Meet the team
The Hub is run by an incredible group of individuals, each person with their own unique knowledge, skills and experience that helps to enrich the lives of our Trainees. Learn more about our Hub team below.
Our people
Ken Comber
CEO
I became CEO of the Hub in April 2020, having joined the charity in November 2018. Prior to the Hub I worked at Yarlington Housing (now Abri) as Head of Community Services and before that at Yarlington Housing as Assistant Director of Corporate Services. I am a Director at Chard Watch CIC which supports isolated and lonely adults, many suffering with their mental health. I am also a Trustee of South East Somerset RSPCA, Screwfix Foundation and a co-opted member of Yeovil College Audit Committee. I love going to Glastonbury Festival and Bristol City football club. I have a passion for the local community and for supporting individuals to reach their full potential. I strongly believe that the learning disability and autistic community is not always "given a voice" and I want to change that!
Aviva Morris
Operations Manager
Alison Hall
Accounts
Sharon Jenkins
Office Administrator
Matthew Wheeler
Work Coach / Pastoral Support
Sharon Larcombe
Work Coach / Planning Lead
Dawn Harvey
Work Coach
Bethany Southern
1-1 Support
Dawn Handy
Work Coach
Emma Quarterman
Work Coach
Adam Roman
Work Coach
Shannen O’Loughlin
Senior 1-1 Support
Marzena Zalewska
Work Coach
Anna Chant A’Court
Work Coach
Tim Harrison
Work Coach
Ross Berry
Work Coach
Lucie Davey
Work Coach
Claire Webster
Cafe Supervisor
Phil Rankin
Barista
Debbie Cooper
Chef
Tara Wood
Kitchen Porter
William Ball
Kitchen Porter
Our Trustees
What do the trustees bring to The Hub?
Our Trustees share ultimate responsibility for governing the charity and directing how it is managed and run.
Learn more about our Trustees below.
Neil Downton
Chairperson
Neil joined the Board of the Hub in September 2017. As Chair, Neil has overseen many changes including the move to the Hub’s current home in Buckland Road.
Having a son with special needs Neil has always taken a keen interest in ensuring the very best provision is available at every stage of the developmental journey.
Neil has previously been a Trustee at the Yeovil Opportunity Group, and for the past 22 years Neil has actively supported as a Governor of Fiveways School.
Neil’s day job is within Financial Services, managing a team of Financial Advisors across the Southwest.
Stuart McCabe
Trustee
Stuart is part of the management team within Leonardo UK.
Stuart has been a Trustee at the Hub for over 3 years, and was previously a governor and trustee at Fiveways special school for 17 years.
Since joining the Hub, Stuart has been involved in creating a safe, secure and supportive Hub, to further enhance the lives of individuals, parents and carers.
Stuart’s daughter has been a trainee at the Hub for 4 years and it is the experiences that Stuart and his wife gained from their daughter as a child and now a young adult that drive’s Stuart’s desire to improve the lives and wellbeing of all people with special needs and provide support for parents and carers throughout the community.
Debra Scarrett
Trustee
Deb is Group Employment Services Manager with Abri Housing with a background of in-depth employment, careers, education, training sector expertise.
Deb has an outstanding track record developing and delivering strategy, directing operations, negotiating at senior level and leading, managing and successfully motivating teams to consistently achieve against strategic objectives and contract KPIs and deliver top-quality careers information, advice and guidance service with excellent financial management skills.
Deb is passionate about everyone having access to opportunities and brings a unique and wide-ranging wealth of knowledge on best practice to support opportunities for social inclusion and mobility.
Julie Matthews
Trustee
Julie joined the Board as a Trustee in December 2020.
Julie is the CEO of Chard WATCH CIC. The WATCH (Working All Together in Chard) Project was set up in 2010 by members of the Chard Intentional Peer Support Group. It is a voluntary group that was set up to reach out and engage with adults who, because of various conditions and issues, are socially isolated and who face barriers within their community.
Julie brings a wealth of experience of running a “grass roots” community organisation and has a great knowledge of community organisations and networks. Julie is passionate about community cohesion and partnership working and enabling individuals to take their own positive steps.
Lesley Eveleigh
Trustee
Lesley is a Chartered Legal Executive, Chartered Accountant and Head of the Yeovil Private Client team at Battens Solicitors in Yeovil. Lesley is a trustee of a number of trusts including a couple of charitable trusts.
Lesley has some close friends and neighbours with autistic children, and she knows of the difficulties it can be to find suitable placements for them during the day. Fortunately, Yeovil is lucky to have the Hub and Lesley is proud to be able to use her knowledge and experience to help further the growth of this wonderful charity.
Jim Bowes
Trustee
Jim became a trustee at the Hub in 2022 bringing experience of marketing and technology to our board. He founded digital agency Manifesto in 2011 and was part of the team that floated the business on the London Stock Exchange in 2018 as part of TPXimpact PLC.
Jim has worked in marketing and digital for over 20 years, advising organisations and helping them create teams, ways of working, products and services around the needs of users.
Jim's daughter Millie has Down Syndrome and he's interested in helping create as much opportunity as possible for her and anyone with a learning disability particularly around employment. Jim is also a trustee of Asthma + Lung UK where he chairs the nomination and remuneration committee.