Meet The Team
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​Jayne Hoyle has a background in health care. She studied in Bristol and London to become a Chartered Psychologist and worked in NHS Primary Care in the Southwest of England. She took on the role of Manager at the Project in 2010.

​Rachel Long has a background in teaching and psychotherapy. She has worked in the field of addiction, and most recently with older people (as a charity fundraiser for individuals in need and then for Age UK as a social prescriber). She started working for the project in May 2020 on the helpline as a Project Worker.

​Patrick Winch graduated from Durham University with a degree in Law. Following 7 years in the civil service, he has helped re-open and run a pub, worked and been a Trustee at two community centres, before joining the Project as an Administrator in April 2020.

​Our second Administrator has a background in finance and human resources and has been working at the Project since 2009.

Former staff. In 2021, Roy Jones retired. Roy joined the project in 1995 and showed tireless dedication to the project and his clients. Roy's skills, kindness and expertise will be greatly missed. Roy is enjoying his retirement in Bristol and has been made an honorary lifetime member of the Project.

Our long serving staff member and latterly Board member, Maureen O'Connor, also retired after many decades of service.
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There is some very sad news
Sadly, Ian Singleton passed away on the 2 May 2022. Our thoughts and prayers go to his wife Sue and the family at this sad time. As a founder member of the Project, Ian touched and saved so many lives in his dedication to his work. The project and our clients will remember his empathy, compassion, and kindness in all that he did.

• “He was one of the originals, if it were not for Ian I would not be here today”
• “Terribly sad news, he was a friend and he meant so much to me, I will always remember our times in the group”
• “For three years Ian walked a very dark path with me when I was completely alone. He really was the light that guided me out of despair. I and many hundreds like me will always remember him with heartfelt gratitude”

Trustees​
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Jacquie Jones has been involved with the Project since 1996. She later joined the Committee and in June 2009 was elected as Chairman. Her husband Tom Jones has also generously volunteered his time for many years & his help is enormously appreciated by the Project.  

Polly Matthias is currently a full time Mum and joined the Committee in 2015. Previously a client, after she successfully withdrew from Psychotropic medication, she volunteered in the office before joining the Committee to continue supporting the charity that helped her so much.​

Anthony R Burton MBE retired from his role as a chartered civil and water engineer in 1989. He has campaigned on behalf of mental health sufferers throughout his life and in 2001 was awarded an MBE for “Services to Mentally Disabled people in Stroud, Gloucestershire”. He was guest speaker at the Project’s AGM in 2010 with his talk, “Psychotropic Medicines – What Cost to Carers? - A Personal Story” and became a Trustee in 2011.

Tori Greenhouse worked at the Project until around 2008 and then joined the Committee. She still works in drug and alcohol treatment and lives in Bristol.

​Rose Ashley is a former client of the Project who successfully withdrew from psychotropic medication. She has a background in teaching and currently counsels survivors of sexual abuse for Kinergy in Bristol. Rose re-joined the Project as a Trustee in summer 2022 and will be formally co-opted in at our AGM on Friday 22 October 2022.

And last, but by no means least, Valarie Stevens. She was living in the USA when she suffered severe depression following the birth of her second child. When she returned to England, she set up a helpline from home and some support groups in central Bristol (later based at the Bristol Drugs Project). She then founded the Project in 1984 and successfully gained funding after many attempts. When she left Bristol and the Project in 2010, she joined the Board.