Meet the Phoenix Team

Founder of Phoenix Support in 1988, Lorna now serves as a Trustee, guiding quality, safeguarding, and co-production across the organisation. She set the culture we live by: treat people with dignity, offer the right support at the right time, build community, and involve people in every decision about their care. Lorna supported our move to employee ownership, keeping accountability and long-term stability at the centre of what we do. Outside work, she enjoys classic cinema, reading, and looking after her chickens.

Michelle is a finance professional with 40+ years’ experience across legal services, manufacturing, import/export, engineering, veterinary practices, and health. As a Trustee, she focuses on strong governance, clear reporting, and decisions that put people first. Outside work, she spends time with her grandchildren, reads crime novels, and enjoys the countryside.

Brendan serves as a Trustee and Consultant, chairing business improvement and digital transformation. He’s been involved with Phoenix Support his whole life starting in office admin at 14 then earned a Business Management degree (high 2:1) before returning to drive change. His focus is practical: streamline processes, modernise tools, and turn data into clear decisions, so services stay safe, efficient, and genuinely person-led. 

As Employee Representative Trustee, Laurence draws on 25+ years in care and six years as Phoenix’s General Manager. He focuses on sustainable growth—working with local commissioners, managing contracts and tenders, and turning service needs into clear, deliverable proposals. On the Board he champions staff voice and keeps our values—dignity, choice, inclusion, and community—at the centre of decision-making.

Samantha Read is a General Manager at Phoenix Support with over 19 years’ experience spanning support work, supervision, coordination, training, and leadership. Joining in 2025, she leads domiciliary services, oversees assessments and regular care reviews, and develops teams to provide consistent, person-led support. Her focus is simple: clear standards, safe practice, and involving people in every decision about their lives so the right support is in place at the right time.

Bex joined Phoenix Support in 2015 and is now the Nominated Individual and joint General Manager. With over two decades’ experience across learning disability, mental health, counselling, and services for people facing substance use and wellbeing challenges, she focuses on safe practice, clear standards, and inclusive teams. Bex oversees home care services and makes decisions person-led, valuing strengths, celebrating progress, and promoting choice, independence, belonging, and voice.