Family support charity Home-Start Aberdeen has appointed a trio of experienced professionals to its board of trustees as it looks to expand its operations.
Former nursing services manager Roberta Eunson will be joined by divisional lead nurse Yvonne Wright and management consultant Harry Yorston.
The charity sends trained volunteers to work with families with children under five who are facing difficulties such as ill health, disability, mental health issues, domestic abuse to isolation.
Families may be referred to them or come forward themselves, and the services are provided free of charge.
The new-look board will work to expand volunteer numbers and the range of support available.
Home-Start Aberdeen spokeswoman Gabriel Cobban said: “The entire Home-Start Aberdeen team is greatly excited about these three new appointments.
“We desperately need to increase our efforts in 2015 so that we can provide vulnerable local families on our waiting list with the support they require.”
Mrs Eunson, 63, will serve as the chair of Home-Start in her retirement. Her work in the health sector began when she trained as a nurse at Glasgow Royal Infirmary from 1969-72.
She came to Aberdeenshire in 1981 and worked at the Ellon Health Centre until 1986.
She obtained a diploma in health visiting from Robert Gordon’s Institute of Technology in 1987 and worked as a health visitor in Ellon until 2002 when she was promoted to nursing services manager at Aberdeen Community Health Partnership with professional lead for health visiting, which she did until retirement in 2009.
She helped set up Home-Start Aberdeen’s Recipe for Life project to teach families about healthy eating, which led to her taking up the new role.
She said: “I think what Home-Start do is fabulous.
“They can stage an early intervention before things break down.
“I’d love to reduce the waiting list so people get a volunteer as soon as they ask for one.
“I’d also like to get volunteers to help pregnant women in the antenatal stage.”
Mrs Wright, 48, will serve as vice-chairwoman, bringing yet more health experience to the board.
She currently works as divisional lead nurse for complex care at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
She saw first-hand the difference Home-Start made to people’s lives when she was working as a health visitor in the Northfield and Mastrick areas of Aberdeen and joined the charity in 2000.
She went on to work as a public health coordinator with NHS Grampian in the north of Aberdeen, but continued to be involved with Home-Start and is currently its longest serving board-member.
Mr Yorston, 49, will serve alongside her as vice-chairman, bringing his business expertise.
A self-employed management consultant with 30 years’ experience in the energy industry, he has held several senior management and board level roles in oil and gas including a position on the board of Maersk Oil.
He is also a board member of Aberdeen Performing Arts and deputy chairman of Eden Court Theatre in Inverness.
He joined Home-Start in 2013 and has been involved in the development of the organisation’s charity shop on George Street.