Our Staff

Michelle Lay

Clinical Services Director

Michelle is an experienced Integrative Psychotherapist who has served different roles within The Young People's Counselling Service, starting in 2014 as a therapist. Michelle is passionate about the charity and has been instrumental in its growth and development. Michelle leads on all areas of clinical development, school service level agreements, projects with other third sector organisations and supports the current team of ten practitioners.

As a therapist in an independent school and private practice, Michelle sees the need for local mental health support. Alongside the board of trustees, Michelle is always looking at areas YPCS can expand into and further support the young people and families that YPCS sees without diluting the quality service that the charity is proud to offer.

Michelle also supports fundraising and was key in organising fire walks, sky dives, the first YPCS golf day and setting up stands to recruit volunteers. This not only helps raise the vital funding needed but provides the opportunity to meet supporters and volunteers and share how their fundraising helps support a service like YPCS.

Mariana Delgado

Operations Director

Mariana is an experienced Engineer who has worked in different roles and organisations in the manufacturing sector in Mexico, USA and the UK. Mariana is very keen to support the operational side of the quality service that The Young People’s Counselling Service offers.

Whilst in the US, Mariana volunteered for a charity helping with logistical set up, fundraising events and day-to-day managing of programmes. Now with YPCS, she will focus on building a solid foundation from which the charity can continue its impressive growth for years to come.

Mariana is passionate about making a real difference to young people’s lives by providing services that can support them during difficult times and facilitate for them to reach their full potential. She believes in focusing on early intervention and prevention to improve the mental health outcomes of young people and their families, which is so prevalent in the current climate. Mariana is very proud to be part of this endeavour with the YPCS team, patrons, and volunteers.

Marcia Poyner

Clinical Coordinator

Marcia has been working with children, young people, and their families since 2009, initially within the local authority and then in the third sector. For five years prior to joining YPCS, I worked for an alcohol charity, within their young people’s mental health and emotional wellbeing project.

Marcia works alongside the Clinical Services Director to manage triaging and allocation of referrals.

Clare Dhanushan

Safeguarding Lead

Clare qualified with a Bachelor of Nursing ( Hons) Degree from The University of Liverpool in 1999 and has over 20 years experience working for the NHS. She started her nursing career in A&E before spending 10 years working as a Health Visitor in Peterborough.

Since 2017 she has been a Lead Nurse for Safeguarding Children at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust She has undertaken the NSPCC Safeguarding Supervision course to enable her to support staff with safeguarding concerns.

Kerry Woods

Business Support Lead (Yaxley)

Samantha Ronnay

Business Support Lead (Wisbech)

After her daughter was supported by YPCS in 2015, Samantha joined our small team of volunteers, fundraising in the community and helping at events.

In her previous role as a Corporate Social Responsibility specialist, Samantha had the opportunity to meet many local charities which led her to support many of them over the past few years, including becoming a trustee of one and fundraising to build her own little school in Zambia for another. Samantha says giving back is part of her DNA, and what better way to keep your own mental health good than by making a difference to others.

As well as managing the day to day running of Annabelle Davis Centre in Wisbech, one of Samantha's key roles is to support in its growth.

As Samantha was a parent looking for specialist mental health support for their child, she is aware of the barriers, waiting lists and poor services. She knows that early intervention of support and therapy works, and is a passionate advocate of YPCS.

Sheena Marr

Clinical Support Administrator

Sheena has a combined experience of ten years in various administrator roles. She has a real passion and interest in children's well-being and mental health, which has only grown since joining the charity in November 2020. Sheena recently underwent safeguarding training as part of her role, and is also currently completing an 'Understanding Children's and Young People's Mental Health course to further her understanding and the support that she able to offer the team.

Young People’s Counselling Service
Annabelle Davis Centre
School Bungalow
Broadway
Yaxley
Peterborough PE7 3JD

Phone: 01733 903288
E-mail: admin@ypcs.uk

Registered Charity No. 1190555