Tom Taylor steps down as Chief Executive of Northorpe Hall Child & Family Trust
After fourteen years in post, Tom Taylor is stepping down as Chief Executive of Northorpe Hall Child & Family Trust. The local charity, based at Northorpe Hall in Mirfield, provides mental health support to Kirklees young people and families – helping hundreds of young people every month.
Tom says “I’m proud of all we’ve achieved at Northorpe Hall over the years and that we’re now offering more support to more young people than we’ve ever done before. Through the pandemic we’ve kept services open by using phone and video calls to support young people and their families thanks to a fantastic team of volunteers, trustees, counsellors and staff. They are a fantastic team – skilled and knowledgeable, respectful, caring and flexible in how they work with families. I’ll miss being part of that team.”
Leading a local charity is a demanding role and Tom is looking forward to being able to put his feet up. “I’ve not yet got another role to go to. My plan is to continue to be involved in campaigning and volunteering on environmental issues and to seek part-time work that means I can have more time with my teenagers and wider family.”
The new CEO for the charity is Dipika Kaushal. Dipika is currently leading the third sector support organisation Voluntary & Community (VAC) in Calderdale. Dipika has previously worked for national mental health charity Rethink Mental Illness and is looking forward to starting her new role in September: “I’m delighted to be joining Northorpe Hall Child & Family Trust at this critical time, particularly due to the monumental impact the pandemic has had on the people and communities the charity serves and supports. The Trust is an important, respected and effective charity making a real difference to young people and families lives and I am looking forward to working with the team to continue this great work. ”
The charity has seen a significant rise in requests for support this year with many more young people and families asking for help. Additional funding from the National Lottery and from the Thriving Kirklees partnership will help the charity meet the needs of young people in coming years.
The charity also raises funds by using the beautiful Northorpe Barn for weddings and events. During the week, the barn provides a great space for meetings, group activities and parent support, and then is transformed into a stunning venue for wedding ceremonies and celebrations. All profits from events are donated to the charity.
Northorpe Hall Child & Family Trust trustees express their thanks and appreciation for Tom’s work over the years and wish him all the best – and they give a warm and enthusiastic welcome Dipika as the new CEO.
For more information about the charity, how to get involved and how to access mental health support for Kirklees young people see www.northorpehall.co.uk.