Team Bolton Together

Staff Members

Louise McDade

Chief Executive Officer

Louise has 20 years’ experience in the community and voluntary sector and joined Bolton Together as The Strategic Lead in August 2020. Louise is passionate about collaboration and co-design and delivering person-centred services for Bolton residents.

Prior to this role Louise worked for Bolton CVS for 11 years leading on several health, engagement and inclusion programmes and held a secondment with Bolton NHS Foundation Trust striving towards increasing understanding and awareness of the fantastic voluntary sector offer in Bolton.

Louise has vast experience in project management, partnership work, strategic representation and co-designing services with a range of statutory and voluntary sector partners and those accessing support.

Louise is a Trustee for Senior Solutions and a proud Mum of two teenage boys and Poppy the Cavapoo.

Marc Webber

IThrive Hub Co-Ordinator

Hi, I’m Marc and I am a recent graduate of Manchester Metropolitan University having completed an MSc in Psychology, achieving an Equality and Diversity Award recognition for my research into same-sex adopters. Prior to this, I worked as a Coach for the last 6 years and as a Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead for the last 2, supporting young people and adults through their qualification journey as well as supporting their mental health and well-being.

Within the community, I support the work of a local and a regional adoption agency, sitting on their adoption panels, and have become an adoption mentor to prospective adopters.

I am also the dad to a previously looked after child which has given me great insight into the challenges faced by children and their families who experience adverse childhood experiences.

Katrina Fletcher 

Programme Manager: Children and Families

Hi, I’m Katrina. I’m a graduate of the University of Bolton, having completed an MA in Applied and Community Arts with Distinction. I have collaborated with communities and Voluntary and Social Enterprises for twelve years to improve outcomes for children and families. I’ve project managed and directed many projects, including working with young people to raise awareness of Child Criminal Exploitation in schools, designing and delivering consultation projects, and coordinating wellbeing initiatives for children. 

Hollie English

Mental Health Project Officer 

Hi, I’m Hollie, a graduate of Manchester Metropolitan University with an MSc in Health Psychology. I have previously worked in an early intervention service as an assistant psychologist, providing support for 5-12 year olds and their families on a group and individual basis. This was mainly based around low mood, anxiety and neurodiversity, helping young people to recognise their feelings and learn strategies to help them.

 I have also been involved with supporting projects helping to reunite families who have been separated. Prior to my mental health roles I worked in event management, organising and assisting in the running of medical events throughout the UK for healthcare professionals.

Board of Trustees

Lindsey Darley – Chair of the Trustees

Lindsey is Director of Transformation and Delivery at Bury Local Care Organisation, a partnership of seven organisations including NHS Trusts, primary care, voluntary sector and social care. Since starting out as an Occupational Therapist she has worked in a variety of fields including mental health and social care before specialising in community health services. She is particularly passionate about the benefits integrated care across different sectors can bring to people and their families.

In her current role, Lindsey works to develop and deliver big programmes of change across partner organisations in areas such as integrated neighbourhood teams, palliative and end of life care, and hospital and community based urgent care. In addition, she is responsible for developing the workforce strategy for integrated care. Using improvement methods and co-producing work with staff groups and people and their families is a key part of her approach to her work, and this has resulted in Lindsey being an AQUA Improvement Fellow and presenting her work at national conferences.

Lindsey is a mum to twins born prematurely which gives her insight into the ongoing challenges faced by families experiencing the need to access services. Her spare time is spent walking her dog in the local countryside.

Neil Hutchinson – Vice Chair

Neil is the Managing Director of Bolton Middlebrook Leisure Trust who operate Bolton Arena and run various community and school programmes in Bolton. They are also a regional tennis development centre for the Lawn Tennis Association. A large part of what they do is working with young people and families in grassroot sports alongside wellbeing projects and supporting activities to improve mental health.

The Leisure trust is working hard alongside Bolton Council to provide more opportunities for young people to access sport and leisure across Bolton

Neil has worked in the leisure industry for over 30 years in both local authority and charity organisations and has extensive experience in working with children, younger people, families and hard to reach populations.

Having two teenage girls he is passionate about fitness and wellbeing and knows what a challenge it is to keep young people engaged and interested in health and wellbeing.

He also spends his time fell running, playing squash and generally keeping fit.

Gill Smallwood – Trustee

Gill worked in education for 28 years and moved into the voluntary sector 9 years ago and now works as Chief Executive for Fortalice, Gill is passionate about her work in this sector.

Gill is a founding Director of 1Point, an organisation providing a gateway to talking therapies, a Director of Bolton Together and a Director for Fresh as a Daisy.

Gill is still heavily involved in education and is a Governor for a primary and secondary school in Bolton. Being involved in a diverse range of partnership working and sitting on Boards gives Gill an opportunity to help shape local and national policies on domestic abuse, education and safeguarding. Gill has been instrumental in leading and developing a range of accredited domestic abuse training which will be delivered locally and nationally.

Gill likes to give something back, so still does some voluntary counselling sessions and clinical supervisions to ensure she is up to date with current practice and is able to help others when needed. In the spare time Gill has, she loves spending time with her family and friends and is always up for a challenge.

Beverley Matta – Trustee

Bev has worked as a doctor in Bolton for over 10 years. Having completed her training at Royal Bolton Hospital she has been a GP partner in Westhoughton for the past 7 years. Over the past 3 years, she has been involved in neighbourhood working and more recently has been appointed as Westhoughton’s clinical director. This role involves oversight of contractual requirements for 30,000 patients and coordination of the large extended multidisciplinary workforce.

Being a clinical director has helped foster improved relationships across primary care in Bolton. Bev has a passion for integration and improved communication across all parts of the health and care systems. 12 months ago she was elected as a member of the board on Bolton’s integrated care partnership.

These portfolio roles give her good insight into the challenges faced by adults and children across Bolton as well as an appreciation for the work done by so many of the professionals involved in their care. As a mum of twin girls, she is kept very busy and likes to relax by baking, running and spending time with friends and family.

Martin Needham – Trustee

After 15 years working in FMCG across Europe and another 13 years within the construction industry, it wasn’t until I started working in the charitable sector that I understood what job satisfaction meant.

From the start of the pandemic to 2024, I ran a small charity helping young people who presented as LGBTQI+ or who lived with neurodivergent issues; this changed how I look at the world. and although I have stepped away from the charity, I still look to help my community and give something back.

By working as a Trustee & Board member for Bolton Together, I am able to continue to support the amazing projects and community groups that work together to build a better tomorrow

Emma Hutchinson – Trustee

My name is Emma Hutchinson, I am the CEO of Bolton Lads & Girls Club established 135 years ago to provide positive activities and safe spaces for young people in Bolton and the surrounding areas. I have 22 years experience of working across the public and third sectors providing services and opportunities for children, young people and their families. Many of these delivered in partnership with other like-minded organisations. 12 of my 22 years have been within Senior Leadership roles.

BLGC’s vision is to ensure that every young person in Bolton has the opportunity to be the best that they can be. Our mission is to provide great places to go, positive things to do and people that care. Our values are:

Driven – we are focused, we don’t give up and we do whatever it takes
Caring – genuine people make the difference, you cannot pay people to care
Exellence – We aim to deliver the highest standards of service and continuously improve improve through robust quality assurance and innovation
Empowering – we enable people to be the best they can be and go above and beyond conventional limits
Fun – If you enjoy what you do, you do it better! Work is serious and we do it with a smile on our face

By working as a Trustee & Board member for Bolton Together, I am able to continue to support the amazing projects and community groups that work together to build a better tomorrow

Phil McFarlane – Trustee

Phil is a Network Investment Planning Manager at Electricity North West where he is responsible for understanding the long term needs of the network and ensuring that funding is available to deliver a reliable and resilient electricity network for the people of the North West. It is his role to work with stakeholders, engineers, finance staff and regulation experts to develop the business plan which is submitted to the economic regulator, Ofgem, for approval at periodic price reviews.

Phil leads for Electricity North West on the strategy to adapt to the changing climate, working at a national level to agree strategies to ensure that electricity continues to flow as the climate changes. Outside work Phil’s main focus is his wife, three children and two grandchildren, but he still finds time to watch Bolton Wanderers, play five-a-side and crown green bowling.