Meet the team

I joined in September 2017 having been CEO of Blood Cancer UK for 10 years and a Director at the Willow Foundation. I joined the charity sector as a volunteer in 1999 following the death of my eight-year-old cousin from leukaemia. I'm on a mission to help improve the lives of families affected by serious illness, ensuring children experience a good childhood despite really challenging circumstances.

I was born on a snowy day in Derbyshire. I still get a child-like excitement when it snows, some of her best memories are of snowball fights, building snowmen and sledging - learning to sledge sitting on my Dad, who would be face down, steering with his feet. He’s in his 80s now, but we still build snowmen when it snows!

I am responsible for overseeing Starlight’s financial strategy, ensuring strong governance, sustainability, and the effective use of resources to support the charity’s mission.

Play is something that everyone can do and enjoy. It's a language that everyone speaks and allows people of all ages to connect and create together.

In the time before computer games, my favourite childhood game was Subbuteo table football. My friends and I were in a local league and we each had our own team names, hand-painted strips, stadiums - even club crests. It might have been play but it was also serious!

I lead Starlight’s work to grow visibility, engagement and funding for our amazing children’s services.

Play, to me, is childhood. And, as such, needs protecting.

As children, play is how we imagine other possibilities and bring them to life. It’s how we make sense of a complicated world. It’s how we discover our own sense of identity and how we deal with that of others.

In my own childhood, play was precious time with my brother and sisters and how Action Man® got together with Barbie® and lived happily ever after in a LEGO® castle.

As a qualified and registered Health Play Specialist, I bring a deep commitment to child-centred healthcare. I also hold a Master’s degree in Transdisciplinary Approaches to Play and Play Work from the University of Gloucestershire, which has further shaped my understanding of play as a vital and transformative force.

After a number of years leading the health play team at Great Ormond Street Hospital, I joined Starlight in 2021. In my current role, I ensure that children’s needs remain at the core of everything we do - from how we design and deliver our services to how we support health professionals working with babies, children and young people. 

To me, play is the spark of creativity and connection that drives everything. As a child, I could most often be found singing, inventing stories, getting gloriously muddy in the park, playing 40-40 home, and laterly ‘hanging about’.

I work to deliver bespoke projects and targeted support with organisations and partners who recognise the significant benefit of playful approaches - helping them make their own healthcare interventions more playful, efficient, and child-centred. 

Play to me means freedom, creativity, and joyfulness for all, irrespective of age or ability.

I grew up in the countryside, and I loved playing out in the fields, dodging livestock and farmers!

I joined Starlight in 2022 as Play Professional Development Manager. Before that I'd worked as a health play specialist and play service manager in a hospital setting for nine years. My role is to support our Health Play Champions which include health play professionals and other healthcare staff as well as developing and facilitating training for the wider multidisciplinary team (MDT). 

To me, play is a powerful tool for learning, exploration, and self-expression. It's for everyone, regardless of age, ability, or interests. Play builds confidence, strengthens relationships, and brings a vital sense of normality and belonging.

I’m Sarah, the Professional Training & Development Manager at Starlight. Before joining the team, I spent 12 brilliant years as a Health Play Specialist in the NHS, where I saw first-hand the difference Starlight’s work makes. I’m passionate about health play and believe play in healthcare is hugely important—and, of course, lots of fun!

To me, play means adventure, silliness, joy and freedom. I’m lucky to have made it part of my career and now get to relive some of my favourite kinds of play with my two children through bike rides, playground adventures, Lego builds and plenty of mess!

I have the amazing job of creating and developing our box services. It’s always rewarding to receive feedback from professionals and children, knowing that our work has helped a child feel less afraid as they undergo procedures.

Play to me means infinite exploration of how we see ourselves and the world around us. If I want to pretend, I’m a space alien visiting another planet or a zoologist I can!

As a child, play for me was recreating my favourite children’s stories and going on adventures, turning the park or my neighbours garden into a new undiscovered planet. I was also a big Wonder Woman fan and used to use my mother’s bright pink dressing gown belt as my ‘lasso of truth’.

I oversee the day-to-day management of our research and evaluation projects, generating insights to evidence the need for and impact of Starlight’s services and of the broader health play sector. 

To me, play is all about imagination and taking yourself away to a different world. 

As a child, I loved to re-enact my favourite TV shows, such as Doctor Who – either with toy characters, or dressing up myself!

I was brought to Starlight through experiences I had with my son in the NHS. I witnessed the therapeutic value of play on his health and overall healthcare experience. It inspired me to work in policy and to play a part in enabling more play for children when they most need it.

Play to me is joy. My first joyful memory is the feeling of freedom while being pushed on a swing by my Grandad.

I collect and analyse data to evaluate the impact of our existing and potential services. I manage our fantastic youth panel to ensure youth voice is at the heart of all aspects of our work.

For me, play is escapism, imagination and joy!

My favourite childhood toy was a rainbow fish toy that I creatively named ‘Rainbow’!

To me, play is losing yourself in the moment without worrying about what others think.

As a child, I loved my Postman Pat set, delivering 'mail' with my sister onour little adventures.

As Policy & Public Affairs Coordinator, I work to ensure the voices of children and families are reflected in health policy and political decision-making. I'm involved with Starlight’s public affairs outreach, engaging MPs, peers, government officials and NHS leaders to highlight the value of therapeutic play and advocate for better support for children in healthcare settings.

To me, play represents happiness, imagination, and adventure. Play allows us to step outside whatever pressures exist in everyday life and express ourselves freely. I remember play helping me to build confidence and create moments of connection.

I transform clicks into contributions and likes into lifetime relationships by convincing and reminding people, on all our digital platforms, of the importance of play and the power of imagination.

At the heart of play, for me, is curiosity and creativity, which are foundational to our existence. As a grown-up, I still find all the joy I did when I was a child in music, bubbles, books, and spontaneous surprise mini-adventures with friends (including furry ones) and family.

I help ensure as many people as possible know about and understand Starlight’s mission.

My strongest play memories involve imaginative play. The settee would become a boat and the floor the sea where sharks would chase us! 

As an adult, helping my own children make a zip line for their soft toys from a bedroom window into the garden and recreating the online game Among Us in real life, both during lockdown, are also particularly memorable!

I support all of our colleagues in their contribution to our culture by being the very best they can be. 

Play means imagination and possibilities with no boundaries or limiting beliefs to me. Anything can be anything! 

As a child, the shower cubicle in the bathroom was an elevator taking me to a magical new land, and the funny tree stump in the garden was my pony!

I build relationships with trusts and foundations, creating compelling proposals and reports to win and grow support for Starlight. Play, to me, means freedom – a way for children to express themselves and feel joy, even in tough times. 

As a kid, I loved playing football, although my mum hated how often I scuffed my school shoes... I’d be out at every break, come rain or shine, kicking a ball until the bell rang!

My role involves managing Starlight’s special events and our wonderful Committees who give their time and effort to make them happen.

For me, play is about exploring new situations, self-expression and joy. As a child, my sister and I would sit behind her bedroom door, point to places on our map of the world book, and shake around pretending our travel machine was taking us there - and then the adventures would begin.

I work with trusts and foundations to secure funding for Starlight’s play services for children in healthcare settings across the UK, focusing on building strong relationships and demonstrating the impact of Starlight’s work.

To me, play is a way to step away from the everyday and spend meaningful time with family and friends, whether through games, puzzles, sport or creative activities.
 

I lead on the creation, development and management of our corporate partnerships, ensuring they are unique, strategic and mutually beneficial. We progress Starlight's purpose, achieve business objectives and have fun!

To me, play is a life force with the power to completely change experiences and relationships. My favourite childhood memories are those when I played alongside my sisters- role play, mud kitchens and games and I love reliving it now with my own children.

I’m a former primary school teacher with six years of experience, including time as an Early Years Lead, so I truly understand how vital play is for children - both educationally and socially. I now work alongside healthcare professionals to champion the role of play in hospitals and healthcare settings, supporting our Champions Network, a community of dedicated play advocates.

I believe play offers children comfort, joy, and a sense of control during difficult times. For me, play has always been rooted in imagination and storytelling. As a child, I loved creating adventures with small-world toys and animal figures. Today, I’m passionate about helping others recognise and celebrate the magic of play.

I manage corporate partnerships, working with businesses to deliver strategic partnerships, employee engagement activity and fundraising initiatives that support Starlight’s mission and partners’ CSR goals.

To me, play represents freedom, joy and the chance to simply be a child. Some of my earliest memories involve creating imaginary classrooms at home, which shaped my belief in the power of play to spark creativity, connection and confidence.
 

I am part of the team that stewards our wonderful supporters' information, making sure we look after it well and that we can use it to help us engage with them in a way that is inspiring, timely, and informative!

Play for me is about using your imagination, making up stories and different worlds. I have wonderful memories of my gang of soft toys, ably led by Blue Bear, and all the great adventures we had!

I look after Starlight's individual supporters who make our work possible through their generous donations and gifts in wills.

For me, play is a way to connect with others through fun and shared experiences. Some of my favourite childhood memories of play include being out in the cul-de-sac with my big brother and the other kids on the street. These days, I’m more into playing board games, pool and darts. I’m quite competitive!

I look after people who are fundraising for us; whether they’re organising a bake sale or running a marathon, I make sure they have a great time raising as much as they can.

Play to me is connection and fun. As a child I loved playing boardgames with my brothers. As an adult, family games nights bring us together for quality time, and some fun competition.

I help to look after information about our people, services, and fundraising, all of which is needed to understand our situation and inform our decision-making. 

As a child, my favourite way to play was through telling stories, inventing epic adventures and imaginary worlds - and that has carried through into my adult life. 

Play is vital to me, along with the creativity, freedom and community that goes with it!

The purpose of my role is to deliver activities in the hope of engaging, both existing and new supporters by demonstrating the real impact of our work.

For me, play is about making memories and building connections with others. When I was younger, I loved being outdoors; either on my roller-skates or making dens in the local woods with friends.

I look after Starlight’s day-to-day finances, from management accounts and payroll to our finance system. I work with colleagues across the charity to try and make the numbers feel clear and friendly. 

Play for me is how we connect. It brings people together and lets us step into a different world for a while, to switch off, recharge and simply enjoy the moment.

I help look after Starlight’s supporters and make sure their donations are processed smoothly. I work closely with our Supporter Care Administrator and teams across fundraising, finance and data to make sure our supporters feel valued and their generosity helps make a difference to seriously ill children.

Play means doing something fun or creative that helps me take my mind off boring or stressful things. My favourite play memories are being with friends, making dens and role playing with toys.

I assist with the delivery of excellent supporter care across all areas of fundraising, processing donations and providing general administrative assistance across the team. I work closely with the Supporter Care Coordinator to ensure supporters feel valued and appreciated, and help to answer their queries. 

My favorite play memory would be dancing in my grandparents' living room with my grandad and sister to our cartoon karaoke DVD. We would dance and jump around for ages, only stopping when us kids had enough or dinner was ready. Looking back on it now grandad definitely deserved a medal for his effort!