Our people

Our team

Diane Morton

Director

Diane founded Wag & Company in 2015.

Leanne Dodd

Visiting Services Lead

Leanne specialises in home placements and she also leads our other applicant,volunteer and placement support activities. Leanne…

Jackie Handley

Visiting Services Advisor

Jackie works in our Visiting Services team supporting our applicants, volunteers and placements. Jackie has two grown…

Jo Jobling

Senior Administrator/Visiting Services Advisor

Jo supports our applicants, volunteers and placements but she also co-ordinates our events, supports our fundraisers and…

Diana Spence

Visiting Services Advisor

Diana supports all our applicants, volunteers and placements as we continue to grow across the region. Diana…

Penny Bland

Grants & Projects Lead

Penny leads our work on fundraising grants and a number of performance improvement projects; she works remotely…

Nicky Jeffrey

Finance Manager

Nicky manages our finances part time and she is also a Wag volunteer, visiting a lady in…

Our Patron

Her Grace, The Duchess of Northumberland, became our Patron in 2018.

Best known for redeveloping The Alnwick Garden, the Duchess of Northumberland has served as Lord Lieutenant of Northumberland since 2009. An avid dog lover, the Duchess has also been key to the development of the Elderberries Programme at Alnwick, a social project bringing people together to socialise and build friendships.

Her Grace told us:

“Being a lover of dogs, I understand and appreciate how they can enhance life for their owners and elderly friends. Loneliness is a killer and if dogs can help to address this scourge of the 21st century then I am fully supportive and I am honoured to be a Patron of such a worthy initiative.”

Our trustee board

Diane Morton

Chair & Operations Director

Chair & Operations Director, Diane, retired in 2010 from her role as Group HR Director for Northumbrian…

Alison Hall

Director and Company Secretary

Alison is a solicitor working for Hay & Kilner in Newcastle.

Doug Morton

Risk Director

Doug’s career began in 1976 as an engineering apprentice in the public sector

Suzanne Tait

Finance Director, Trustee

Suzanne Tait is Finance Director of BW Medical Accountants Limited, a Newcastle based specialist accountancy, tax and…

Sean Churchill

Trustee-Director

Sean Churchill is Regional Sales Manager for Arco Ltd, has worked for Arco since 1984 and has…

Mike Madine

Trustee-Director

Mike Madine is Head of Wastewater Service Planning, Quality and Performance at NWL, based at Head Office…

Sophie Carvin

Trustee Director

I’ve always been motivated by making a difference to people. I’m Founder and Principal Coach at Deror,…

Richard Blackett

Member

I have worked in the financial planning industry since I left University with a BSc (Hons) in…

John Mowbray

Chair University of Sunderland Board of Governors

John Mowbray OBE is Chairman of the University of Sunderland’s Board of Governors and Co-Chairman of the North East Cultural Partnership.

James Ramsbotham

Chief Executive, North East of England Chamber of Commerce

As Chief Executive of The Chamber, James heads up the region’s biggest business group and leads campaigns for businesses as well as providing support services, including training and global trade advice for its 4,000-plus members.