At Speak Out, we make sure that people with learning disabilities can speak up and take action about things that matter to them.
Our work is led by listening and responding to the views of people with learning disabilities. Our service is free for people to use and we are independent from council funded learning disability services.
Our Vision
A fairer world where people with learning disabilities are listened to and have the same rights, choices, and control over their lives as everyone else.
Our Mission
Our mission is to work alongside people with learning disabilities to make sure they get their voices heard, can address problems they face, and live fulfilling lives.
We deliver advocacy with impact, through which people with learning disabilities develop the networks, skills and confidence to:
- Challenge discrimination and access their rights
- Make their own choices and have control in their lives
- Access the support and services they need
- Build community links and take an active part in community life, having the opportunity to make their own contribution
- Reduce isolation and improve their wellbeing
- Raise awareness of issues that matter to them, challenge policy and campaign for change
Our History
Speak Out has been an independent advocacy charity in Brighton and Hove since 1994.
For our 25th anniversary, we embarked on a project called Our History Our voice, which documented and celebrated the work that we’ve done over the years.
Our Team
Will Davies
Emily Barratt
Jeanette Goodman
Alex Kaye
Frances Sulikosky
Sam Hubbert
Shelley Brown
Sarah Charsley
Danielle Garratt
Nicola Johnson
Ana Ballesteros
Sian Klein
Volunteers
Auri Millar
Dom Duke
Helen Ledger
Jane Harris
Keith Cronin
Louise Parsons
Clare Finn
Helen Ledger
Monica Mwangi
Sharon Dukes
Roma Fiorletta
Simeon Elliot
Terence Loftus
Sha Whylie
Shannon Caldwell
Rosie Richards
Nathaniel Lawford
Board Members
Jo-Anne Carden
Jo has been active in the third sector around Brighton, Hove and East and West Sussex for a number of years. She has worked as a Deputy CEO for Mind and as CEO for Relate in Brighton and Hove and is currently CEO of Citizens Advice Brighton & Hove. Prior to these roles she worked as an Area and Service Manager with responsibility for delivering both statutory and non statutory advocacy across Sussex and has spent time in front line work in London, New York and Brighton in the homeless and learning disability sectors.
Sally Jones
Sally became a trustee of Speak Out in September 2024, as Trustee Treasurer. Sally, ACA, has 20+ years’ experience in financial management across various industries. She now runs a CFO consulting firm providing support to other organisations, especially reporting and cash flow management. She balances her diligence as a professional CFO, with empathy for fellow team members and her finance team.
Sally is British and went to Brighton University, and now lives in Switzerland. She is married with 2 grown-up children. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking in the mountains, painting, and watching England rugby and F1.
Margaret Wood
Margaret became a trustee of Speak Out in June 2023. Margaret currently works as an Easy Read officer for Grace Eyre and is very passionate about accessibility and making things better for disabled people. Margaret completed a trustee training course with Grace Eyre and was looking for organisations to become a trustee and was recommended Speak Out by friends.
Margaret is passionate about speaking up for people and equal opportunities, which is what drew Margaret to Speak Out. Margaret enjoys arts and crafts and likes watching wrestling matches in her spare time.
Nathaniel Lawford
Nathaniel became a trustee of Speak Out in June 2023. Nathaniel is the Inclusion and Projects Director at Grace Eyre. Nathaniel has been involved with Speak Out since 2022 and is currently a member of the Our Voices Matter group and the steering committee. Nathaniel is interested in public speaking and has spoken at international (In Iceland in the NNDR conference 2023) and national (LDE London and SHLD Milton Keynes conferences 2023) conferences. Nathaniel has an interest in the self-advocacy movement from having lived experience.
Nathaniel has volunteered for a number of organizations and projects across the city of Brighton and Hove including as youth president of All Sorts, a local LGBTQ Plus youth group, and is an active member of the community, rallying to improve the rights and choices of people with learning disabilities.
Tor Goldfield
Tor joined the Speak Out board as a trustee in June 2023, with a focus on helping the organisation raise its profile in the local community and highlight the range of support services available to people with learning disabilities. Tor has over 20 years’ experience in marketing and communications and is currently a senior director of employee communications for a global travel company.
Sarah Watson
Sarah became a member of Speak Out’s Link Group in 2007. Since then she has been involved in a variety of Speak Out’s projects and work including being a trainer, attending drop ins and more recently becoming a Board member. Sarah’s own experiences mean that she has a particular interest in making sure that people who have a mild learning disability have the right support. She feels that there is not enough support in place and they often slip through the net and do not get the services they need. Since being a child, Sarah has had a keen interest in art and particularly enjoys drawing portraits and abstract pictures.
Kate McLachlan
Kate McLachlan has been a Trustee since Dec 2015. Kate currently works at Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust as their Head of Workforce Resourcing. Kate has worked in Human Resources for over 25 years, mostly in NHS Trusts but also the Art Council, Sports Council and City University. Kate was previously a Trustee for Peter Bedford Housing Association in London.
Rohan Lowe
Rohan has been a service user at Speak Out for 4 years and has been involved in a number of Speak Out projects. He was a steering group member for the Lottery funded Hub project and is a members of a BHIG group. He also is active in the Young People’s council and is an advisor to Possibility People a local disabled people’s organisation.
Sophie Cook
Sophie has enjoyed a varied career including serving in the Royal Air Force and standing as a Parliamentary Candidate. She is the Speak Out Champion for the Crown Prosecution Service and advises organisations of all sizes on building open and inclusive cultures. Sophie is also a broadcaster and writer and is currently working on her first screenplay. Believing passionately that no one should be excluded from having a voice in society, Sophie has worked with the NHS and a number of mental health charities on a variety of inclusion issues.
