Meet The Team

Who we are

Meet The Team

Warrington VIP is supported by 10 part time employees, 6 trustees and 18 volunteers and our resident therapy dog Bella.

Meet the Team

Our Employees

Fiona Paterson

Fiona Patterson – Chief Officer

I am the CEO for Warrington Visually Impaired People (VIP) Charity, l spend my time managing our centre and ensuring our members and future members are supported in anything that will help maintain their independence. I started with the VIP as a volunteer 15 years ago and went from there to become a Home Visitor supporting members in their own home. I feel very privileged and honoured to now manage the charity. We offer a very person centred service to our members or any new potential clients within the Warrington area, l am always available to listen. My door is always open. My free time is spent with Bella, my dog who is always visible in our centre, upcycling and crafts are things l love to do.

Vicky James – Deputy Chief Officer

Hello, I joined VIP early in 2022 following 15 years working for a family run national security company, and more recently volunteered as trustee for a small Warrington charity called Families United (FUN), is was FUN, along with my son who has a visual impairment, that helped me to discover that my passion was helping people, ensuring they had the required support in place and that they can catch up with friends. When our VIP’s are in our centre, the centre is filled with chatter and laughter, it’s lovely to listen to whilst working away in the offce. In my spare time, I go to the gym, taxi my son & daughter to their various activities and catch the occasional film or theatre show

Vicky James
Abigayle

Abigayle – Kitchen Assistant

My name is Abigayle, I work in the kitchen at VIP. I enjoy working at the VIP centre because I feel part of a great team. Along my way in this career I have met lovely VIP members from all walks of life and I find it most helpful working with visually impaired people because I am one myself!

Steve - VIP Chef

Steve, our new Chef, brings over 20 years of culinary experience to our visually impaired charity. Known for his passion for cooking from scratch and zero-waste practices, Steve transforms every ingredient into delicious, sustainable meals. He is dedicated to providing nutritious meals for our community, fostering a welcoming kitchen environment. 

Chef Steve stood in the kitchen with his hands on his hips proudly showing his prepared starter
Warrington VIP. Visually Impaired People.

Transport Manager

Our dedicated Transport Manager plays a crucial role in the smooth operation of our charity. Coordinating our minibuses and volunteer drivers, he ensures our visually impaired members have reliable transportation to and from our events and activities. Beyond his logistical expertise, he brings joy and entertainment to our members during our lunch clubs, fostering a warm and welcoming environment. Additionally, his skills in maintenance help keep the VIP Centre running efficiently. His commitment and hard work are invaluable to our organisation.

Anne-Marie – Home Visitor

Hello, I love meeting and working with people who have a visual impairment, hearing about their rich and diverse lives and most importantly helping them at a time which may be a difficult, new chapter in their life. Being able to guide, nurture and reassure them about what help and opportunities are available is absolutely the most fulfilling part of my job. I have met many delightful people over the years and I look forward to meeting many more.

Warrington VIP. Visually Impaired People.

Amanda – Home Visitor

My name is Amanda and I’m a home visitor for Warrington VIP. I joined the team a few months ago and I absolutely love it. I love meeting new people, hearing their stories, and helping them in any way that I can. In addition, I run a Mums & Tots group and Bereavement Coffee Afternoon with Kings church every week. I’m married, we have 8 children between us and in my free time I enjoy walking, going to the gym, paddle boarding and baking.

Gail – Home Visitor

After spending 22 years working in education, I semi-retired in July to work for the Visually impaired. The Blind Society was a refuge for my late father when he became partially sighted in his 70’s. During a difficult time, the support and care provided by the society was invaluable. I now have the chance to give back some help and support to other partially sighted people.

Gail

Rachel – Home Visitor

After retiring from the health service, I missed supporting people and found new purpose in this role. With my mother’s experience of visual impairment and deafness, I understand the challenges our VIPs face. This role has deepened my empathy for both the physical and emotional difficulties. Outside of work, I enjoy being a Brownie leader, tending to my allotment, and spending time with my first grandchild.

Karen – Home Visitor

More information coming soon………

Warrington VIP. Visually Impaired People.
Bella

Bella – Resident Therapy Dog

As you can see from my pic, l am adorable, l love being part of the VIP team as l get lots of cuddles off the VIP’s and I love to sit under the table when its lunch time. I make every one happy and l miss it when mummy leaves me at home. My main role is for giving cuddles and strokes to our VIP’s which l thoroughly enjoy, so it never feels like work.

Meet the Team

Our Trustees

A charity trustee makes decisions that will have an impact on people’s lives and ensures the longevity of the charity. It is an important role to undertake and Identifying with your members is one of the essential tools for ensuring the decisions taken for the running of the charity benefits its members. VIP have 2 board members with a visual impairment, a former mayor and a local councillor as trustees, all 4 trustees bring a wealth of skills and experience to the governance of VIP and the support of the VIP community.

Peter Walker

Geoff Settle

Dave Latham

Janet Bates

Frederick Parkinson

Linda Welding

Meet the Team

Our Volunteers

We have a team of 18 volunteers supporting our members and the running of the charity. They Drive our minibuses, assist in the kitchen and assist our members with their lunch and activities.

To learn more about how to join our volunteer team , please click here