Meet The Team
Phil Roberts
Certified Mental Health First Aider with MHFA England
Adverse Childhood Experiences Awareness Training Course (ACE's) - CPD Certified
Covid-19 Psychological First Aider (PFA) – Public Health England
Zero Suicide Alliance Training - Zero Suicide Alliance
Phil founded JourneyMEN which launched on 7 April 2020.
Phil is JourneyMEN's First Responder and delivers our day to day services.
Phil was former Merseyside PCSO for over 17 years, Phil was part of the joined up Early Help Team on Wirral and saw first-hand the devastation of depression and mental health issues affecting men in particular.He dealt with many incidents of attempted suicides and tragically several deaths by suicide - which led him to establish a community organisation to save lives.
“From working in the police over many years, I knew that male mental health and suicide was an urgent issue. Many men were not able to gain timely access to the support they needed from overstretched health services. That’s where the idea of JourneyMEN came from. We aim to better link up the crucial support and provide a safe space for men to access that support. I know we can make a difference.”
Since then Phil has collaborated with professionals and organisations across the region to help join up provision for men and to bridge the gaps across the many different services, which gave rise to establishing JourneyMEN, launched on 7 April 2020, World Health Day.
Phil is one of JourneyMEN CIC 's registered directors.
Des Turnbull
Certified Mental Health First Aider with MHFA England
Zero Suicide Alliance Training - Zero Suicide Alliance
Des originally came to JourneyMEN as a client. After surgery on his spine 3 years ago, he has been left in pain and awaiting further spinal surgery. Due to this, he found himself socially isolated and withdrawn from society, becoming quiet and reserved.
After engaging with the team at JourneyMEN on the Walk and Talk and Sea Fishing events over a number of weeks, Des felt he was ready to volunteer for JourneyMEN. Discovering a mutual passion for sea fishing, he now is our lead for future fishing events.
He feels he has now completed his journey with us, now giving something back by and helping change other men’s lives in the way JourneyMEN has changed his.
Paul Heller
Certified Mental Health First Aider with MHFA England
Adverse Childhood Experiences Awareness Training Course (ACE's) - CPD Certified
Covid-19 Psychological First Aider (PFA) – Public Health
England Suicide First Aider -
Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)
Mental Health Support Officer
Paul began working with JourneyMEN when he joined us back in June 2020 as one of our men, whom we supported to overcome personal struggles with mental health. Having engaged with our services, Paul felt ready to join our voluntary team and hasn’t looked back since.
Paul now joins us full-time as our Mental Health Support Officer, after having worked for the North West Ambulance Service for the last 24 years, a new challenge he is keen to take on.
During his time at the North West Ambulance Service, Paul regularly put into practise his sensitive and caring nature to support patients in crises, bringing valuable experience to our organisation.
These life experiences have helped to strengthen Paul’s resolve, giving him the tools and information which he is always willing to share with others.
Peter Davies
Counsellor registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. (BACP)
Certified Mental Health First Aider with MHFA England
Peter is a Counsellor registered with the British
Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. (BACP)
Covid-19 Psychological First Aider (PFA) – Public Health England
Wirral born and bred, much of Pete’s career has been spent in the voluntary/charitable sector. He has held substantial management posts in the fields of homelessness, serious offending, corporate management and mental health, and holds a university level qualification in managing not for profit organisations.
Additionally, Pete is a qualified counsellor, using both person centred and psychodynamic strategies and interventions, and has worked with many diverse and complex individuals from street homeless individuals, perpetrators and victims of crime, to professional people in both the public and private sectors. Pete is an active and practicing member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. (BACP), and adheres to their Ethical Framework.
His philosophy is that everyone encounters up’s and down’s in life; all of us experience trauma or vicarious trauma, and that all of us have a right to be treated with dignity and respect whatever our circumstances. He recognises that every counselling client is on their own journey as they navigate their way throughout life, and that our physical and mental health is inextricably linked.
Any of us can suffer some form of mental health deterioration at any time, whether triggered by current circumstances, or historic and painful events re-surfacing, that can threaten our very existence, and perhaps impact on others around us. He also recognises that mental health issues are a significant issue within the criminal justice system. His working experiences have also included working with sectioning’s, suicide ideation, self harm and addictions.
He says “I strive for innovative practice, and believe that giving someone time to talk, and make sense of their life in a calm and welcoming environment, can assist them to see themselves, their life, and their future does have meaning, and validation. Being a man is more than simply about being “macho “ ; men often bottle things up, choosing to internalise their individual demons, without realising help, and support is available for them; this is where Journeymen have a significant and unique role to play in Wirral society.”
Additionally, Pete is well travelled, and understands the value of cultural diversity within society; he has twice spent time living with a local family in Nairobi, Kenya.
Joyce Pooley
BSc (Hons) Substance Use Studies - University of Wales
Certified Mental Health First Aider with MHFA England
Adverse Childhood Experiences Awareness Training Course (ACE's) - CPD Certified
Covid-19 Psychological First Aider (PFA) – Public Health England
Joyce is our Stake Holder Manager and 20 years’ worth of experience behind her, having developed a background working for substance misuse services on the Wirral.
She is a degree-qualified Substance Misuse Practitioner and qualified life coach.
Joy has always recognised the lack of mental health support services for men on the Wirral and hopes that her volunteering with the JourneyMen will help to readdress that disparity.
Joy’s work experience ranges from residential rehabilitation supporting residents through their drug/alcohol detoxes with psychosocial interventions to assisting residents to move towards their chosen independent lives.
Joy was employed by the flagship NHS Wirral Drug and Alcohol Service as a substance misuse practitioner for twelve years providing recovery orientated substance misuse treatment to clients and support for their families.
The Wirral Drug and Alcohol Service enabled Joy to link into the various Wirral services including homeless hostels, criminal justice services, GP shared care services, aftercare services and other various treatment provision to support clients.
Trish Murphy
Sc (Hons) Criminology and Sociology - University of Liverpool
Certified Mental Health First Aider with MHFA England
Adverse Childhood Experiences Awareness Training Course (ACE's) - CPD Certified
Zero Suicide Alliance Training - Zero Suicide Alliance
Before joining JourneyMEN, Trish studied an honorary degree in Criminology and Sociology at the University of Liverpool, with an interest in the rehabilitation of offenders and early intervention.
Having previously experienced and overcome her own mental health challenges, with help from Talk Together Wirral, Trish is keen to give something back and support the work of JourneyMEN and men’s mental health in our community.
With prior experience looking after her mother-in-law for seven years due to vascular dementia, Trish decided to put her career on hold – showing a commitment to helping others and supporting vulnerable people.
Leon Choi
Certified Mental Health First Aider with MHFA England
Adverse Childhood Experiences Awareness Training Course (ACE's) - CPD Certified
Covid-19 Psychological First Aider (PFA) – Public Health England
Zero Suicide Alliance Training - Zero Suicide Alliance
Leon founded JourneyMEN which launched on 7 April 2020.
Leon supports JourneyMEN's day to day services.
For three decades, Leon has helped to partner the business, charity and government sectors to plug gaps in social provision. He spent 25 years in business initially working for Dame Anita Roddick in the 1990s.
He is a former CEO of P&L Communications and previously Director at WPP’s Burson-Marsteller, where he pioneered corporate social responsibility programmes in London, Tokyo, Shanghai and Hong Kong. Leon has also held senior management positions with national charities where he first encountered issues around mental health crises.
He remains actively involved within the wider charity world and sight loss charities in particular.
Born in 1960s Toxteth, Liverpool, Leon maintains close ties with Merseyside.
Leon is one of JourneyMEN CIC 's registered directors.
Dave Warren
Zero Suicide Alliance Training - Zero Suicide Alliance
Dave founded JourneyMEN which launched on 7 April 2020.
Dave runs JourneyMEN's event programme.
Born in Wilmslow Cheshire, Dave was a Firefighter with Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service for 32 years. During that time he was stationed throughout Wirral including Upton, Heswall, Wallasey and the very busy Birkenhead operation. It was as a frontline firefighter that Dave experienced the importance of looking after mental health.
He says: “I learnt back then that it is crucial to openly talk about serious issues. On my Watch I would make sure we all sat around the mess table and talked after we returned from the more devastating scenes we were called to.”
Dave’s compassion is legendary amongst colleagues who witnessed him resuscitating a dog after he found it trapped unconscious during one call out.
Upon his retirement from the fire service until last year, Dave volunteered as a Police Community Volunteer (PCV) and regularly patrolled with Phil Roberts on a range of tasks including road safety, anti-social behaviour and mental health issues. Dave also volunteers as a narrowboat skipper with YMCA Wirral where he takes out groups with different needs on Cheshire's canals. Dave brings his narrowboat skills to JourneyMEN both in leading its own narrowboat excursions as well as supporting the off site counseling that takes place aboard a specially designed narrowboat.
Dave is one of JourneyMEN CIC 's registered directors.
Kerry Bibby
FMAAT, ACMA CGMA – Finance Director of JourneyMEN & Managing Director at KLB Financial Management Ltd
Kerry has almost 20 years' experience working in finance for large organisations within the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. Organisations include, Halton Borough Council, University of Liverpool, National Museums Liverpool and more recently Brothers of Charity Services (BOCS).Kerry joined BOCS back in 2017 to head the finance department and support all business activities within the Merseyside and Greater Manchester regions. She has over 7 years’ experience in senior leadership roles offering both financial and strategic advice. As an AAT Fellow Member and CIMA Chartered Associate Kerry set up her own practice, KLB Financial Management Ltd back in 2018.
Primarily to help organisation like JourneyMEN CIC meet their statutory obligations. But just as importantly offer strategic advice and support. In 2019 Kerry joined the Board of Trustees of the Catalyst Science Discovery Centre & Museum. Her role as Finance Trustee allows her to support the local community by offering advice on compliance, governance, risk management and sustainability. Kerry says "KLB Financial Management Ltd is passionate about making a positive difference to people's lives and believe it or not we can still do that working in finance.
We may not deliver front line services directly but we most definitely take pride in supporting those that do. Working within the not-for profit sector is highly rewarding and putting the person at the centre of what we do makes us extremely proud. We are delighted to be able to support JourneyMEN CIC in the way that we do".