Our Team
Kate Hainsworth - Interim Chief Executive Officer
Native of Yorkshire, consultant and Interim CEO of Saffron.
Kate is the former interim CEO of Children’s Heart Surgery Fund and former CEO of Leeds Community Foundation and GiveBradford where she developed the charity over the course of 8+ years to become a relational funder with a strong reputation amongst communities for delivery and for pioneering work around impact, inclusion and resilience. She raised substantial funds from local philanthropists and national foundations, leading work to promote inclusion and a just transition around environmental targets.
Her previous experience in industry and commerce meant she could communicate well with business colleagues and understood the needs of commissioners.
Current consultancy work includes supporting charity governance and donations policies, and how to achieve the ‘S’ in ESG.
Previous senior roles at Opera North, Theatre Royal Wakefield, consultancy in Europe, Axis Visual Arts and marketing consultancy. Trained: Total Oil Great Britain.
Kate is a trustee with The Young Foundation and Local Trust and regularly chairs Bank of England community engagement sessions. She continues to chair the steering group shaping work for the West Yorkshire Mayoral Authority, the Fair Work Charter.
Ingrid Harris-Haigh - Head of Clinical Services
Ingrid has over 25 years of experience working with women survivors of abuse and trauma in a range of statutory and charity sector agencies.
She brings in-depth knowledge and understanding of specialist trauma psychotherapy, alongside skills and experience in managing serious risk and safeguarding.
Josie Smith - Senior Therapist
Josie joined the team in September 2018 and works part-time as one of our senior therapists. She has over 9 years of experience counselling, and also works part-time in private practice.
Josie's specialism is in working with trauma, and she has completed additional training in somatic informed trauma therapy and Lifespan Integration to support clients in trauma processing.
Sam Ropero - Senior Therapist
Katie - Senior Therapist
Keren Bramman - Finance Manager
Keren has over 15 years experience of working with charities and not-for-profit organisations in operational and finance management roles.
She joined Saffron on a part-time basis in May 2021. Keren has recently completed her AAT Level 4 Advanced Diploma in Professional Accounting.
Danielle Green- Office Manager
Danielle joined our team in February 2020.
Danielle is responsible for overseeing the running of our office and therapy rooms as well as assisting the Chief Executive Officer and Head of Clinical Services. She also supports the whole therapy team.
Clare Sherratt - Associate Fundraiser
Clare’s professional fundraising career started in 2007, and since then, she has worked with several South Yorkshire and National charities that support a variety of causes.
Clare has experience in all types of fundraising. She has been working with Saffron since 2018, with a focus on raising funds from Trusts and Foundations.
Administrative Assistant
Helen Hawley - Therapist
Helen joined the Saffron team in 2022 as a Person-Centred Counsellor. She qualified as a Counsellor in 2015 and holds a BSc in Therapeutic Counselling.
With many years of experience supporting individuals dealing with the long-term psychological effects of trauma and abuse, Helen has also worked as a Counsellor and Supervisor in other organisations in Sheffield. Prior to training as a counsellor, she worked for the NHS as a Psychiatric Nurse.
Therapist
Therapist
Karen Burch - Associate Therapist
Karen is an Accredited Psychotherapist with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and an accredited EMDR therapist with the EMDR Academy UK. She has over 13 years of clinical experience specialising in trauma, with additional training in somatic trauma therapy and clinical supervision.
Karen’s particular areas of interest include complex PTSD, dissociation , and attachment-related trauma. She is committed to providing evidence-based, trauma-informed care that supports women in their recovery and long term wellbeing.
Associate Therapist
Associate Therapist
Associate Therapist
Associate Therapist
Associate Therapist
Lesley Perrins - Volunteer Therapist
Lesley has over 20 years of experience as a counsellor, much of it under contract to the NHS.
She is now semi-retired, but works as a volunteer therapist for Saffron, and has a small private practice as a clinical supervisor of other counsellors.
Volunteer Therapist
Volunteer Therapist
Volunteer Therapist
Gill Godden - Chair of Trustees
Gill currently manages the safeguarding service for the CAMHS service at Sheffield Children's Foundation Trust as the Named Nurse.
During her extensive service in the NHS she has specialised in preventative health approaches, education and safeguarding. She is committed to ensuring that those who have suffered trauma and Domestic Abuse can access timely support to rebuild their lives.
Julia Gash
Julia is a serial creative entrepreneur and founder of an eponymous, global, lifestyle brand. During her extensive career, she has won several national business awards and mentored many young businesswomen.
She is also a qualified foster carer, specialising in emergency and respite care for pre-teen and teenage girls. She lived in Sheffield for 27 years and now resides in Devon.
Julia became a Saffron Trustee in 2025
Erica Thompson - Deputy Chair
Erica is a lawyer, General Counsel at Pricecheck International Brand Partners in Sheffield (since 2022) and is a Non-exec Board member of the Sheffield Chamber of Commerce.
Erica has been a Saffron Trustee since 2024.
Louise Shaw - Trustee
Louise Shaw is a Fundraising Consultant with over twenty years’ experience in fundraising. She has significant experience working in the charity sector and in Higher Education fundraising and has raised funds for music education, homelessness charities, wildlife conservation, and medical research.
Louise became a Saffron Trustee in 2025
Dr Judith Dodds BMBScDFSRH - Trustee
Judith is a recently retired medical doctor. She was a community paediatrician in South Yorkshire, working with children and teenagers with neurodisability, including neurodiversity (autism spectrum disorder and ADHD) and learning disability, and was also a sexual and reproductive health specialist. She has also had experience in adult general and forensic psychiatry and in psychiatry for adults with learning disability.
Judith is a committed feminist activist for women's rights, particularly in the area of violence against women and girls.
She has been a Saffron Trustee since 2009.
Claire Furby
Claire is an experienced children and young people’s therapist with over 20 years of supporting children, young people, and their families in the mental health sector. Her work spans both charitable and statutory services in the UK and internationally, including experience in India.
She is also experienced in Service Delivery Management of therapy and parent support services, providing strategic and clinical oversight to ensure high-quality, family-centred care.
Claire became a Saffron Trustee in 2025