Meet the team
We’re proud to have a dedicated and talented team of staff with one shared goal - to bring life-enhancing social connections to older people and volunteers in Wokingham Borough. We’ve seen thousands of lives transformed with friendship and community, and we love what we do!
Marjie Walker
CEO
Marjie Walker
Tel: 0118 9798019 | Email: marjie@linkvisiting.org
Since 2007, I have had the privilege of leading The Link Visiting Scheme, transforming it from a small community project into a thriving medium-sized charity. My journey began in nursing, where I developed a deep passion for helping others. This passion led me to the third sector, where I have been inspired by the incredible stories of the older people we serve and the dedication of our volunteers. Under my leadership, The Link Visiting Scheme has grown significantly, impacting countless lives and fostering a strong sense of community.
Karan Pollard
Core Services Manager
Tel: 07551 227 751
Email: karan.pollard@linkvisiting.org
I joined the Link in 2019 having come most recently from a financial services background. Previously, I worked for 12 years as a parish administrator for a local church. This was a role I loved as I was involved with various volunteer groups and charities supporting local projects and I am very happy to return to a community-based charity such as the Link.
Clare Randell
Activities and Projects Manager
Tel: 07551 411813
Email: clare.randell@linkvisiting.org
I began working for the Link in 2020 after being a volunteer befriender and part of the Community Kitchen team for several years. My role involves assessing new Link Friends and I also work on projects such as the Friendship Groups, Link to Nature and Link Online. I worked in financial services for 14 years and Make-A-Wish UK for 3 years; it was my volunteer work with the Link that motivated me to move into the charity sector.
Liz McDaniel
Senior Fundraising Manager
Tel: 07778 072843
Email: Liz.mcdaniel@linkvisiting.org
I have been working in the voluntary sector for over 20 years for various local causes I feel passionately about. Having seen the vital support given by LVS throughout the pandemic, and the rapid growth of the charity, I was excited to join the team in August 2022 as their first dedicated fundraiser. As a Wokingham resident I want to use my skills to help ensure that everyone in the community feels supported to build friendships and feel less alone!
Jayne Streak
Friendship Alliance Project Manager
Tel: 07464834949
Email: jayne@linkvisiting.org
The ambition when beginning with The Link Visiting Scheme in March 2020 was to work together with our Friendship Alliance network of charities and identify and promote friendly community groups, clubs and organisations and to set up a Friendship Café network. We are happy to say that we have seen the community open up again and I’ve now been able to put together a full calendar to make sure everyone has somewhere to go every day of the week if they would like to see a friendly face. Click here to find out more >>
Beth Holdway
Ashley Kelvey
Lorraine Irwin
Lucy Flann
Lydia Pugh
Charlotte Stacey
Kate Austin
Fiona Rycraft
Isabel Noone
Mandi Eagle
Margaret Wheeler
Fiona Wright
Megan Winter
Communications and Marketing Specialist
Email: mewfreelance@outlook.com
Stuart Tayler
Nikki Thomas
Pam Forsythe
Our trustees
John Mallaghan, Chair
After a long career with large global corporations, and 15 years as an independent management consultant helping local and central government, I felt retirement was an opportunity to give something back. Social isolation was the area I wanted to help – and in late 2013 I discovered a tiny local charity with just that focus! I started volunteering for The Link in early 2014, and it’s been a real joy to watch the charity grow, helping where I could along the way, becoming a trustee in 2018 and now chairing the trustee team.
It is a privilege to be a part of such a fantastic local charity helping so many of the most vulnerable play an active part in the community again. I am passionate about helping The Link transform lives through friendship. As chair, that means ensuring staff are fully supported and that trustees represent the charity effectively in the community. I love actively helping with our services, visiting my two Link Friends, and just seeing the smiles and hearing the laughter this great charity spreads around the community.
Tony Sweet, Finance Trustee
After university I joined PwC where I qualified as a chartered accountant and subsequently became a partner. I left in 2002 and became finance director of a quoted software business, based in the UK but with significant operations in Europe. After a few years I moved to a UK listed investment company as finance director, where I was involved in buying and selling investments as well as all aspects of the company’s finances. When I retired in 2018, after a career of 40 years in finance, I was keen to volunteer with organisations who would use the skills I had gained during my career. I was delighted to join the trustees of The Link with its impressive record of growth reflecting not only the increasing demand for its services but also its success in delivering those services in the Wokingham community. I look forward to working with my fellow trustees and Link colleagues as we build on these recent successes.
Laura Mitchell, Trustee
I am an experienced charity sector professional with a background in both national and small charities as a senior manager, CEO, trustee and volunteer. I have worked across many areas including grant-making, armed forces, disability, single-parent families, employability, and social isolation. I am currently working as CEO of a local disability charity and as a Strategic Applicant Consultant for The Fore. I have a degree in French, German and Russian.
Gayle Manicom, Trustee
I am a communications specialist and I have spent the vast majority of my career working in the public sector including local government, the police and the NHS. I live in Wokingham Borough and I am proud to have been a Link volunteer since 2014. As part of my volunteering role I currently run the Jigsaw Club, where jigsaws are delivered to and collected from our Link Friends.
Kuldip Athwal, Trustee
I took early retirement in 2015 having worked for nearly 40 years mostly in various senior and strategic roles with large corporations in the telecoms industry, and always wanted to make use of the skills and experience from my working life to make some positive contribution to our community through voluntary work. My subsequent travel, family and social commitments didn’t leave any free time for this, so in 2021 I decided to actively set aside some time for voluntary work in the local community.
I love meeting and getting to know new people so The Link Visiting Scheme was an ideal charity that I could make a positive contribution with and at the same time get to make connection with the broader community. I am really enjoying my involvement both as a Link Friend and with Link Online and playing my small part in helping elderly and lonely members get actively involved in the community.
As a trustee, I can further use my knowledge and experience, of working with and guiding people from different backgrounds, to help with the strategic direction, growth and contribution of LVS.