Tony Trimingham arrived in Australia in 1968 as a Ten Pound Pom from the English Lake District.
His lifelong loves are Manchester City Football Club and the Beatles although he has an eclectic taste in hobbies including history (esp. English Medieval), theatre, opera, all kinds of music, poker, cricket and collecting stuff.
He is a bridge Grand Master (although he hasn't played for years), a member of the Australian Sceptics Society and the Richard 111 Society. He has been on 'the road less travelled' for about 32 years and recommends the journey.
Tony has worked for the past 30 years as a counsellor, group leader and psychotherapist.
Sandra is the FDS Volunteer Manager and a co-founder of the organisation.
She has a certificate IV in Alcohol and other Drugs and a diploma in Community Welfare.
Up until 4 years ago she was responsible for all aspects of the telephone line operating and working with the volunteers. She now holds a part time position and works closely with James who has taken over a large part of her duties. Unfortunately, this has led to having less contact with the volunteers which was an integral part of her job and one which she enjoyed.
She has worked closely with the Centre for Volunteering for over 20 years on supporting volunteers.
She loves to read physiological thrillers and watch UK programmes on renovating houses.
Sandra is a mother to Nicola and Jess and grandmother to Joshua.
Catherine first came to FDS in June 2019 as a parent struggling with the impact her son’s substance use was having on her family. She regularly attended the Elizabeth Support Group and found that as well as getting help for herself, she also got a great deal of satisfaction out of listening to others and offering her support. Catherine feels very passionate about the FDS model and welcomed the opportunity to join the organisation in November 2020 as a Family Support Worker.
Originally coming from Scotland, Catherine came to Australia with her parents at age 13. She definitely calls Australia home, but loves to go back to visit her home country when she can. Outside of work she enjoys the physical challenge of Boot Camp and Yoga. She loves catching up with friends and family & walking her dog Baxter.
Chrissie is a highly experienced Community Services Professional specialising in the Alcohol and other Drugs and Mental Health sectors. She also has had an extensive career delivering nationally recognised Community Services qualifications in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector; working previously as a TAFE Team Manager and TAFE teacher.
Chrissie holds qualifications in: Alcohol and other Drugs, Counselling, Community Services Management, Community Development, Disability, Mental Health, Trainer and Assessor, Volunteer Management & Coordination and Active Volunteering.
Chrissie is also an accredited Mental Health First Aid Instructor.
James joined FDS in October 2015. As our Volunteer Coordinator, his role encompasses working with the Volunteer team, undertaking Interviews with potential volunteers, assisting with the delivery of the volunteer training courses, overseeing the 24/7 telephone roster including debriefing and supporting volunteers and any other administrative requirements.
Prior to joining FDS, James had worked in a number of customer service, administration and learning and development roles, primarily in the Social Service sector.
James is passionate about social justice and equality.
James is currently completing a Cert IV Coordination of Volunteer programs.
Outside of work James enjoys most sports, collecting records, playing guitar and drums, Scrabble, gardening and DIY projects.
Angela has a BA in Communications and extensive experience as a publicist in film, theatre and publishing. She first connected with FDS as a parent reaching out for support. While a regular attendee at support group meetings, she volunteered on the FDS 24/7 Support Line. Since losing her 28 year-old son to suicide, Angela embraces with passion her new role as a Family Support Officer with FDS in South Australia. Angela is driven by the courage of so many families struggling to cope with the impact of drug and alcohol use in their midst. Like many she meets, she never expected to find herself in that place of overwhelming fear and grief. She is pleased to be able to direct her empathy and lived experience to a positive end.
A committed advocate for the FDS model, Angela also enjoys spending time with her family (including her dog), going to the theatre, travelling, Zumba and French language
Angela Tolley – Family Support Officer, South Australia
Chloe is the Victorian Project Officer for Family Drug Support Australia and is responsible for running support groups, community workshops and the FDS flagship program, ‘Stepping Stones to Success’ for families affected by problematic alcohol and drug use.
Chloe has a background in case management for people receiving unemployment benefits, is a Board Member of Students for Sensible Drug Policy Australia and is in her qualifying degree to become a social worker. She is also a member of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) and the Australia Community Workers Association (ACWA).
Sally originally graduated with a Bachelor in Arts in Sociology and English and worked in Sales & Marketing and Account Management but found herself pursuing further study in psychology. In January 2018, while studying counselling and working as an Alcohol and Other Drugs caseworker, she began volunteering on the FDS support line, and in June 2019 started with FDS as a Family Project Officer with the amazing SA team: Kendall and Angela. Sally enjoys working with family members whether that is at support groups, delivering Stepping Stones or one to one support.
Sally enjoys reading, creative writing, yoga, spending time with close friends and loves the ocean, music and travelling.
Anna transitioned from the private sector into the health domain initially as a Carer for her mother in 2014, then joined the FDS Team as a Volunteer on their National Support Telephone Service in 2018, and became a Family Support Worker at FDS in 2019. Having completed a BA in Humanities majoring in political science, Anna identifies the complex landscape of policymaking and is working towards better outcomes for families within drug reform in Australia. Currently undertaking a Masters Degree in Human Services, with a dissertation in Childhood and Family Studies, Anna has a strong research focus on AOD and Mental Health, positing dependency as a health issue in alliance with Queensland Human Rights Legislation 2020.
As an advocate for harm reduction initiatives, she supports therapeutic rehabilitation for recovery and re-integrative purposes. Anna’s passion for social justice drives her commitment to empower families and friends of loved ones that are faced with a dependency journey. Spare time revolves around spending time with her precious family and friends and loving her cats and dog.
Denise has been working with FDS since January 2018. Denise commenced working with FDS in a P/T capacity as the Accounts Officer. Denise moved into a F/T role as an Administration Assistant in June 2019.
Denise has held various finance positions and customer service roles. She has a passion for supporting people and is committed to the FDS model and believes in the benefits of Supporting the Family.
To unwind Denise spends time with her Cattle X couch potato dogs and cat, for exercise she enjoys Zumba and other dance styles.
I have always been passionate about social justice, equality and empowering people. Since completing my Bachelor degrees in Psychology and Social Work I have been fortunate to work across the globe in a variety of fields supporting individuals and families from different cultural backgrounds on their unique journey, from remote parts of Australia to Africa and across Europe. I think it is vital that services acknowledge the value in supporting families and recognising without judgement the challenges experienced by family members, as well as encouraging coping and self-care.
Natasha Stapleton - Family Support Worker Queensland
Gayle joined FDS in June 2020 bringing with her nearly 30 years of administrative experience working in various sectors including legal, health and 10 years working in the not-for-profit community sector including several years in the AOD field.
Gayle believes in the FDS model and considers it a privilege to help make a positive difference in the lives of the families assisted by FDS.
In her spare time Gayle enjoys gardening, drawing, photography and spending time with her family enjoying the outdoors.
Amy has worked in the Welfare sector since 2004, primarily with adolescents and families, both in the out-of-home-care sector and in a family preservation capacity.
She is a trained counsellor with additional tertiary qualifications in Community Education and Media & Communications.
Having frontline experience and extensive training in trauma informed practices, Amy is empathetic, patient, and compassionate in her approach with clients.
Amy is originally from Edinburgh in Scotland and also lived in Greece for many years before settling in Australia in 2007. She enjoys immersing herself in new cultures and exploring the world.
I have always been passionate about social justice, equality and empowering people. Since completing my Bachelor degrees in Psychology and Social Work I have been fortunate to work across the globe in a variety of fields supporting individuals and families from different cultural backgrounds on their unique journey, from remote parts of Australia to Africa and across Europe. I think it is vital that services acknowledge the value in supporting families and recognising without judgement the challenges experienced by family members, as well as encouraging coping and self-care.
Natasha Stapleton - Family Support Worker Queensland
Tony Trimingham arrived in Australia in 1968 as a Ten Pound Pom from the English Lake District.
James joined FDS in October 2015. As our Volunteer Coordinator, his role encompasses working with the Volunteer team, undertaking Interviews with potential volunteers, assisting with the delivery of the volunteer training courses, overseeing the 24/7 telephone roster including debriefing and supporting volunteers and any other administrative requirements.
Angela has a BA in Communications and extensive experience as a publicist in film, theatre and publishing. She first connected with FDS as a parent reaching out for support. While a regular attendee at support group meetings, she volunteered on the FDS 24/7 Support Line. Since losing her 28 year-old son to suicide, Angela embraces with passion her new role as a Family Support Officer with FDS in South Australia. Angela is driven by the courage of so many families struggling to cope with the impact of drug and alcohol use in their midst. Like many she meets, she never expected to find herself in that place of overwhelming fear and grief. She is pleased to be able to direct her empathy and lived experience to a positive end.
Jenni commenced with FDS in July 2016 in Head Office. Jenni is responsible for data entry. Jenni’s attention to detail and accuracy is immeasurable.
