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Meet The Team Our team of leaders and carers, lead by our director Wendy Williams, have extensive experience, qualifications and knowledge of working with people with learning disabilities. Wendy Williams Wendy Williams has taught children with learning disabilities since 1960, initially in the health service then with local education authorities, eventually becoming the head mistress of two schools in Bedfordshire. In 1983, after having children, Wendy started running holidays in Gloucestershire for adults with a learning disability, which then turned into a full-time care home. The holidays did not stop though and Wendy has been running Options Holidays, expanding as she went along, and still runs most of the holidays herself, in the UK, Europe and the rest of the world. Geraint Williams Geraint Williams has been running holidays with Wendy since 1984. He started work with people with a learning disability in the late 1970s where he worked in a ‘rehabilitation unit’ in a hospital – things have changed a lot since then. He is most frequently seen driving the Options Holidays mini bus as he is a PSV qualified driver, and also trains drivers under the Midas scheme.
David Lloyd
David Lloyd has worked for Options Holidays
for nearly four years, he has met some fantastic people and been a part
of producing some very memorable holidays. David's previous
experience has involved caring for the elderly, those with mental health
problems, and community care. David then gained invaluable
experience caring for people with learning disabilities with supporting
them on their holidays with Options. Now David has nearly
completed his second year of training to qualify as a Learning
Disability Nurse. David is going to lead his first holiday this
August and looks forward to seeing familiar faces and welcoming new
ones.
Paula Santos Paula Gomes has been a member of the Options team for nearly 10 years and runs our holidays in Portugal. Being a native of this beautiful land, her knowledge of the regions and language make for a stress free and relaxing holiday.
Kirstine Mackay Kirstine Mackay is the managing director of Option Holidays. She began with Options 15 years ago working on the canal boats. She now runs Options and Greyhound Care homes helping out on the odd holiday when she can often with one or other of her children Jack and Luke.
Kirk Anderson Kirk Anderson has been helping out with Options Holidays for 15 years now, visiting many places including France, Spain, Portugal, the USA, Tunisia, Lanzarote, and, most recently, Kenya. He has also helped on a Cruising holiday and spent many a summer on the canal boats. Kirk currently works as a Children’s Community Learning Disability Nurse, but still enjoys the occasional holiday with Options.
Georgie Fox & John Holland
Georgie Fox and John Holland have a wealth
of experience with people with special needs. They have been volunteers
on overseas holidays with Winged Fellowship Trust (now Vitalise) and
Disabled Christian Fellowship since 1997. They also founded and
co-ordinated a local branch of Contact the Elderly for three years.
Georgie was a resident manager for a number of years in a sheltered
housing scheme for the elderly in West London.
Terry & Avril Nixon Terry and Avril have worked for options for the last four years. Avril is a school librarian and Terry is retired, after a career of working with young people.
Delia Lawless Hi, I'm Delia Lawless. I've been working with people with learning disabilities for over 20 years as a support worker in various settings, also as a volunteer in a day centre where I got my first job. I was asked to help at an Options holiday in Bournemouth for two weeks, and loved every minute of it. After the holiday Wendy asked me to become a regular member of the team and I was thrilled to accept. Since then I have helped in Corfu and am looking forward to many more Options holidays. My motto is "life is for living".
Jenny McKnight
Jane Nye
Recently retired from full-time work as an
instructor with a WSCC Day Centre for Adults with Learning Disability,
Jane is still actively involved in Respite Care and 1-1 Support Work.
Jo Currie - Work Experience Having been on several Options holidays we noted that Jo is very good at caring for those with greater disabilities so we asked her if she would like to help. She has done a great job.
Jane Gaunt - Work Experience Jane has been on several of our holidays and has been working in the elderly care sector and achieved her N.V.Q level 1 in caring. Last year she asked if we could give her some work experience . We tried her at New Year and she did so well we offered her some work this summer too . We will be giving her more work.
Celia D'Elia - Admin Hiding away in the Options Holidays offices, Celia has yet to submit a picture to the website! Maybe we'll catch her off guard one day! |
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