Our Trustees
The Management Committee directs the organisation. All members have a learning difficulty and are supported in their roles.
Our Management Committee
All trustees on the People First (Self Advocacy) Management Committee have a learning difficulty and are supported in their roles.
The Management Committee sets the strategic direction, provides leadership, and ensures our organisation is well-run.
The Management Committee is our governing body responsible for planning, overseeing finances, managing people (staff/volunteers), and ensuring legal compliance.
Our trustees make sure we are true to our constitution and values.
They make key decisions and are accountable to our members and stakeholders.
You can read a summary of our Big Plan (Business Strategy) 2025-2028 here
Some of our trustees have officer roles. You can read more about who our trustees are below.
Christine Spooner: Chair
Christine has been the Chair for the last 3 years. Over that period she has been involved in the campaigning to challenge the Mental Capacity Amendment Bill not being in Easy Read, to demonstrate that people with learning difficulties have not been informed or supported. She also supports the Director, attending management committee meetings, making decisions about finance and the restructuring of the organisation. Prior to this she was involved in Birmingham People First, as Secretary for 1 year and Chair for 2.5 years.
Outside of her work with People First, Christine has been involved in the work of the Peer Leadership Academy and Casba, which is a Citizen Advocacy Development Group. She is also a member of a Birmingham organisation called Arts All Over the Place and Birmingham Healthwatch.
Marie Claire: Vice Chair
Marie started her self-advocacy journey work with North Herts People First. She has a lot of experience of being on boards and groups. Marie co-chairs the Stevenage and North Herts Voluntary Forum. She is the Vice Chair of Herts People First. She is involved in consultations locally to engage people in decision making. Marie had a major input into developing the Disability Hate Crime reporting pack for people with learning difficulties and is a trainer in Hate Crime, carrying out training with the police. Marie lives independently, after moving away from living with her parents. She travels independently around the country to see her many friends. Self-advocacy gave her the confidence to use the hate crime and discrimination she has faced to inform others so that other people with learning difficulties can benefit.
Kate Brackley: Membership Secretary
Kate has been a Trustee for 5 years, having previously held the role as Chair. As the current Membership Officer, Kate makes sure that we develop our membership to reach everybody and that it’s a good channel for communication. Kate is an experienced public speaker and trainer and is currently the Learning Disability Advisor/Educator at BILD.
Kate has been an active self-advocate for over 20 years and has also been on the board of the self-advocacy group Speak Easy Now and is part of Speaker’s Corner.
Kweku Wilson: Treasurer
Kweku is the newest Board member, joining us in 2022. He is the Manager at Waltham Forest People First and has been an active self-advocate in East London for over 30 years. He has worked across a number of roles in self-advocacy organisations and groups, which has involved organising and running meetings, leading campaigning work and supporting members to get involved in local and national activities and events. Kweku also worked on fairgrounds when they set up in his local area, building a great relationship over the years. This was despite other people telling him he shouldn't. Kweku also enjoys travelling abroad when he can and organises social events for Waltham Forest People First members.
Firielle Al Jubeh: Trustee
Firielle is a British-Palestinian self-advocate with over 10 years experience. She is passionate about people with learning difficulties being seen and heard and not hidden away or silenced. Firielle joined People First in 2020 as part of the COVID-19 support group and became a Trustee in 2024. Firielle co-founded ‘Speak Out Go Out’, a self-advocacy group in Wakefield that has now closed. She has worked on campaigns to stop bullying, violence and discrimination against people with learning difficulties. She also campaigned for ‘A Right not a Fight campaign’ lobbying MPs at Westminster for the right of people with learning difficulties to have opportunities for higher education. Firielle is a bilingual actor who speaks English and Arabic and has worked with self-advocates in different parts of the world, including Palestine and Nepal. She believes art, theatre, and films can change people's attitudes, challenge discrimination and celebrate diversity.
Bella Edwards: Trustee
Bella started in Bristol People First, which is now closed. She works as a travel buddy and she’s got a great interest in campaigning for travel and people’s rights, because she realises how important it is for people not to be isolated. She supports people individually when they’re being discriminated against. Bella is a trustee of Keyring. Her passion for supporting people comes from seeing people being disempowered. Bella is very creative and is great at contributing to discussions about the future of People First, and very good at solving problems.
Maria Barrett: Trustee
Maria has been a campaigner for over 20 years.
Janet Kane: Trustee
Janet is from the Midlands...
