Trustees

Andy has spent 40 years in retail and brings a range of commercial and business experience which he hopes will benefit the charity and enable it to achieve its goals. Andy has a daughter living with autism so has lived experience and is passionate about enabling children and adults to fulfil their potential.

James is enthusiastic, empathetic and proactive in his approach, and his vision for Autism Unlimited is to support the charity externally and help Autism Unlimited to grow in both stature and size.

James is a Trustee with over 30 years of finance and management experience. When speaking on his role, James said "I would like to take this skillset and use for the benefit of the charity and the young people it helps in order to achieve its goals and ambitions."

Jan joined Autism Unlimited as a Trustee in July 2022. She brings experience of autism though her career in children's and adult social services and her personal life. She is passionate about enabling children and adults to fulfil their potential and about providing the best possible support and development opportunities to staff.

Previously a Chair of the Board of Trustees and more recently an independent member of the Futures Committee, Malcolm made a welcome return as a member of the Board of Trustees of Autism Unlimited at the beginning of October 2025.

Malcolm has been a lifetime resident of Poole, working in the motor industry. He began his career in a local garage in Parkstone as an apprentice and later became the Service Manager there before moving to Wessex Water, where he managed the servicing and maintenance of a fleet of around 1,000 vehicles. He later moved into a senior management role at Wessex Water before retiring from full-time executive work. Following his retirement from his executive role, Malcolm became a local councillor in Poole, serving on the transportation and health committees. Malcolm has a great interest in and passion for improving understanding and the provision of services for children and adults with autism, ensuring they can thrive. This is underpinned by personal experience of having a grandson with an autism diagnosis.

I feel very fortunate to have joined Autism Unlimited at this exciting time, as the charity aims to substantially increase its impact in helping many more children, young adults and families living with autism. I hope to apply my more than 45 years of business experience to help the charity achieve its growth ambitions in a way that maintains its well-earned reputation for delivering world-class teaching and support while using its resources effectively to reach and help as many people as possible.

I live in Fareham in Hampshire but I have a great affinity with the Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch area as I went to college in Bournemouth for three years, where I met my wife, who lived in Poole and worked in Christchurch, and we now have eight grandchildren, one of whom is autistic.

Autism Unlimited is a very impressive and successful charity and, working with experienced trustee colleagues and the AU management team, I look forward to achieving the ambitious growth objectives over the coming years.

Tara was delighted to have been appointed as a Trustee for Autism Unlimited in September 2025.

The motivation for joining the Board comes from both her professional and personal journey. Throughout her career in education and, more recently in social care, Tara has been committed to widening participation and breaking down barriers so that every individual has the chance to learn, work, and thrive. From her earliest roles supporting young people with additional needs to developing programmes for adults with complex needs, Tara has seen first-hand the impact of inclusive, person-centred opportunities.

This commitment is also deeply personal. Tara has lived experience of autism within her own family, and understands both the challenges and the untapped potential that exists when the right support is in place.

As a Trustee, Tara hopes to bring her knowledge of education, leadership, and governance to support Autism Unlimited in its mission to create a world of unlimited possibilities. Most importantly, Tara aims to champion autistic voices, strengthen opportunities for lifelong learning, and ensure that autistic people and their families are empowered to achieve their goals and aspirations.

Tara is proud to be part of this incredible charity and looks forward to contributing to its vital work.