Our team

Georgia Barnes

CEO

Georgia joined Bluebell in 2023 following Ruth’s departure. She has been connected to the service since 2017 when Bluebell Place became a safe haven for her while pregnant with her son.

Georgia is proud to be part of the trio of services leading the Hearts & Minds Partnership, as well as Co-Director of the Perinatal Mental Health: Health Integration Team in Bristol. 

When not championing the needs of perinatal parents, Georgia is chasing after her three small children, slowly working through her Law master conversion course and trying (and often failing) to maintain her yoga practice.

Connect with Georgia on LinkedIn to hear more about Bluebell's work and partnership opportunities.

Jodi Dowse-Packham

Operations Director

Jodi loves the variety of her role - a keen public speaker, aiming to normalise talking about perinatal mental health with a strong interest in Inclusion and Diversity projects.

As a neurodivergent, queer parent, Jodi recognises the extra barriers accessing support can come with being part of a minoritised community.

Having also been a peer support worker with Bluebell Jodi brings a range of skills to her role as Operations Director.

Rachel Jenkins

Therapeutic Services Lead

Rachel is an occupational therapist. She joined Bluebell in 2011, playing an early role in the design of our Comfort Zone programme. Today she heads up our team of Group Leaders who deliver Comfort Zone across the south west and oversees training for the whole team. She also leads Comfort Zone groups in Patchway, Yate, Bath and north east Somerset and Cadbury Heath. Rachel has two grown-up sons and is an amateur musician.

Mel Williamson

Devon Project Coordinator & Bluebell Project Manager

Mel lives in Devon and joined Little Bluebell in 2016. She has spent many years co-ordinating and facilitating projects, working with families and children experiencing difficulties. She usually works behind the scenes, managing and supporting the Little Bluebell team. She also manages our Dads in Mind service. Mel is mum to two children, a textile artist and a keen gardener, and she loves to travel.

Paula Bentley

Peer Support Lead and Buddy

Paula joined Bluebell in 2013 and today oversees the recruitment, management, training and support for our Buddies. She is also a Buddy herself, supporting parents in east and central Bristol. Paula worked as a solicitor in Bristol for many years. After experiencing perinatal mental illness, she decided to leave the legal profession and devote her career to helping other parents. She is a trained pilates teacher and has studied counselling. Paula is married and has a son, a cat called Honey, a dog called Winnie and a selection of tropical fish!

Emma Peyton

Creche and Early Years Lead

Emma has worked with children and families for over 20 years. She has spent time as an early years teacher, child-minder and most recently as a family support worker in a children’s centre. Emma has two daughters of her own and can offer parents guidance and support on feeding, sleep and play. In her spare time, she enjoys singing in a community choir and walking her dog.

Abi Yardimci

Hearts & Minds Partnership Co-ordinator (South West)

Abi ran an arts and wellbeing organisation and trained as a mindfulness teacher before getting her dream job at Bluebell in 2018.  Now, she loves the fact that her two roles (Abi is also a Bluebell Buddy, working with our Devon team) enable her to work on the ground, supporting parents directly, as well as at a more strategic level, strengthening perinatal mental health VCS organisations across England. Abi is originally from the North East and now lives in sunny Brixham with her husband and two sons. When she’s not working or parenting, Abi squirrels herself away and writes feel-good fiction. She has three novels published so far.  And just in case you’re wondering, Abi’s surname is Turkish and pronounced ‘yar-dum-juh’.  

Ruth Jackson

Founder

After 13 amazing years as founder & CEO of Bluebell Care, I stepped down from my role at the end of December 2022 to hand over to the brilliant leadership and wider team, who I know will take it forward with creativity, passion and vision. It has been a privilege to be part of this incredible team and charity, and to lead it as it grew from a tiny seed of an idea to the organisation it is today with a team of over 30, supporting 2,000 parents a year.  It feels like a family, so even though I am waving farewell as CEO, it will never be goodbye.