A pupil in a dark blue jumper points at a laptop as she learns with her tutor.

Meet our Safeguarding Team

Safeguarding is at the heart of all we do at Tutor Trust

Safeguarding Team

Safeguarding is at the heart of all we do at Tutor Trust

Jason Heaford

Chief Operating Officer and Designated Safeguarding Lead

Jason Heaford

Chief Operating Officer and Designated Safeguarding Lead

Jason joined Tutor Trust back in 2014 after spending 15 years leading early years provisions within the Stockport area.  Jason is a member of the senior management team, and his main responsibilities now include leading Tutor Recruitment, HR, Safeguarding, and Business Operations teams.

Jason began his working life as a professional footballer most notably with Derby County FC. 

Jason says: "Alongside working with like-minded people who are passionate, hardworking, and talented, I enjoy the fact that no two days are alike in carrying out my role - I have a very varied in-tray! Ultimately, playing a role in transforming lives through tutoring to so many young people provides me with the greatest satisfaction of all. Long may Tutor Trust continue to champion support to those who need it most!"   

Lewis Howell

Risk Manager and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead

Lewis Howell

Risk Manager and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead

Lewis joined Tutor Trust in March 2014 as a Schools Coordinator and worked across both the Manchester and Leeds schools teams, including leading the original Leeds tuition pilot. In Spring 2022 Lewis moved across to the newly created role of Risk Manager covering various operational areas including Safeguarding, Health & Safety, and Data Protection. Lewis is also one of Tutor Trust's Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads.

Before to joining the charity, Lewis had spent the previous two-and-a-half years working in South Africa’s Kalahari Desert. Lewis was the Field Project Manager at the Kalahari Meerkat Project for 18 months, a behavioural research project run by the University of Cambridge looking at the evolution of cooperative breeding in meerkats.  He was responsible for managing both the day-to-day research of the project and the team of international volunteers who collected the data. Prior to this, Lewis was one of the research volunteers for 12 months.   

Lewis graduated from Nottingham Trent University in 2010, having studied Wildlife Conservation.  

Lewis says: “I have always enjoyed working at Tutor Trust. The mission is vital and necessary; we’re making a difference and we’re very good at what we do to boot! Just as importantly, I’m surrounded by people who care and help to create a wonderful working environment.”

Joanne Meredith

Director of Tutoring Plus and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead

Joanne Meredith

Director of Tutoring Plus and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead

After graduating from Bangor University Jo began her career as a teacher of Chemistry. Jo has over 20 years’ experience in senior leadership across Greater Manchester and Lancashire including Headship, with wide-ranging involvement in both mainstream and Alternative Provision settings.

Having worked in senior positions in both mainstream and Alternative Provision settings across Greater Manchester, Jo is well placed to lead and drive the quality of our tutoring programmes within our Tutoring Plus offer.

Jo is the Director of Tutoring Plus, which provides a bespoke service of one-to-one tutoring and other supportive interventions for the children and young people with even greater barriers to overcome than their peers. This may include cared-for children, those at risk of exclusion, those excluded and children and young people not attending school regularly.

Jo is also Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead.

Jo says: "The Mission and Values of Tutor Trust align perfectly with my own and this is what drew me to working with Tutor Trust initially. However, this has strengthened and developed as we have grown. It is so rewarding to know that you are part of a team of like-minded colleagues all working together to make a difference to the lives of children and young people who need it most."