Trainers

CPAG is committed to ensuring that all the trainers used on our courses are experts in their areas of work. Most are experienced welfare rights workers.

Giles Charter has been a local authority welfare rights officer for over 15 years in various settings, and has extensive experience of appeals, training, and advice.

Tim Cowen has worked in advice, rights and community development since 1991. He currently works as a freelance trainer and consultant.

Steven Craig has been working in welfare rights since 1987. He has been a welfare rights officer for Queens Cross Housing Association since 1993, and he occasionally works independently to provide training and seminars for other organisations. He has been delivering training regularly for CPAG in Scotland since 2001.

Ellenor Currie is a management and training consultant, specialising in organisational development and trainer training. Previously she had a career in education and the voluntary sector.

Moira Escreet has been involved in advice work since 1993, mainly within housing associations. She is currently a welfare rights worker for Hillhead Housing Association 2000.

Alison Gillies is a welfare rights worker at CPAG in Scotland. She is author of CPAG’s Children’s Handbook Scotland. She has worked in welfare rights since 1985.

Will Hadwen is a freelance welfare rights consultant specialising in benefits for children and families. Will has worked with organisations including Gingerbread, Working Families and Citizens Advice.

Paula John is a qualified social worker and mental health officer who has worked in social work for 23 years, the last 13 of which have been in a variety of mental health settings.

David Kelly is a welfare rights worker with Argyll Community Housing Association Ltd. He previously worked as a welfare rights worker at CPAG in Scotland and in a variety of housing associations.

Henri Krishna is welfare rights worker with CPAG in Scotland’s advising black and minority ethnic communities’ project. He previously worked as a welfare rights officer at Macmillan Benefits Service in Glasgow and for a number of voluntary sector advice agencies in London.

Simon Osborne is a welfare rights worker in CPAG’s Citizens’ Rights Office, and was previously a rights worker with Disability Alliance. He is a consultant editor and an author of the Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook and contributor to the Welfare Rights Bulletin.

Judith Paterson is welfare rights co-ordinator with CPAG in Scotland. She is an author of the Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook, and of the Disability Rights Handbook which she previously edited.

Jon Shaw is a welfare rights worker at CPAG in Scotland, working on the disabled children and their families project. He previously worked in welfare rights in Edinburgh, both for the local authority and at The Action Group.

Aida Shoush is a welfare officer based at St Christopher’s Hospice in south London. She is an experienced welfare rights adviser and trainer.

Jane Smith has been a local authority welfare rights officer for over 15 years in various settings and has extensive experience of appeals, training and advice. She currently works for Inverclyde Council.

Angela Toal is a welfare rights worker on a benefits for students project with CPAG in Scotland and is an author of CPAG’s Benefits for Students in Scotland Handbook.

Rebecca Walker is a welfare rights caseworker at Pitsmoor CAB in Sheffield and a freelance trainer and writer. She contributes to the Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook and Disability Rights Handbook and has worked in welfare rights since 1993.

Mark Willis has worked in welfare rights since 1991 and is currently a welfare rights worker with CPAG in Scotland’s tax credits project. He is an author of the Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook.