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A night with the Stars ball 2008
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Jenny Hill
Project Manager (Scotland)
jennyhill@cbituk.org

Jenny has been working with CBIT since April 2003. She was responsible for setting up the Scotland project, which now includes a network of support groups, families’ days, parents training days, a young people’s social network (for ages 18-25) and a young people’s group in Glasgow. Jenny is the author of CBIT’s telling research into the long-term effects of ABI on families, Scotland’s Invisible Children – acquired brain injury revealed.

Jenny is a double bassist and plays and teaches brasilian percussion (samba) in her spare time. In the long term she wants to bring music into her work with children who have had acquired brain injuries and hopes to undertake a masters in Music Therapy.

Mary Dryburgh
Child and Family Support Officer
marydryburgh@cbituk.org

I joined CBIT in 2005 as their first Child & Family Support Officer which was very exciting! Until recently I’ve been working across the central belt dividing my time between offices in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

I visit families in hospital or in their own home and provide emotional and practical support, advocating for and on behalf of children and families, liaising and working with staff from education, health and social care.

I love the variety in my job – one day I can be attending a school meeting providing support and information and two days later I’m abseiling down a wall on an adventure holiday with young people!

I ran my own business for 7 years, working as a chef and running a restaurant and pub. I then studied for an Honours degree in Psychology with the Open University -summer school was brilliant! After volunteering for Homestart and working with Carr Gomm (a charity which support adults and young people in the community), I arrived at CBIT.

I’ve been in this post for 2 years and enjoy every minute of it. In my ‘spare’ time I like to go running in the hills near my home and love swimming, gardening, socialising and reading. I have two grown up children and two cats.

Beth Wales
Child and Family Support Officer
bethwales@cbituk.org
Hello! My name is Beth and I started working for CBIT in Scotland in February 2008. Working as a Child & Family Support Officer means that I am able to support families in the East of Scotland. This may involve accompanying families to meetings and advocating for services as well as running groups for children and young people. I also support Teachers, Social Workers and Health Staff, helping them to gain a better understanding of brain injury through training, awareness raising sessions and written information.

My background is in Psychology and before joining CBIT I worked with families who were affected by Domestic Abuse and I also spent a year working as a nurse with adults with an acquired brain injury.  I live in Edinburgh with my dog and when I’m not working I can usually be found walking in the hills. I also enjoy Egyptian dancing and am passionate about cooking and baking.

Joanne Walmsley
Youth Worker
joanne@cbituk.org

Joanne joined CBIT in 2006 as a freelance youth worker. She co-ordinates MNM (ad, Nutty Mayhem!) - a group for young people aged 12- 18 year old with an acquired brain injury. Working closely with group members, Jo helps plan lots of fun and exciting activities such as climbing trips, DJ workshops, Pizza Parties and lots more! Jo is also involved in other projects or activities that involve our young people, such as a DVD project or weekend residential trips!

Jo says:
I think the young people in MNM are fantastic and I have a great time when we all take part in the fantastic activities or go somewhere really cool. I try to help everyone in the group feel included, especially new members, and try to make sure all the young people get the chance to try something new, exciting or challenging! I hope to help the young people create a group that belongs to them and that is useful to them as well as being fun!

During the week, I work as an Active Schools coordinator, where I am responsible for encouraging Primary School pupils to become "More Active, More Often". Previously I have worked within a variety of organisations coordinating and delivering activities to encourage children and young people to become involved in play, sports and the arts. I currently train in Shoto Budo Martial arts where I have been awarded 2nd dan black belt and I also coach my own junior club, Kaizen-Kenji. I have a strong interest in drama and the theatre (with a degree in English Lit and Theatre Studies) and enjoy it all- performing, back stage or in the audience! In my spare time I am a volunteer befriender for an amazing 11 year old boy who ensures I am always up-to-date with everything that is cool or fun! To relax I love to get outdoors and be adventurous, or stay indoors and chill out with a good book!

Gary Cullen
Volunteer
gary@cbituk.org

Gary had an ABI when he was 18. After rehab he enrolled on an HNC Computing course. He now helps to manage the local sore Headway group in Falkirk on a volunary basis. Through his work with Headway he got to hear of CBIT and subsequently became a lapdog ahem, volunteer with them.

During Gary’s freetime he enjoys going to the gym hunners and doing geeky computer stuff. He is a big fan of music and especially Heavy Metal and so he enjoys annoying neighbours with his guitar.
His interest in computing has led him to do upgrades and repairs to computer systems on a voluntary basis in a local computer shop.

Gary is currently seeking employment which has proved much more difficult than he first imagined it would be but such is the legacy of Brain Injury.

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