Our Team

Purple Leaf’s team of specialist sexual violence counsellors, advocates and support workers come from a range of backgrounds including social work, counselling, play therapy, youth offending and the police.

Jocelyn Anderson

CEO

Jocelyn has been working within the field of sexual violence and harassment since 2002 and has held the post of CEO at West Mercia Rape & Sexual Abuse Support Centre (WMRSASC) since 2004. Jocelyn is a qualified Counsellor (MSc) and experienced Consultative Supervisor (PG Diploma). Jocelyn designs and delivers a range of training & continuous professional development courses focusing predominantly on the specialist sexual violence sector. Jocelyn holds a Post Graduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education and is an Associate Lecturer at the University of Worcester. Jocelyn has previously worked for the Youth Offending Service, Youth Support Services, Local Authority and also in private practice. She is a registered member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP).

Jocelyn has previously held the post of Secretary for Rape Crisis (England & Wales) and is currently Rape Crisis (England & Wales) Trustee & West Midlands Regional Representative. She has vast experience of multi-agency strategic planning and working; providing advice and consultancy support contributing to a wide range of forums, focus groups and national guidance. Her research interests include the causes and effects of vicarious trauma, burnout and compassion fatigue.

Kerrie Best

HEAD OF OPERATIONS

Kerrie is an experienced change facilitator, trainer and counsellor. She has worked within corporate, regulatory and the third sector settings. She understands the need to engage all members of the organisation from the Senior Management Team to the front-line customer facing staff in order to truly embed cultural change. As a Learning and Development professional, she has worked within the field of one to one and team support for 10 years.

Kerrie’s CV includes the roles of Head of People and Cultural Change at Solicitors Regulation Authority, Customer Service Management roles at British Airways and Learning and Development Lead at West Mercia Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre. She had provided module leadership for undergraduate courses at University of Worcester and is an associate lecturer on postgraduate and undergraduate course in Domestic Abuse, Human Rights and Sexual Abuse.

Kerrie uses her therapeutic and coaching skillset and her specialist experience in supporting individuals impacted by sexual harassment and abuse to empower individuals to achieve the changes they seek to implement. She has a postgraduate certificate in Adult Learning and has recently completed her MA Education.

Hannah Cooper

SERVICE MANAGER

 

Hannah is an experienced  Senior Social Worker who has worked with children, young people and families since 2002.

Hannah’s background includes working within the statutory, private and voluntary sectors.  This includes roles within the Child Protection Family Centre, Domestic Violence, 11 years working in a Local Authority in services for ‘looked after’ and adopted children and young people.

Hannah was also a registered manager for two private fostering agencies before moving to her current role in 2021.

Throughout her career Hannah has worked with children, young people and families that have experienced, and been affected by sexual abuse, violence and trauma.

Hannah is the service manager within the Purple Leaf Team supporting the Child Sexual Exploitation Education Programme, delivery of training, and leading on the Harmful Sexual Behaviour Service.

Anna Coombs

INTERVENTIONS & PREVENTION LEAD

Anna has worked for West Mercia Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre (WMRSASC) for over eight years. Anna has held various roles within WMRSASC including a children and young people’s Independent Sexual Violence Advocate, psychosocial one-to-one and group facilitator, and trainer. All these roles have allowed Anna to develop her skills and practice to support children who have lived through adverse childhood experiences, such as trauma and attachment difficulties.

Anna is currently the Intervention and Prevention Lead for the harmful sexual behaviours and 1-2-1 services, where she develops and facilitates interventions for children and young people who have experienced sexual abuse and have exhibited harmful sexual behaviours. Anna is both a Play and Creative Arts Therapist and a qualified Aim 3 Assessor.

Anna holds a BA Hons Degree in Social Welfare and Sociology, Postgraduate Certificate in Advocacy for Victims of Sexual Violence, Postgraduate Certificate in Therapeutic Play Skills, and Postgraduate Diploma in Play Therapy.

Purple Leaf is Trading name of West Mercia Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre (WMRSASC)

WMRSASC is a charitable company limited by guarantee in England & Wales - Charity Registration 1136677, Company Registration 07083844.

Registered office: Kendall Wadley Chartered Accountants, 71 Graham Road, Malvern, WR14 2JS (not part of WMRSASC premises)