Meet the team
We are a team of dedicated volunteers and team members, all here to help.
We work hard every week to create the best services for disabled people, carers, families and professionals in Bedfordshire, Luton and Northamptonshire.
Meet the management team

Melanie Hawman – Chief Executive Officer
Melanie is the Chief Executive Officer and responsible for ensuring the vision and values of are lived and aligned with the purpose of The Disability Resource Centre. She also has to ensure that the charity remains competitive as a provider of services to disabled people, those with health conditions and increasingly the older local population. After a career working nationally in Welfare to Work, Melanie brings a wealth of experience and qualification in leadership and management in public, private and third sector organisations. As a person with lived experience in acquired disability she understands the need for personal and professional change and disability that may be invisible to others.

Chelsea Smith – Operation Manager
Chelsea has gained a lot of experience by working in several different departments at The Disability Resource Centre. A couple of years ago in her role as Community Engagement Officer she spread awareness about the huge number of ways the charity supports the local community. You can read all about Chelsea attending an awards evening where she accepted the Best Local Business Award for Houghton Regis on behalf of the charity. She is now our charity’s Operations Manager and before that was the Self Directed Support Team Leader in the team that provides a wide range of services to help people to live independently at home, via Direct Payments and other funding. It is a way of empowering people to make their own choices and to have control over the support they receive.

Our Patron
We are very pleased that Andrew, Duke of Bedford, has been our patron for a number of years, and we are very grateful for his support.
Our Trustees are volunteers too
The Disability Resource Centre is governed by a Board of Trustees who meet six times a year. The majority of the Trustees have personal experience of living with a disability or caring for someone with a disability. They use their knowledge to advise the management team.
We are keen to welcome new Trustees to the Board. Please check our vacancy notice.
Our Board of Trustees comprises:
Chair - Gillian Ormston
Trustees – Gill Pick, Baerbel Dennis, Kay Taylor, Andrew Buckley, Sandra Brown, Evans Chelal and Bjarne Pederse

Gillian Ormston: Chair of the Board of Trustees
Previously Vice-Chair, Gillian has taken the role of Chair and will continue to drive the charity forward with a passion for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion with the intention of widening community participation on the board. Gillian has been a supporter of The Disability Resource Centre for over 10 years, both working as a supplier of confidence building programmes and latterly as a Trustee of the charity. She brings a wealth of experience from public sector senior and strategic management roles ranging from the Ministry of Justice, Education, and Policing roles. Gillian is currently the Chief of Staff to the Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner. Previously, Gillian spent 4 years with Hertfordshire Police as the Beds, Cambs and Herts Police Talent Manager which brings HR, leadership, skills development, project management and emotional intelligence skills to the board. Previously, she ran her own business, Intelligent Awakenings Ltd, in coaching and personal development which brings additional skills of business development, finance and commercial acumen.

Jill Pick: Vice-Chair
Jill is a retired social worker who has worked in the health and social care sectors, specialising in physical disability and sensory impairment. She has extensive experience with the local voluntary sector. Jill’s relationship with The Disability Resource Centre began in 1993 when she was appointed as the Development Officer. As The Disability Resource Centre’s first employee, she was responsible for setting up the organisation as a charity, finding premises, establishing partners and setting up its first services; the Disability Information and Equipment Advice services. She has been a trustee for many years and Chair since 2016.

Evans Chelal: Treasurer
Evans is a consultant in climate change and sustainability. He’s based in London, and he’s a CPA (Certified Public Accountant). He used to work as an auditor with KPMG and he holds an MBA from Cranfield University. Evans has been the treasurer and trustee of The Disability Resource Centre since November 2021. In his spare time, Evans enjoys reading and outdoor activities.
Baerbel Dennis: Trustee
Baerbel is a qualified FCCA MBA IFA and has worked for large quoted companies as Financial Controller and also as an auditor for over 10 years. During the MBA her thesis had a focus on marketing, research and development. She currently studying to become a qualified level 5 Reflexologist and was a carer for her husband for over two years.
Dr. Kay Taylor: Trustee
Kay lectured in human genetics at University College London until retiring due to ill health. Kay understands the issues facing The Disability Resource Centre’s service users due to her own long term health condition and disability. Kay lives in Bedford, and is Chair of Trustees at the Beds and Northants MS Therapy Centre.
Sandra Brown: Trustee
Bjarne Pedersen: Trustee
Bjarne is a passionate rights advocate and campaigner. He has broad experience in the charity world with a track record of achieving meaningful change through strategic leadership, resource mobilization and partnerships. When Bjarne is not enjoying time with his family and looking after his vegetable garden, he leads an international NGO with offices across Asia.
News:

Discover palliative care with Keech Hospice Care: Join our awareness and planning session
The Disability Resource Centre is delighted to be working in partnership with Keech Hospice Care. We will be delivering an end-of-life care advice and awareness session on Tuesday 26th March 2024.

Have your say on Luton Council’s adult social care travel assistance policy
Luton Council’s adult social care travel assistance policy consultation runs until Wednesday 27 March. Follow the link to the draft policy and complete an online survey…

Our 30th anniversary: Highlights from our celebration event
On Wednesday 14th February, we celebrated The Disability Resource Centre’s 30th anniversary since our inauguration. We hosted an event at the Mayfield Centre for a celebration with free tea and cakes, and a visit from the Mayor, Liz Jones.

Celebrating our 30th anniversary: The Disability Resource Centre’s journey
As The Disability Resource Centre marks its 30th anniversary, we reflect on the remarkable progress and positive changes for disabled people over the past three decades…

Join our free care skills training workshops
Work towards the Skills for Care Care Certificate standards and complete the training face to face, or online in your own time…

You could be our charity’s next Trustee
We are recruiting new Trustees for our charity, to help us achieve even more in the coming years. Read full details in our new Trustee Pack which you can download today…

Breaking Barriers: The Introduction of British Sign Language as a GCSE and its transformative impact on inclusion
It has recently been announced by the government that, as of September 2025, British Sign Language (BSL) will be taught as a GCSE in England. Here at The Disability Resource Centre, we are thrilled by this news and fully support this significant step to equality.
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We are here for you…
Phone: 01582 470 900
Email: info@drcbeds.org.uk
Sign up for our popular free newsletter
Our newsletter is packed full of the latest updates from our charity team, free events around Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes, money saving tips, stories and articles from our community of disabled people and carers, handy information from local community groups and free services you might not know about…

Free training workshop on end-of-life care for Personal Assistants (PAs)
Keech Hospice is providing this free workshop for PAs. This important training will provide PAs with the skills and knowledge needed to support individuals and their families during end-of-life care with compassion and confidence.

Our CEO is retiring, so we are recruiting a new CEO
Melanie Hawman is retiring as our Chief Executive Officer after a remarkable career leading The Disability Resource Centre. During her tenure, Melanie demonstrated exceptional leadership, guiding the charity through significant periods of growth and change. So now we are actively recruiting for the role of CEO.

Come to our Wellbeing and Warm Hub in Dunstable every week
The Disability Resource Centre’s popular and free Wellbeing and Warm Hub is returning to brighten up the winter days. With energy prices expected to remain high in 2025, knowing how to keep warm while managing costs has never been more important. Our sessions provide practical solutions and support in a warm, welcoming environment. Plus there are free refreshments including tea, coffee and delicious homemade soup. And you’ll be saving money on heating. So come to our warm and cosy centre, every Tuesday and Wednesday.

At no cost to you, how to turn your daily online shopping into vital funds for our charity
easyfundraising turns your daily shopping into every day magic. easyfundraising is the UK’s biggest charity shopping site with over £57 million raised for various causes since 2005. To support The Disability Resource Centre, at no cost to you, when you shop online simply follow steps steps 1 to 4…
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