12/03/2026
Itās International Womenās Day week , so it feels only right to make a proper fuss of the brilliant women who make Hopeās Therapy Dogs what it is.
And honestly? Where would we be without them?
Probably under-caffeinated, slightly behind on admin, emotionally unsupported, and being held together with a chewed lead and a prayer.
Tam is a retired headteacher, which means there is very little she hasnāt seen, solved, or sensibly handled before most of us have even finished overthinking it. She brings years of experience with children and people, deep compassion, kindness, and the kind of reliability that makes you want to weep with gratitude. She is an absolute rock in this business.
Becks has qualifications in childrenās mental health, experience with neurodiversity, and the energy of someone who somehow manages to be highly professional, fully capable, enthusiastic, and still open to learning. She throws herself into all things Hopeās Therapy Dogs and does it with warmth, commitment and skill. A powerhouse ā but a lovely one.
Andrea comes with a background in vet nursing, youth work, admin and extensive experience in neurodiversity, which basically means she is wildly overqualified for being this helpful. Looking for a career change, she has already made her mark in both therapy and admin with kindness, compassion and calm competence. Sheās the sort of person you start relying on very quickly.
Ann has only been with us a short time, but with 40 years in teaching and SEND, six grown-up children and even more grandchildren, itās fair to say she has forgotten more about children than most people will ever know. She is already making her mark with the children on our watch and brings such warmth, wisdom and steadiness to the team.
Marion is a retired nurse with a background in palliative care and district nursing. She is also my Mum and Hopeās Grandma, which means she brings both clinical competence and a mother's love. When the business went through a particularly difficult time last year, she stepped up in a huge way, and she has since made a real mark in our corporate and healthcare work.
Together, these women are kind, strong, wise, capable and completely invaluable.
They are the sort of team every leader hopes for and knows they do not deserve.
We would not be who we are without each and every one of them.
Together, we are Hopeās Therapy Dogs ā and truly, we are a team to be reckoned with.
