Who we are
The Deacon Centre is a creative space for Service Users with Physical, Learning and Communication disabilities and those who care for them. We run a wide range workshops and activity groups including Creative Writing, Music, Art and Drama.
We are a registered charity, based in Caterham, Surrey. We take our name and inspiration from local resident Joey Deacon who overcame severe communication disabilities to write and publish his life story in the 1970s.
We were set up in 2020, 100 years after Joey's birth. (Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and various restrictions and lockdowns we were only able to get up and running properly in the Spring of 2021, so we are very new!)
Where are we based?
The Service Users really get involved in activites and always look forward to the next session.
T, Support Worker
We currently run our activity workshops in two ways:
- Through visits to residential care homes in the local area where we can run sessions for small groups on their premises; and
- At hired premises, such as church/community halls, for larger groups.
Our long-term plan is to rent (and eventually own) our own physical space as a permanent home for the Deacon Centre where we can run activities every day. It is hoped that we can achieve this by 2025, but this will be dependent on the money we are able to raise!
How are we staffed?
At our core we are a group of hardworking, happy volunteers!
Some sessions may be run by (paid) freelance activity coordinators who are experts in their field.
How are we funded?
We are almost entirely reliant on donations - online and in-person - from the public and local businesses - please consider making a donation to us today.
We have received grants from St John's Church, Caterham Valley, the Localgiving 'Magic Little Grants' fund (thanks to players of the People's Postcode Lottery) and from Tandridge Council, via the Tandridge Together fund.
Who are our Trustees?
Good question - let's meet them!
As of Autumn 2024, our board of Trustees is comprised of the following four individuals:
Benjamin Nunn (Chair)
Benjamin led the Working Group that resulted in the formation of the Deacon Centre in 2020 and provides strategic leadership for the charity, while also enjoying the practical involvement of running activity sessions.
He has served as a senior consultant to the charity sector for several years, specialising in programme direction, digital innovation, and production management with a strong emphasis on accessibility. He sits on the Accessibilty Board for Virgin Atlantic.
A keen singer-songwriter and chorister in his spare time, he comes from a background in music and creative writing, having started out as a BBC writer in the late 1990s, though these days his 'comedy' writing is primarily as a prolific correspondent to the Viz Letterbocks.
He sports a small beard.
Uma Misir-Nunn (Executive Director)
Uma comes from a legal background and worked in the adult care sector for more than ten years. She has been involved with the Deacon Centre since its formation.
She also has a strong personal interest in the creative arts, particularly crafting, life drawing and improv drama. Born in South America and having lived in Spain, she is a competent, if not fluent, Spanish speaker!
Her favourite kind of insect is a bee.
Sarah Hadley (non-Executive)
Sarah joined the Board of Trustees in 2024.
A qualified music therapist, Sarah is an active member of the church of St John the Evangelist, Caterham, and will be working on building relationships between the Deacon Centre and the local community, as well as running fun and enriching music workshops for our service users.
She moonlights occasionally as a 'Performing Elf'.
Thomas Boland (non-Executive)
Thomas joined the Board of Trustees in 2021.
Having suffered from a physical disability for many years, he advises The Deacon Centre on accessibility issues.
There are rumours that he is Irish, which he has always strongly denied.