Flying Start Team & Contact Details

Address:

Flying Start Children's Centre

Kingfisher House, Western Way, Exeter EX1 2DE 

General Enquiries: 01392 666 224

or email: helen@eci.org.uk or george@eci.org.uk  

Flying Start Staff Details -

Gentian Sheer - Manager (gentian@eci.org.uk)

Gentian has worked in the field of health and social care for 12 years. Gentian's first job was as Support Worker for adults with learning disabilities in a community centre setting. There she worked for two years before leaving to study Social Work. She had intended to return to work with this client group post qualifying. However throughout her training Gentian was drawn to study family work interventions and art therapies. She then went to work as a Children and Families Social Worker working in Torbay and Plymouth assessment teams. Gentian has completed a degree in Health and Social Care Management and a PGC in Integrated Centre Leadership. Gentian began managing Flying Start Children's Centre in May 2007 and since that date has developed a staff team who work across the city centre offering an extensive range of services. Gentian enjoys the ever changing nature of Children's Centre work and flexibility of working for a local charity. 

Helen Murphy - Administrator (helen@eci.org.uk)

Before joining us Helen was employed by WORKWAYS, an NHS Mental Health Service providing employment advice and practical support. On Friday evenings Helen and her husband run a social opportunities group, 'SOCOPS', for children with Asperger's and their families. Helen is dedicated to providing quality advice and information to our children and families. She is currently studying for an NVQ 3 in Advice and Guidance.

Clare Edmonds - Family Support Co-ordinator (clare@eci.org.uk)

Clare is a registered Social Worker with experience of supporting children, young people and their families within a Youth Offending Team, Children's home, Children with Disabilities Team and Children's Services Assessment Team. The two main aspects of Clare's role are to supervise and support the Family Support Workers and to manage the referrals that come into the Centre.  Clare is committed to developing the family support service and to ensuring it meets the needs of the children and families who use the Centre.  Clare works part-time and has a little boy.

Lorna Braithwaite - Qualified Teacher (lorna@eci.org.uk)

Lorna has worked with young children and their families for a number of years as an Early Years Teacher, as a Parent Support Worker and as a Foundation Stage Consultant. Recently Lorna has had more experience of multi agency working and of supporting a number of Childrens Centres in Sandwell in the Midlands. She is currently supporting several early years settings and childminders in the area, to help ensure good quality provision.  Lorna has two young children herself.

Kristin Cain - Family Support Worker (kristin@eci.org.uk)

Kristin has a wealth of experience working with both  families and children.  She is a qualified Primary School Teacher, a Montessori teacher and has been a HomeStart Volunteer. At the moment she is running the Incredible Years parenting course and is also trained to run Mellow Parenting, HENRY (Health, Exercise, Nutrition for the Really Young) and Here's Looking at You Baby. Kristin's primary interest is in family dynamics and the experience of parenting, especially dealing with behavioural issues in children and depression in parents. She has three children herself: twins (boy and girl) and a younger girl.

Becci Daniels -Community Development Worker (becci@eci.org.uk)

 Becci started work with Flying Start in June 2008 as an admin assistant. She has had previous experience in youth work at Exminster's Westbank Centre working with the Young Carers Group as well as mentoring young people for NCH and working for Exwick Youth Inclusion Programme with vulnerable young people aged between 8 and 16. Over her three years with Flying Start, she has worked up into Outreach and more recently Community Development.
Becci currently co-ordinates our volunteer team of 19 as well as getting out and about in the community offering support to toddler groups. In her spare time she has co-ordinated a fundraising project for Hospiscare through a theatre group named Challenge Theatre. Becci really enjoys the Varity and ever changing environment of the children’s centre as well as meeting a diverse range of families.
 

 Alex Mountford - Family Support Worker (alex@eci.org.uk)

Alex started working for Flying Start in November 2009. He has a degree in Drama Education and Deaf Studies and he is a qualified Basic Skills tutor for adults. He has worked for a number of supported living projects for adults with learning difficulties and in his previous job, worked as an Austism Specialist for children with learning difficulties and challenging behaviour. He runs Baby Start, Discovery Play and Young Parents sessions and is passionate about working with vulnerable people. In his spare time he enjoys writing/performing comedy and anything drama related.

Alex Howarth - Community Development Worker (alexh@eci.org.uk)

Alex joined Flying Start Children’s Centre in July 2011 as a Community Development Worker. Alex started her career working at a community centre in her local area. Whilst working there Alex worked with people of all ages but her main focus was children and young people and developing projects and activities to meet the needs of everyone in the community. Alex had the opportunity to gain a lot of experience whilst working in the community centre and many qualifications based around working with people in the community. Alex then went on to gain a Degree in Youth and Community Work. More recently Alex has worked in a children’s home, Exwick Youth Inclusion Programme and as a Family Intervention Worker in Teignbridge. Alex currently has 2 roles within ECI. 1 as a Development Worker working with Community Centres & Groups across Exeter and the wider Devon area and her other role is here at Flying Start. Alex really enjoys the diversity of her role, being able to support groups which currently run and developing new services to meet local need.