Introduction

Tess Barrett

Head of Services

Playing an active part in shaping services for the future at the same time supporting the CEO to determine the strategy for the coming years.

Tess Barrett

Tessa joined Devon in Sight in May 2022 as Helpline Adviser and Head Office Administration Assistant.  Since then she has moved into the position of Head of Services.

In this role she is playing an active part in shaping services for the future at the same time supporting the CEO to determine the strategy for the coming years.

Tessa has over 20 years of experience working in the third sector, 11 years of which have been supporting people with low vision and their families.

Her role in sight loss commenced with Open Sight a low vision society in Hampshire who supported her mother when she became severely sight impaired following a brain tumour. She felt that when her mother was diagnosed, she and her family did not know where to go to get the support her mother and family so desperately needed.

She is particularly proud that during her time with a local sight loss charity she was able to grow the services to families and carers and subsequently provide a service to children with sight loss.

Tessa then worked for the Macular Society where she extended her knowledge of Macular Disease and supported the growth of services to support anyone with Macular Disease and their families and carers across the country. It was during her time with the Macular Society she came to understand the need for emotional support services not just to those newly diagnosed or in need of support but to the wider community including families and carers.

Living in Devon Tessa says “ I cannot tell you how good it is and feels to be part of a charity that really does put its clients at the heart of all it does.  The charity has achieved some amazing things this year.  I feel as though I have been providing services across Devon for years”.

Tess Barrett