Meet the team

At Promas CIC, we believe that every carer should be valued and cared for.

Our team has extensive professional experience and we’re committed to ensuring unpaid carers have access to skills training and the emotional support they need.

Bernie DeLord

Executive Director

Bernie is one of the Directors at Promas CIC. Her working background has been in mental health and social care for the past 33 years, working in the UK and New Zealand where she first began working with carers organisations. When she returned to the UK in 2009 she met Jenny and they became interested in working with unpaid carers. They started this work in 2011 and started the company in 2013.

Jenny Tarvit

Executive Director

Jenny is one of the Directors of Promas CIC and has over 20 years of teaching experience in voluntary and public sectors. Jenny has managed a variety of projects funded by European Social fund, Department for Works and Pensions and the Skills Funding Agency supporting people to move forward with their lives through education, advice and assistance.

Matthew Stone

Non-Executive Director (Volunteer)

Matthew has over a decade of experience working in the fields of design, communications and project management. He has professionally collaborated with several non-profits, including the RNLI, ShelterBox, Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust, ChildFund and Cornwall Hospice Care.

He is the Creative Director of the communications agency Ridgeline Studio, as well as an Associate Lecturer at Falmouth University. He has a passion for working with organisations that are trying to make a difference to individuals, the community or the world at large.

Matthew has joined the team at Promas CIC as a non-executive Director to help build on the fantastic work that the Community Interest Company has been achieving since it established. He brings a wealth of skills and knowledge to the team, notably a strategic view on communications and project management, creative thinking and a strong network base in Cornwall.

When not designing, Matthew is also a Beach Lifeguard with the RNLI – a role he has held for 14 years. He is also part of the international training team with the charity, travelling to developing countries to teach lifesaving skills, helping to reduce the global drowning rate. He co-founded Gyllyngvase Surf Life Saving Club and was elected as Chairman for 10 years, stepping down from the role in December 2018. He is a voluntary lifeguard trainer with Surf Life Saving GB and was recognised for this dedication by being presented with a distinguished ‘Services to Lifesaving’ award. He is also a sports coach at Truro School and a call-out member with West Cornwall Search and Rescue Team.

Dave Hocking

Non-Executive Director

Dave joined Promas CIC as a Non-Executive Director in January 2020, but his interest and involvement goes right back to its inception. He has worked in the Economic and Community Development field for more than 20 years and it was whilst working for a local community development charity providing governance and funding support that the relationship with Promas CIC began. At that time Dave’s help included assisting Promas CIC secure over £300k of funding. More crucially he highlights that this time also “provided the opportunity to witness first-hand the fantastic (and vital) work that Promas CIC delivers in supporting carers and so when the opportunity arose to join the board arose it was an easy decision”.

Dave’s economic and community development roles have been varied and have included over 10 years working in both local government and the voluntary sectors in various positions including those of Development Manager and Commissioner. In these roles he has helped lever in over £20m of external funding into Cornwall from a variety of sources including European funding, Lottery, responding to tenders, charities and trust funds.

The expertise he brings to the board includes voluntary sector governance, funding, strategic business planning as well as a good understanding of public sector working practices and processes.

During his spare time, you are quite likely to find Dave somewhere near the sea trying to keep fit by kayaking, swimming or walking the coast path.

Matt Williams

Admin and Marketing Assistant

Matthew is an ambitious and highly motivated individual. He joined the organisation in February of 2022 and is based in the Promas CIC office in Pool, where he occupies an Admin and Marketing Assistant position. He has an honour’s degree in business management and a master’s degree in continental philosophy. His hobbies include reading, writing, running, playing football, and socialising with friends. In recent years, he has developed a keen interest in philosophy. He believes the knowledge, insights, and skills he has acquired will assist the continued development of Promas CIC.

Tamsin Dearing

Course Tutor

Tamsin is a Cornish professional artist who specialises in pencil and pastel portraiture. With a love of people, animals and the natural world, she enjoys capturing everyone’s unique beauty on the page through her art. Tamsin has a background in community work with vulnerable adults, and is passionate about promoting wellbeing through creativity and connections. Having been a carer for many years, she understands the complexity of this role and the need for opportunities to recharge and take time out when possible. Tamsin is an experienced tutor with a friendly and positive approach. We all have an inner artist, and making art is for everyone. Tamsin will teach you how to create pictures you are proud of, whatever your experience level, and you will have a lot of fun in the process.

Polly Roberts

Course Tutor

Polly Roberts is an explorer of people and place: a writer, community arts worker, nature lover and traveller. Polly Roberts holds a BA in Creative Writing from UEA and a MA in Creative Writing from Bath Spa University. She is author of the travel memoir Social or Solitary. In 2017 Polly won the British Council’s ‘Writers by Nature’ scholarship for emerging nature writers. Her debut poetry collection Grieving with the Animals was published Summer 2019 by Dempsey and Windle. Polly currently lives in Cornwall where she is writing her novel, completing her diploma in Counselling and working for The Writers’ Block, Cornwall’s creative writing centre. She has run creative writing workshops in schools, detention centres and community settings.

Claire Wilson

Course Tutor

Claire Wilson is a professional photographer and videographer operating under her business, LLE-Photography. She has a passion for showing stories in her images, and that’s demonstrated in her work with local brands, as well as her love for capturing the great outdoors, nature and all things that are inspiring. She is also the author of the photobook “Hidden in Plain Sight: A Photographic Journey into Cornish mines”. Teaching for Claire is about sharing the skills and ability to see and capture the interesting in every day life.”

Kellie Gilmour

Course Tutor

Integrative therapist, tutor and mentor Kellie Gilmour’s life changed 19 years ago after being diagnosed with a chronic pain condition and has faced long-term health problems ever since.

From that day she has committed to researching, studying, qualifying in and practicing complementary and conventional therapeutic techniques to find relief for her own health problems initially, now to support others with mental or physical ill-health. Training in mental health support, NHS accredited Health Coaching and Cornwall Council’s ‘Healthy Cornwall’ as an MECC trainer, she has become a facilitator for the improvement of health in our communities, encouraging and empowering people to make healthier lifestyle choices and to achieve positive long term behaviour changes.

Her training with The Sleep Council’s The Sleep Charity inspired her to create ‘The Sleep Mentor’ – creating beneficial health, behavioural and cultural change within our communities through recognising the vital importance of healthy sleep.

A practicing therapist for over ten years at Falmouth Natural Health Practice, you can also find her delivering many health and wellbeing workshops for local authority, educational and community support organisations throughout the county.

Lesley Oates

Course Tutor

Lesley is an enthusiastic advocate for the benefits of complementary therapies to support our health and wellbeing.

Working over twenty-eight years as a complementary therapist reflects her personal journey from health spa therapist, to teaching complementary therapies at further and higher education colleges, and her current role as Complementary Therapies Education Facilitator at Cornwall Hospice where she collaborates with staff upskilling them to give gentle treatments for patients and providing staff wellbeing treatments.

Lesley is an experienced practitioner and teacher of Aromatherapy, Reflexology, and Indian Head Massage among other therapies. She is a Reiki Master and Flower Essence Practitioner and was Education Officer for the British Flower and Vibrational Essences Association (BFVEA) for ten years.

As part of the community team at Cornwall Hospice Lesley regularly runs wellbeing sessions for patients and carers about how essential oils can help calm and restore us, and to build confidence so that we can safely use them at home.

Anna

Course Tutor

Anna loves sharing her passion for keeping active in an accessible and fun way. She hopes to make everyone welcome into my sessions and be part of a friendly community. She has been working in the fitness industry for 15 years and has worked up to level 4 qualifications, holds a 200-hour Yoga certificate and is qualified in Pilates with the Australian Physiotherapy & Pilates Institute (also have a Pilates Level 3 Diploma).

Laura Walker

Course Tutor

Laura is a dementia and family well-being consultant with a background in mental health nursing and family support. As co-founder of the award-winning social enterprise Memory Matters CIC, she has developed and delivered training for professionals and supported countless families navigating the complexities of caring.

She brings a compassionate, down-to-earth approach to her work, combining practical knowledge with emotional insight. Laura is particularly passionate about helping carers by supporting their own well-being and resilience.

She creates warm, safe spaces for learning, connection, and real conversations.

John Samworth

Course Tutor

John is the current chairman of Cornwall Woodcarvers. An organisation dedicated to promoting the art and craft of wood carving in Cornwall. As a club, CWC, organises four weekly workshops across Cornwall, each aimed a slightly different aspects of the craft; from fine carving, whittling to bodging and spoons. John has been the tutor at Truro College for the past seven years and had articles on carving published in the Wood Caving magazine.

Attendees will be enrolled as members of CWC and as such may attend any of the workshops.

Sarah Burgess

Course Tutor

‘I really enjoy supporting others in many modes including counselling and facilitating courses. My experience running and facilitating groups, spans many years and many genres including exercise to music, specialist groups supporting survivors of domestic abuse and currently for Pentreath around managing different aspects of our mental wellbeing.

Other experiences include 11 years of counselling and several years of 1 to 1 support around complex needs.

I look forward to meeting you on the courses I will be facilitating.

Partners

Leach Pottery

A big thank you to Leach Pottery for hosting free sessions for carers at their studios in St Ives.

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Pemboa Flowers

Pemboa flowers deliver our Wreath Making workshops at Christmas.

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Two Bays Trust

The Two Bays Trust is a community-run coastal conservation and wellbeing charity based at The Coastal Centre at Trevathan Farm Shop in St Endellion, near Port Isaac, on the breathtaking North Cornwall coast. We host activities in the natural environment to support people’s physical health and wellbeing, including gardening, rock pooling, cliff walks, wildlife surveys, beach surveys, beach cleans, coastal conservation work, arts and crafts workshops and more.

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Regular Activities

Active Plus

Pete Botheras, Lead Instructor

Pete Botheras is a former member of the RAF Regiment, serving 21 years after joining in 1989 and completing operational tours in Northern Ireland, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Following a permanent spinal injury, he was medically discharged from service, facing significant physical and personal challenges during his transition to civilian life. Today, he uses his experiences to help and support others facing their own challenges. Providing care, understanding, and encouragement to people in difficult situations is something he finds deeply meaningful and rewarding. His personal journey has given him empathy, perspective, and a strong desire to make a positive difference wherever he can.

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Active Plus

Joanne Whyatt, Instructor

I’m Joanne, I served 21 years in the Army before being medically retired due to injuries. During my time of being injured my husband cared for me and our newborn girl Elizabeth, this was an extremely difficult time for us all but together we made it through. Recently I’ve lost my mother of who I myself along with my father cared for during her cancer, it was a privilege to be able to look after and care for my mom and help my father in this difficult time.

Having both suffered injuries that required care myself and having cared for my own mother, I sought upon the skills I’ve learnt while serving in the army – the resilience and self-determination was what I needed for myself and my mother, and was something I really had to dig deep for. Although I’m not fully fit and back to who I used to be, I’m definitely a better stronger person and my past experiences I use today to help myself and others. I really enjoy what I do with Active Plus, being able to encourage and help build on people’s confidence, resilience and much more, we always see the benefits after our sessions in people.

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Truro City Bowling Club

We would like to thank Truro City Bowls for kindly hosting free sessions for carers in 2026.

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Liskeard Bowling Club

We would like to thank Liskeard Lawn Bowls for kindly hosting free sessions for carers in 2026.

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Volunteers

Susan Saunders

My name is Susan Saunders . I moved to Cornwall in 2017 from West Sussex . My family and I holidayed in Cornwall when I was a child and I loved it and wanted to settle here when I retired.

I volunteer for the Hall for Cornwall and Trelissick house and for the community hub. The hub helps bring isolated people together to meet others and access care services. I have experience of being an unpaid carer for a family member and have attended Nordic Walking, Mindfulness and many activities with Promas CIC which have benefitted me greatly. I am looking forward volunteering with Promas CIC as I believe they do a great job of supporting unpaid carers.

Miron Quick

My name is Miron Quick and I am 75 years old. I am from St. Ives and have lived in Cornwall all my life except for three years when I trained as a primary school teacher in London due to there being no such provision in Cornwall in those days. That is where I met my wonderful husband who was at that time training to be a secondary school maths teacher. Fortunately for me, he fell in love with Cornwall as well as me so I was able to return home with him by my side. We had five children and three grandchildren and were happily married for 51 years. I became his carer in the last three years of his life which is when I became involved with Promas.

Promas was a lifeline for me both before and after I lost my husband. I have met some amazingly dedicated, inspiring people some of whom have become close friends. That network of support, the opportunity to take time out, to engage in different courses and activities and, in some cases, to develop new skills with people who empathise and understand is what has helped me and continues to help me get through what has been one of the most painful periods of my life. Now, as a volunteer, it’s time for me to give back and I’m hoping I can play some small part in supporting Promas in helping other carers in the way it has helped me.

Rita Westlake

Having moved to Plymouth in 1977 with the Army, I moved to Cornwall in the early 1990’s and I’ve had a varied and interesting working life. For the last 20years I helped with the care of my mother, who suffered with dementia until her death, and in more recent years as a live-in carer for my father as his health deteriorated, his wish was to be 100 and he achieved this with a little to spare.

Promas have been a great support over the last few years, giving me respite with outings and courses to attend. This year I was given the greatest support when I attended their Grief Management Course which has helped me understand and process grief. Their course has helped me look forward to the next phase of my life and plan my future in a positive way. Their course helped me begin to turn my life around, resetting my outlook and motivation to engage as an individual and not as a carer.

My decision to volunteer for Promas is by way of thanking them for all the support they have given not only me but all unpaid carers. The Promas team support really helps unpaid carers to maintain their own health and well-being, provide a social link with those who understand the restrictions and concerns of their lives without explanation and I am delighted to be able to give back in some small way.

Course Tutor

Theresa

Course Tutor

I have been Nordic Walking for 6 years, in April 2018 I qualified as a Nordic Walking Instructor with the British Nordic Walking Association after funding and undertook a course in Wales.

I began Nordic walking following an injury to my Achilles and am no longer able to participate in high impact activities, with an interest in the outdoor and walking this was the ideal activity for me to keep fit. I have recently retired from the NHS after 33 years’ service, I am a Registered General Nurse and spent 30 years working on surgical wards at the Royal Cornwall Hospital and 3 years working in the community as a District Nurse.

I currently undertake walks throughout North Cornwall, Caradon and Restormel, these walks are risk assessed and evaluated on the walker’s ability. I offer walks of various distances, including coastal, countryside, beach and clay country and cater for all abilities.

Our upcoming events

Book your place at one of our fun and caring social events.