Our Key Staff & Trustees
Whether working in our properties or in our administration office, our key staff & trustees and volunteers share a common aim: to provide our residents with the best possible safe, secure, comfortable retirement. A large number have been with us for many years, providing dedication and valuable continuity. All undergo our thorough recruitment, vetting and development process to ensure that they are the best match for their respective roles.
Administration Team
Martin King
Director of Business & Ops
Martin has over 28 years experience excelling as a Director, Owner Operator, Business Consultant, providing specialist Business Management solutions within both the public, private and charity sectors, covering Government, Banking, Insurance, Sales, Healthcare & Support Living Environments. Martin holds multiple OFQUAL, QCA qualifications covering Operations, Management, Care, Mental Health, and is a BIIAB Personal Licence Holder.
Martin’s expertise lies in delivering specialised business management, showcasing proficiency in Operational/Team Management, Sales, Leadership, Critical Thinking and Property Management.
Beyond his corporate and charity prowess, Martin is a former Royal Marine, dedicated to serving veterans by actively participating in charity initiatives aimed at raising funds for those that have served.
A favoured quote for each morning ‘Try not to be a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value’ – Albert Einstein.
Mandy Coe
Finance Manager
Mandy joined ASO as Finance Manager in January 2020. She is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and has over 20 years of experience in public sector finance, predominantly in the University sector. She has a broad range of experience including management accounting, payroll, project management, process improvement and new system implementations.
She also acts a finance trustee for a Soroptimist Housing Association in West London and provides remote finance support for an animal charity in Vietnam, after completing a volunteer placement in DaNang for a month in 2019.
Jo Taylor
Community Manager
Our Community Manager, Jo Taylor, ensures our house teams function smoothly and efficiently. Their many responsibilities include liaison with the House Team Leaders, resident welfare, Health and Safety, staff training and house maintenance.
Another vital role is to generate support for Abbeyfield Southern Oaks within the local community and to recruite volunteers.
Barbara Merritt
Leasehold & Rentals Manager
Barbara joined Abbeyfield Southern Oaks (ASO) in March 2021 with the prime responsibility of managing the sales effort on the newly completed Nonsuch Abbeyfield development in Ewell. She successfully managed all aspects of the sales process and achieved full occupancy in May 2022. Barbara is now responsible for all aspects for both resales and affordable living rentals.
Prior to joining ASO, Barbara was an Estate Agent in the Richmond/Teddington area and worked on a number of new property developments. Before that, Barbara worked in event management and hospitality for 9 years delivering a comprehensive range of circa 145 client-based events per annum and multiple events for the renowned rock photographer, Denis O’Regan’s gallery in Chiswick.
Barbara’s career started in banking where she spent 13 years with HFC, a part of HSBC, working in multiple marketing & operations roles.
Georgina Parker
Office Manager
Georgina joined Abbeyfield as the Volunteer Coordinator and Office Manager, in November 2023.
In recent years, Georgina has worked in a variety of nationwide organisations within the charity sector, in both Office Manager and Transformation Change project roles.
Prior to this, she operated as an Office Manager in the Commercial sector and before this, conducted Administrative Management in the Financial Services sector.
Georgina has a passion for high quality operational delivery and very much enjoys the Abbeyfield environment, meeting residents and volunteers alike.
Georgina holds the Postgraduate Certificate in Management qualification.
Additionally, Georgina plays an active role in her family’s coffee business (Angelucci Coffee), which was established by her grandfather in 1929.
Bobbie Smith
Volunteer Coordinator
Bobbie joined Abbeyfield Southern Oaks in 2022 as a part-time Receptionist/Administrator and was appointed as Volunteer Coordinator in May 2024. With over 30 years of experience in supportive roles, Bobbie has a diverse background that spans several sectors. She has served as an executive PA in Client Services within the Global Property Investment industry and worked as a Programme Manager for a prestigious coach training organization. During her time there, she became a trained coach in 2009 and volunteered for four years within a community in Islington.
Bobbie’s passion for well-being and communication led her to further her expertise in these areas. In 2015, she trained as a Health Coach with the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) and subsequently became a Reiki Master Practitioner in 2018, having been introduced to Reiki in 2001. That same year, Bobbie started her own small business dedicated to supporting others in their mental and physical well-being, which she ran until the onset of the Covid19 pandemic in 2022.
Bobbie is dedicated to continuing her personal and professional growth and is deeply committed to making a positive impact on others. She strives to be a supportive partner to both the volunteers and residents of Abbeyfield Southern Oaks, helping them achieve enriched and fulfilling lives.
House Managers
Della Stewart
Senior House Manager
Della became House Manager in early 2018 having previously worked as a relief manager. She has made a positive contribution to the daily life for the residents of Old House who enjoy her company and her cooking.
Brenda Mendes
Manager at Purley Knoll
Brenda joined ASO in 2017. She enjoys spending time with residents. Equally, she works hard with the house team to ensure the residents are well cared for and to enhance their enjoyment of daily life at Purley Knoll.
Lynne Hunter
Manager at York House
Lynne became the House Manager of our York Road supported living house in December 2022, after spending six months as a relief manager.
She has a wealth of experience after coming from a background in Care Sector, so has enormous compassion for our residents.
The residents enjoy not only her company, but also her delicious homemade cooking! Lynne also ensures that the residents enjoy daily afternoon teas and will always go over and above in her role to ensure that her residents are happy.
Julie Glynn
Manager at Mulgrave Road
Julie has worked for Abbeyfield Southern Oaks since 2020 and began her career as a Relief Manager. She took on the role of House Manager at Mulgrave Road in December 2022 and soon bonded with the residents and enjoys her time spent with them.
Julie ensures that everyone enjoys her meals and takes great pride in seeing empty plates! She is a dedicated House Manager, one who will always spend time to listen and ensure her residents happiness.
Trustees
Nick Shore
Chair
Nick is chair of Abbeyfield Southern Oaks, and has been a trustee since 2015. He graduated from the University of Kent with a BA in Accounting in 1974 and worked for Arthur Andersen from 1974 to December 2001 at various levels including partner dealing mostly with international personal tax. He became a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales in 1982.
Nick was a director and shareholder at Frank Hirth PLC from January 2002 and was based at the New York office between 2009 and 2012. He retired in April 2014 and currently acts as a Trustee for a series of related family UK trusts and works closely with Investec as investment advisors and sits on the Board of Althea, a US based international charity. A keen rugby fan, Nick was Treasurer of Old Caterhamians RFC between 1975 until 1993.
Anne Carrington
Resident Welfare & Volunteers
Anne was a Domestic Science teacher for 10 years. She is married and had 3 children while overseeing the running of the canteen at the Carrington family factory. She became Company Secretary in 1993.
She joined Abbeyfield Purley Society as a volunteer in 1987, becoming House Chair before becoming Chairman of the society which ran four sheltered houses. During this period she was also Deputy Chairman of the South East Region of Abbeyfield, with the responsibility for training.
Currently Trustee of Abbeyfield Southern Oaks responsible for residents and volunteers.
Stephen Eagle
Hospitality Services
Stephen (Steve), is a Fellow of the Institute of Hospitality and has spent over 40 years in the hospitality industry in positions ranging from chef of a Mexican restaurant in California to running a game reserve.
He spent 14 years running city centre hotels in South Africa and has run catering operations for London Universities with over 12,000 students. He is currently responsible for feeding 1,200 people in 2 Independent Schools and is passionate about customer service and staff development.
Since the pandemic he has volunteered for St John Ambulance administering approximately 5,000 Covid 19 vaccines in a local pharmacy.
Doug Horne
Marketing & Comms
Doug is an experienced marketing and communications professional, with over 25 years’ experience, having held senior marketing and business development roles within the professional services, financial services and technology sectors.
He was treasurer for The Avenue Primary School PTA between 2008 & 2011, a member of the Parent Focus Group at Wallington High School for Girls and has been a judge for the B2B Marketing Awards.
Doug is the trustee responsible for Marketing & Communication at Abbeyfield Southern Oaks.
Dr Andrew Hoy
Resident Welfare & Volunteers
He was a founder member of the St Thomas’ Hospital palliative care team and edited a specialist palliative care journal for several years. He was the medical director of the Princess Alice Hospice for 25 years.
Andrew also servers on the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee (ARAC).
Nigel MacDonald
Strategy & Development
Nigel is a Chartered Accountant and former senior partner of an international accounting firm.
He is Chairman of the Awareness Foundation, a charity concerned with building understanding between faiths.
He served for 11 years on the Board of Coca Cola Hellenic, a FTSE 100 company, and for a similar period before that as a Director of the British Standards Institution.
Nigel was a member of the Monopolies and Merger Commission, and then the Competition Commission, he has advised the government on many accounting and business issues. He is currently Chairman of James Lock & Co Ltd, one of the country’s oldest businesses.
John Mann
Property
John joined Abbeyfield Southern Oaks in 2022 and is the Trustee who oversees matters relating to the Society’s properties.
He has been a senior manager in the Audit Commission, various London local authorities, social housing providers, and consultancies working for the public sector. John has wide-ranging experience of housing management, environmental health, regulatory services, and community safety, and has managed national programmes to introduce new legislation, and assess the performance of local authorities and other public bodies.
Sue Moore
Programme Manager
Sue has a background in Health and Wellbeing, with extensive category management, commercial and change management experience within retail pharmacy.
She worked for Alliance Pharmacy and Boots the Chemists in their retail UK and international businesses for 30 years and for Alliance Healthcare in their wholesale business for 10 years.
Sue founded the Alphega Pharmacy franchise concept in the UK, which has since grown to 1000+ independent retail pharmacy members. Now retired, she continues to advise individual independent pharmacy businesses.
In addition to being a Society Trustee, Sue supports our management reporting and change programmes.
Andy Parsons
Finance
Andy is the Financial Trustee for Abbeyfield Southern Oaks, and has been since 2022.
He is a Certified Accountant has worked extensively in design and branding, providing finance advice and business support for over 20 years to media group companies and standalone SMEs.
He set up an Employee-Owned Trust and acted as one of the inaugural trustees. He has been involved in the negotiation of the sales of majority shareholdings and managed the roll out of the changes to the new beneficiaries.
He was also a member of the Design Business Association mentor scheme, mentoring up and coming finance professionals.
Dr Malcolm Wakerley
Archivist
He became involved with Abbeyfield Epsom some 15 years ago, when his mother became a Resident at the Old House in Ewell. He joined the house committee and soon became House Chairman. Upon joining up with Abbeyfield Cheam to form Nonsuch Abbeyfield he also took on the role as one of the vice-chairs of the enlarged Society.
He has been involved with the Old Schools Lane project from initial negotiations with The Abbeyfield Society to the current day and participates in the development sub group liaising with our partner Epsom Sports Club.
Malcolm also servers on the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee (ARAC).
Graham Walker
Strategy & Development
Graham is a chartered accountant and a former senior partner of an international accounting firm. He was one of the two founding partners of a specialised business consulting practice in the UK, the managing partner of the firm’s new Polish practice in the late 1980’s and a leader in the firm’s development work for schools of the future in the 1990’s.
After retiring from the firm in 2000, he established an independent consulting firm working to transform the effectiveness of state schools in the UK and South Africa. He has been a Trustee of Abbeyfield Southern Oaks (ASO) and one of its predecessor charities since 1975 and chaired ASO from 2003 until 2019 during which time its operating capacity increased from 15 to over 100 residents.
He was the recipient of the Royal Patron’s Award from The Abbeyfield Society in 2021.
