Ensuring the charity’s operations run smoothly is the responsibility of our dedicated team of office staff.
Our team
The community transport we provide is only made possible by our fantastic team of over 30 people from various backgrounds. In a recent stakeholder survey, what most stood out was how friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable our team.
“The people I work with are a special bunch. Everyone is there to help each other.”
Staff member
Our staff come from various backgrounds, and we are proud to say all our employees live within Northumberland. We have experienced staff who started out volunteering with the charity and then gained employment with us, we have staff with over 20 years in the voluntary sector, staff who are ex-forces as well as people who are semi-retired.
We also have an awesome team of volunteers from all walks of life who support many of our projects including WATBike, The Newbiggin Nipper and the Out and About scheme.
“After I retired, I wanted something to keep me occupied during the day. WATBus has certainly kept me busy… I know I am helping people. It’s nice to make a difference in the area I live.”
Volunteer
All staff and volunteers are required to undergo an enhanced DBS check.
If you would like to join our team as a volunteer, please sign up here.
WATBus Office Staff
Barry Armstrong
Chief Executive Officer
Barry has worked for WATBus for just over 10 years. He oversees all the charity’s operations including WATBus, WATBike, contracts and specific projects. Barry also liaises with the Board of Trustees, and represents community transport at a local, regional, or national level.
Karen Cox
Operations Officer
Karen has worked for WATBus since 2021, bringing over 20 years of experience in the voluntary and community sector. Her role is hugely varied, managing the day-to-day operations including staff, volunteer and our SEN school contracts.
Amanda Hutter
Finance
Amanda looks after all the finance including invoices and payments for the organisation. She has a wealth of knowledge from her previous finance roles including with the Great North Air Ambulance Service.
Kim Smith
Compliance & Training Officer
Kim has worked for WATBus since 2020, starting out initially assisting one of our passengers. She looks after the fleet of minibuses ensuring they are correctly maintained, and is a MiDAS trainer working with charities, schools, day centres and other agencies to qualify people to drive minibuses.
Trustees
We also have a strong Board of Trustee who not only govern our organisation but also help out with day-to-day activities.
Les Kidd
Vice-Chair
Alistair Wade
Chairman
Alistair left a successful career in the Paper & Packaging industry in 2014. As a director he was involved in management, sales, finance and project management, and oversaw several successful mergers. Since then, he has enjoyed working alongside the team at WATBus helping to grow the organisation in a structured and professional way. In his spare time, Alistair travels, cycles, walks and loves to spend time with his wife and family.
Jim Davenport
Trustee
John Wakenshaw
Trustee