Me too & Co Trustees

ChairAnne-Marie Asgari

Since we founded ‘Me too & Co’ in 2006 to support children with additional needs and their families, the charity has grown significantly. Today we have more than 600 members and an affiliated support group such as the Richmond Parents Carers Action Group (RPCAG). Due to the increasing demands created by our success and the growing pressures on the board of trustees and key volunteers, it was decided to restructure the charity. This was done in order to maintain and extend the high levels of service that we currently provide. As a result, a decision was taken to put in place an operations manager to take over the day-to-day management of Me too & Co.

The solid infrastructure that we have set-up and the appointment of key personnel to cover activities such as fund-raising and marketing means that we are in a stronger position to move forward than ever before. The years ahead will no doubt be as challenging as the last five years, but I am confident that our goals will be reached, thanks to the unwavering dedication of our volunteers, members and trustees.

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Vice chair Kate Griffiths

I joined Me too & Co in January 2006, becoming a trustee and vice chair. I felt certain that Me too & co would be an organisation that had to succeed as the trustees have great vision and a commitment to helping children with additional needs and their families. As the vice chair, I am responsible for supporting the Charity in all aspects and I feel privileged to be part of this organisation.

My background is creative and I am rewarded by the children’s engagement in painting, singing, signing music and storytelling. Having a child with Down’s syndrome, I feel that all children need their souls to be nourished and I believe that this can happen through play and the arts in a place where the children are valued and nurtured; where they have a sense of ownership and an opportunity to express themselves and not be judged. This, in turn, is very nourishing for me too!

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Treasurer Michael Harding

I have over 12 years financial experience in the hospitality sector and am currently Group Accountant for a Hotel/Restaurant company based in central London. Having a disabled daughter myself I am delighted to offer in any way I can my professional and personal support to Me too & Co.

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Secretary Valerie Roy

After working for several years in business, I spent time as a volunteer at the Wandsworth Carers Centre, followed by nearly 4 years providing information and outings for families with children with additional needs at a Richmond based charity. I have a wide knowledge of the statutory and voluntary services available to parents and carers in the Borough of Richmond, and am delighted to be able to help pass this information on to parents at Me too & Co, and work with the other trustees to provide improved services for them and their children.

As the Secretary of Me too & Co, I am in the position of supporting the Chair and the other Trustees in upholding the constitution and contributing to the management of the vital implementation of our infra-structure.

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Trustees Suzanne Miell-Ingram, Tracy Upton

As Trustees of Me too & Co our responsibilities are laid down by the Charity Commissioner and at present we are attending Committee meetings where our personal experience in having children with additional needs makes us highly valuable contributors. We know from our own experience how vital a group such as Me too & Co is in supporting families caring for a child with additional needs.

In our professional life we are the Co-founders of ‘Singing Hands’, and our main goal here is to introduce parents/carers and professionals to the amazing world of signs through songs, stories, games and rhymes. We are both qualified Makaton Regional Tutors.

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TrusteeAndrew Bermejo

As a family we have greatly benefited from Me too & Co over the last 3 years and we have been most impressed by the way it has been run in all departments.

I have been in business for over 25 years and very much look forward to working with such a special team in ensuring that as Me too & Co grows, we maintain the highest standards of service and support to the children and those who care for them.

We have firsthand experience of Me too & Co and the services they provide and I’m delighted to be involved with such an organisation. I have a keen interest in fund raising having previously worked with Charitable organisations needing to raise funds in order to function. It’s a challenge but a worthwhile one!

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Trustee Pat Leggett

I became involved with Me too & Co as a volunteer in September 2008 knowing nothing about the work that they do. I am so impressed by the services offered and everyone involved. I have come to see over time how important Me too & Co is to the parents, and feel there should be a Me Too and Co in every town. I have to say also that the children are a delight. I have been in management most of my working life and am now retired. I am hoping to use my business skills to help Me too & Co.

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Trustee Annie Miall

My professional experience has been as a human resources manager for over 13 years, working across the media, banking and professional services sectors and I currently work freelance for some locally based businesses. I’m also the mother of 3 boys who love coming to Me too & Co. One of my sons has quadriplegic cerebral palsy along with other health problems and another has a cardiac condition. My personal goal is to make our life as a family as normal, full, constructive and positive as possible. I hope that through my involvement with Me too & Co, I can contribute to helping other families touched by special needs achieve this goal also.

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Trustee John Doherty

As a parent of a child with severe disabilities (Cerebral Palsy and complex learning difficulties), I have channelled my first hand knowledge into ensuring that children with disabilities are given the support which they require. As secretary to RPCAG, I attended many local authority meetings articulating the needs of families throughout the borough, and have assisted in organising social and fundraising events. My understanding of the needs of families with disabled children and my passion in supporting them is demonstrated by the many years during which I have been proactive within the community, striving to raise both public awareness of and financial support for the needs of those families.

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