjoys going to the gym and taking the dog for long walks. She decided to join us because she loves our values and making a difference in peoples' lives.

Josh, In-Work Support

Jess, In-Work Support

Jess, In-Work Support

Josh is a member of our In-Work Support team and runs his own barber shop in County Durham. Josh has previously worked as a disability sports coach with children and brings a wealth of experience to the team.

Luke, In-Work Support

Hannah, In-Work Support

Hannah, In-Work Support

Luke used to be a woodwork teacher and now works in our workshop supporting the Creative Placements team. He enjoys working with neurodiverse individuals. Outside of work, he likes going snowboarding and has his own allotment. You will always see him wearing a cap and odd shoes!

Hannah, In-Work Support

Hannah, In-Work Support

Hannah, In-Work Support

Hannah is a qualified social worker and a passionate advocate for people with a learning disability and autistic people. Hannah brings some great experience to the team and is enjoying her role supporting people in the workplace.

Lynn, In-Work Support

Hannah, In-Work Support

Lynn, In-Work Support

Lynn has previously worked as a Mental Health Nurse in the NHS and is now using her experience to support adults in the workplace. Lynn enjoys DIY projects and recently built an outdoor bar and seating area from wood pallets in her garden. 

Expert TRAINING TEAM

John, Expert With Lived Experience Trainer

Martyn, Expert With Lived Experience Trainer

Simon, Expert With Lived Experience Trainer

John Paul delivers our Oliver McGowan training and Inclusive Employment training. He is also a leisure assistant and lifeguard at Woodhouse Close Leisure Centre. John Paul keeps the team motivated with his infectious positive energy.

Simon, Expert With Lived Experience Trainer

Martyn, Expert With Lived Experience Trainer

Simon, Expert With Lived Experience Trainer

Simon is on our Oliver McGowan training team and he enjoys spending his spare time playing football and listening to music. He enjoys online gaming and has a pet guinea pig and hamster.

Martyn, Expert With Lived Experience Trainer

Martyn, Expert With Lived Experience Trainer

Martyn, Expert With Lived Experience Trainer

Martyn has recently joined our Oliver McGowan team. He is also busy working for CQC and Eric Knows charity that helps disabilities find accessible things to do. Martyn is very outgoing and likes visiting new places and loves coffee - you'll always see him with a cup of coffee when he's in town! He always brings positive energy into the room. 

Callum, Expert With Lived Experience Trainer

Michael, Expert With Lived Experience Trainer

Martyn, Expert With Lived Experience Trainer

Callum is one of the Expert by Experience staff for Oliver McGowan and delivers training to people about autism. He is a Doctor Who fan and likes reading fantasy books like Discworld. He is good at drawing. 

Michael, Expert With Lived Experience Trainer

Michael, Expert With Lived Experience Trainer

Michael, Expert With Lived Experience Trainer

Michael enjoys playing golf and watching football in his spare time. Michael is a part of our Expert Training Team delivering Oliver McGowan Training and Inclusive Employment Training.

Lucas, Expert With Lived Experience Trainer

Michael, Expert With Lived Experience Trainer

Michael, Expert With Lived Experience Trainer

Lucas is a member of our training team, delivering Oliver McGowan training to health and social care staff.

  • Our Story
  • Meet the Team
  • Projects
  • Events
  • Get In Touch
  • The COSE
  • MADEby
  • Keeping People Connected
  • Work with Us
  • The E&O Project
  • Training
  • Creative Placements

Bridge Creative

The COSE, 1 Dorset Place, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL14 6TH

01388 449410 hello@bridgecreative.org

Copyright © 2025 Bridge Creative Enterprise CIC - All Rights Reserved.

Registered office address: The COSE, 1 Dorset Place, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, DL14 6TH

A Community Interest Company Limited by Guarantee.

Registered in England No: 11321022

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