meet the team

  • Beckie has been a Speech and Language Therapist within the NHS for 10 years alongside her more recent private therapy.

    She has a specialism in fluency and has also undergone training in situational mutism.

    Alongside this Beckie has 12 years experience working with children with Down Syndrome and has qualifications in Makaton and BSL.

    Beckie loves her career, no two days are the same and no two children are the same. Beckie’s flexible approach ensures that each child receives a therapy programme tailored to their individual needs.

    Outside of work Beckie has her hands full with her two daughters and can often be found in soft play, or going for long walks attempting to wear them out. Family days out are one of her favourite things to do, especially adventures in the forest or fun at the seaside.

  • Kara qualified in Speech & Language Therapy in 2017. Before this, she was a carer for a toddler with complex needs and worked as a speech therapy assistant for a company specialising in therapy over the computer (so she was ahead and ready for the covid days!).

    She specialised in Autism and language disorder in 2019, going on to redesign and coordinate the Neurodevelopmental pathway for a local North East NHS Speech and Language Therapy Department.

    She currently works with teenagers with complex trauma, one of my teenagers recently described her as "quirky but quality" which she loves.

    Outside of being a speech and language therapist, Kara loves music. She is an avid record collector and loves going to gigs and festivals. She has two dogs and is absolutely wrapped around their little paws. When she’s not working, you'll catch her watching something Louis Theroux related or arranging a holiday.

  • Joanne is our Admininstrative Assistant who takes hold of all our new referrals, allocating families to our Therapists and making sure the team is effecient and organised whilst allowing us to support our families and schools.

    Beside being our Administrative Assistant, Joanne is a mummy to Alice and William. She loves the outdoors and can be found going on family bike rides or camping with her children and husband.

    She also has another exciting and special role as a Hartbeeps imaginator and adores singing, performing and making the families in her classes smile and laugh.

  • Charley graduated as a Speech and Language Therapist from Newcastle University in 2014. She has recently relocated back to North Yorkshire after spending 8 years living and working in London.

    Charley is experienced in working with children with a range of speech, language and communicate difficulties, including ASD and Developmental Language Disorder. She has had additional training and developed a specialism in working with children with Speech Sound Disorders, Deaf children and children with Down's Syndrome. Charley has qualifications in British Sign Language, Makaton, Cued Speech and PECS. She is also experienced in using approaches such as Colourful Semantics, Shape Coding, the Nuffield Dyspraxia Programme and Lego Therapy.

    In her spare time Charley is a mammy to her baby girl, writes and illustrates children's stories and loves running!

  • Anna qualified as a Speech and Language Therapist in 2010. She has worked in the NHS in the North East since this point and continues to do so in a part time capacity.

    Anna has experience of working with children with a wide range of communication needs, from preschool through to secondary school age. In 2017, she specialised in working with children with Speech Sound Disorders and has since gained a wealth of knowledge and experience in this area. Anna enjoys working closely with parents and teaching staff and finds great satisfaction in seeing children make progress and grow in confidence in their talking!

    Outside of work, Anna is a mum to 3 primary aged children.  She enjoys time in the outdoors, gardening and spending time with good friends.

  • Fiona graduated Newcastle University in 2019 with a distinction in MSc Language Pathology. Since then she has worked for the NHS in a range of specialist schools working with children with a wide range of speech, language and communication needs.

    Working in the specialist school environment has helped Fiona discover a passion for AAC and total communication.

    Speech is another passion of Fiona’ and she loves playing detective to figure out what processes are going on and how to best support the development of these sounds.

    She has additionally been working as part of a specialist Autism second opinion assessment service since July this year and she is completing her ADOS training to further develop her diagnostic knowledge and skills. Fiona loves being able to help parents find answers to their questions and supporting them through this.

    Outside of work, Fiona is recently engaged and saving for a wedding in August 2025. 💍 She loves going on long walks and has completed lots of the UK mountains such as Scafell Pike- Snowdon is next on the list!

  • Ruth graduated from Newcastle University in 2002 and works for the NHS as well as privately.

    She has a wealth of experience working with children and young people with a wide range of speech, language and communication difficulties including those with a learning disability and Autism.

    Her specialist area of interest is Augmentative and Alternative communication (AAC) and she is passionate about helping children and young people to communicate successfully as communication is fundamental to all aspects of life.

    She enjoys working closely with parents/carers and other key people in a child's life so they are able to support their child in the best way possible.

    If all that doesn't keep her busy she is mum to three children, who keep her on her toes! She enjoys spending time with her family and is always planning their next holiday!

    If she manages get any spare time she loves to run catch up with friends and bake!

    Ruth will be supporting families further North in Hexham, Corbridge, Prudhoe, Stocksfield and surrounding areas.

  • Fay qualified as a Speech and Language Therapist in 2008.

    She spent 12 years working with children with a wide range of speech, language and communication needs, as well as swallowing difficulties, within the NHS.

    More recently, Fay has also worked as a Teaching Assistant in the Early Years Team of a mainstream primary school.

    Outside of work, Fay can be found juggling three children and a dog, listening to a podcast, or trying to make caravanning cool!