Meet our new Edinburgh Service Manager: Susan

Hello!  I’m Susan (she/her), I have taken over the role of Edinburgh Service Manager at LGBT Health and Wellbeing from Annette who is now managing our National Projects like our Helpline, Telefriending and LGBT Age.

I am so chuffed to have joined such a fantastic, committed and (I’m sure you’ll all agree) super talented team of humans – in the short time I have been here, I am astounded and energised in equal amounts of the work that this amazing collective of individuals does.  I have always been a firm advocate of health and wellbeing, with equality and, importantly, equity of access to services that are warranted, needed and, unfortunately, sometimes lacking.  This has seen me work over the last 30 years in a variety of roles supporting communities with a fine tuning and focus that came with my years on community health and wellbeing, what works, what can be learnt, how we can work together and how to put in systems and structures to support this (I love a good spreadsheet, as much as it pains me to admit it).

I have had the absolute honour to work with some amazing social enterprises and charities in my time, who undertake such important and vital work.

I am also a long-standing remedial massage therapist and a qualified meditation teacher.  I love the subtle movement and story that our bodies tell us, connecting to all that nuance and niggle.  The way we can calm an anxious nervous system with some simple yet profound breath-work.  I tell you this to give a flavour of how I see two worlds can intertwine to really make a difference.

I’m originally from Newcastle upon Tyne, I moved to Edinburgh to undertake some postgraduate study at Edinburgh University back in 2016.  As soon as I started to spend time in Edinburgh, I knew it was a special city, for all its flaws and flair.  I’m an avid reader and have had to limit how many books I’m allowed to buy at any one time until the ‘to read’ pile gets a little smaller.  Mostly.  I have a little mongrel dog who I adore as well as an old, dementia ridden rescue cat who is beautiful and tricky combined.

I am so happy to be at such an ethical and integrity-laden organisation as LGBT Health and Wellbeing and I am very much looking forward to setting roots down in this organisation.