Meet the Team
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Running TCD doesn't just happen by magic and we have a highly dedicated and qualified team who make all of the community projects we run possible.
Rachel Walmsley
Rachel Walmsley, our charity founder has been offering dance/fitness therapy for over 30 years and has much experience of working with vulnerable groups including severe disabilities, learning disabilities, the elderly and more recently, girls who have experienced Child Sexual Exploitation. Her qualifications include IDTA for a number of dance genres, Paradance, England Athletics Run Leader, First Aid, Mental Health First Aid and ASIST (Assured Suicide Intervention Skills Training). She is also a qualified personal trainer. Rachel also is Leeds Mind Family Postvention Practitioner she works with families in the Kirklees area who have been bereaved by suicide
Bex O'Gorman
Bex O’Gorman, our Safeguarding Lead, has a vast amount of experience of working with vulnerable groups including victims of Child Sexual Exploitation (male and female), social, emotional and behavioural difficulties, substance/alcohol misuse, mental ill health and learning difficulties. Her qualifications include NVQ L3 – Children and Young People, PGCE, Substance Abuse Misuse L3, Mental Health First Aid, ASIST (Assured Suicide Intervention Skills) and she is currently in the third year of a PhD at The University of Huddersfield researching CSE and protecting children from sexual harm.
Elliot Gorman
Hi, I'm Lead Facilitator for Luke’s Lads, I’d like to introduce myself.
My name is Elliot Gorman I am Luke's Lads Well-being facilitator. I have attended and passed the Mental Health First Aid and ASIST courses which will allow me to deliver a service that is beneficial to those attending. For someone like myself, who has experienced mental health issues, this is something I am committed to and passionate about. I hope that by sharing my experience, it will give at least one person the confidence, with support, to confront how they are feeling, not bottle things up and know that it’s Ok not to be OK. We are completely overwhelmed with the support we have received and it has truly confirmed to us that what we are doing is not only right, but absolutely essential.
Liam Crossley
Jake Leatham
Hi, my name is Jake and I am one of the trainers at Lukes Lads. I'm a level 3 personal trainer and have worked in the fitness industry from the age of 17, I have been involved in sports for as long as I can remember. From working in gyms and being involved in sports teams the main thing I took away was 'nobody cares about your feelings' and 'toughen up, men don't cry' and I have to say that this kind of mentality is not acceptable so getting the opportunity to work with lukes lads for me was a no brainer. I love working with new people and helping change this negative mindset towards men and their feelings. Nobody should ever feel alone and that they have nobody to talk to and that's what we are here for.
Liam is one of the PT's for Luke's Lads and has 10 years as nutrition and biomechanics specialist,
He is a level 3 personal trainer and top amateur UK bodybuilder.
I love working with new people all the time. I find it very rewarding to see the progress and success of my clients and others I help coach.'Reasons for joining the Lukes Lads’ team? Honestly, curiosity. Not in the sense to be nosey, more so to know what it mental health feels like to others We are all affected in different ways when it comes to mental health. My curiosity was see what I could personally offer these gents through my profession and life experience.
It is a very rewarding position to be in to these guys progress not only physically but mentally. Truly inspiring for me to see them develop week by week.