BIG PICKLES TEAM

BIG PICKLES MANAGER

KATE BYERS 

  • BA (Hons) Urban Management Studies

  • NVQ Level 3 Business and Administration

  • Working within the LSCP safeguarding 6-year pathway

  • Food Hygiene (Level 1 and Level 2)

  • 12 hr blended Paediatric first aid (to complete in April 2022)

  • Deaf Equality Action Training

  • Level 1 Basic Counselling Skills course

  • Level 2 Diploma Fitness Instructor (YMCA)

  • Level 3 Diploma Personal Trainer and Nutritional Advisor (YMCA)

  • I initially joined the Pickles committee in 2015 as a parent and took on the role as Committee Treasurer in 2017. In November 2021 I was lucky enough to become a staff member at this wonderful organisation. Having seen my own daughter thrive here, I am enthusiastic about ensuring that all children have fun, feel safe, included and are a part of the pickles’ family during their time with us.

    I studied Urban Management Studies at university which looked at policy making, legislation, regeneration, community studies and equality issues. Since I graduated, I have worked in roles which involve advice or helping and supporting people in the community.

    In my free time I enjoy Powerlifting/weight training, spending time outdoors, gardening and travel. I am also animal mad and have two cats… although I feel this number may increase over time! My favourite place to visit is Philadelphia.

SUPERVISOR & STAFF WELL BEING LEAD

STEPHEN COY 

  • Cache Level 3 Supporting teaching in the classroom

  • Level 4 Diploma in therapeutic counselling

  • Assist training

  • First Aid training

  • Level 2 Food Hygiene 

  • Working within the LSCP Safeguarding 6-year pathway 

  • Hello! My name is Stephen and I have worked within an education setting for over six years. I have been a part of the Big Pickles team for around four years, first as an assistant then as a supervisor. I am also the wellbeing lead for our organisation.

    It has been a privilege to work in the settings that my own two children once grew up in and I am proud to work with such caring and dedicated people who make up the rest of the Pickles staff.

    In my spare time I enjoy activities such as playing the guitar, piano, kickboxing and, exploring exciting new places with my family. My favourite book has to be The Jolly Christmas Postman.

SUPERVISOR & DEPUTY SAFEGUARDING LEAD

LOUISE EXTON-BROWN

  • NVQ Level 3: Childcare Learning and Development

  • Level 2 Food Hygiene and Food preparation

  • First Aid training

  • Working within the LSCP Safeguarding 6-year pathway 

  • My name is Louise, and I am a supervisor at Big Pickles working mainly at the Infant Site. I have also worked at Little Pickles Preschool for 10 years and have recently been appointed as deputy manager.

    I enjoy working with the children having different conversations, undertaking a variety of activities, creating different crafts, listening to their opinions and generally having a lot of fun. I have 2 grown up children, a boy and a girl, who are my world and from whom I have learned so much about myself. My interests are pottering in my garden (and Pickles garden) and I do love to bake at home as well as with the children at Pickles. My happy place is definitely a warm sunny summers day on the beach and having my family around me.

    In my spare time I enjoy activities such as playing the guitar, piano, kickboxing and, exploring exciting new places with my family. My favourite book has to be The Jolly Christmas Postman.

SUPERVISOR

KELLY BRADLEY

  • Working within the LSCP safeguarding 6yr pathway. 

  • Paediatric first aid training completed October 2023 

  • Level 1&2 food hygiene 

Hello my name is Kelly and I am a proud Mum to 2 children. I started working for Big Pickles After School Club at the beginning of the academic year in September 2023, and I currently work as supervisor at the infant site every afternoon. This post runs alongside my day job as a PA Support Worker for a lovely lady whom I've worked with for almost 6 years. 

  • When I first started work, I was a Saturday girl at a hairdressers, and after training I achieved my hairdressing qualifications. I then had a change of career and worked in a hospital as an auxiliary nurse caring for people with functional mental illness, Geriatric, and end of life care. It was the most rewarding job as it taught me many life skills on a daily basis.

    My son was diagnosed with ADHD and Autism (ASD) at the age of 5 so I took time away from work to concentrate on his needs and appointments.

    I then met my husband and after a few years made the big decision to move to Branston and have lived here for 15 years now. My husband has lived in Branston all of his life and attended all 3 of the village schools, just like our daughter.

    What I enjoy the most in life is family time.  Our mini-Dachshund puppy keeps us all busy and gives us lots of laughs. We all love walks along the river in the warmer weather and coming back to sit in the garden to watch the sun set.  I love gardening, from sowing the seeds right through to collecting the new seeds to start again!  I also love music which is constantly on at home in the background.  If I get any spare time I enjoy baking, cooking, crafting, and crocheting which has become very popular as of late!

ASSISTANT & SENCO

ALI BRIGHTEY

  • Working within the LSCP Safeguarding 6-year pathway 

  • Level 2 Food Hygiene 

  • Paediatric First Aid booked May 2022

  • Level 2 Childcare Qualification

  • Hi, I’m Ali. I am mummy to six children, two of whom are now technically classed as adults. I am very passionate about working with SEN children and have recently become SENCO for Big Pickles which I am very excited about. Outside of work I am also training to become a teacher in Primary Education at Bishop Grosseteste University. I have been part of the Little Pickles and Big Pickles family for fifteen years now. I started as a parent and then became a committee member and in 2013 became a member of the team.

    I love to bake cakes in my spare time and going on lots of muddy adventures with our dog Eddie. I am a very creative person and love to get the children involved and spark their imagination!

SUPERVISOR

CHELSEA DE’ATH

  • Working within the LSCP Safeguarding 6-year pathway 

  • Level 2 Food Hygiene 

Hello, I am Chelsea. I started working for big pickles in September 2021 and am currently based at the junior site.

In my spare time I like to visit family, go on long walks with my cousin, go shopping and I love to catch up my friends. Sometimes I even feel the need to bake (which I do quite a lot), I love making new cake recipes and decorating them, but the best part has got to be getting to eat them. I am a big fan of grey’s anatomy, and my favourite film has got to be the greatest showman!

ASSISTANT

LAURA DAVY

  • Diploma in Preschool Practice 

  • Food Hygiene Level 2 

  • 12 hour blended Paediatric First Aid training 

  • Working within the LSCP Safeguarding six-year pathway 

  • I joined the Pickles team in November 2022 after moving to Lincoln with my husband from Oxford. I started my career working with adults with learning difficulties for a number of years which I loved, I had a break from this when I had my two children. As my children became more independent, I returned to work and started work in a preschool. It was here that I learned to use sign language regularly. I worked here as my children went through the school system. Eventually I moved to working in a Children’s Centre and was there for five years. I enjoyed working with the children and their parents. I then gained experience working with children with additional and complex needs at a children’s home in Oxford. This was hard work but extremely rewarding. I would support a child one to one in their daily activities and spend time away from the care home on days out or short breaks away. From here I returned to working in a preschool which is my passion and I stayed there until gaining my position at Big Pickles/Little Pickles when I moved to Lincoln. Starting work at Pickles has been wonderful and I can honestly say I love every minute!

    In my free time I love spending time with my family. Both of my children are now grown up with careers of their own. As they do not live locally time with them, their partners and now my one-year-old grandson is very special.

    I also enjoy keeping fit by running, cycling, and swimming (especially outside in the cold!). I enjoy being outside and have a passion for gardening. I am also very creative, and I am currently decorating a wooden toy box for my grandson. I love all sorts of music, and play the flute, I enjoy singing songs with the children and combine this with teaching them sign language!

ASSISTANT

CAITLYN COTTARD

  • Level 2 Food Hygiene 

I joined Big Pickles as an assistant in October 2023. I am a qualified chef, and previously worked at David Lloyd’s, Lincoln. I was there for two years whilst completing my training. I decided that this was not my true calling and wanted a career working with children. I work at both the infant and junior sites and enjoy the differences they bring, no two days are the same.

In my spare time I enjoy painting, cooking, crafting and collecting figurines related to my favourite films and shows. I also have two dogs which I enjoy taking for walks, especially along the beach.

ASSISTANT

CHLOE COOK

  • Working within the LSCP Safeguarding 6-year pathway

  • Level 2 Food Hygiene 

Hi my name is Chloe, i am a student at lincoln college currently studying A-levels Criminology, Psychology and Chemistry. I began working for Big Pickles in December 2023 and have been really enjoying my time there. In my spare time i enjoy seeing friends and family, babysitting and often baking.

ASSISTANT

DONNA

  • Level 3 early years qualification

I’m Donna, I have 2 teenage children, a husband, dog, snake and tarantula. I enjoy travelling the world, being in nature and spending any free time at the beach. I ride a motorbike and love exploring. 

I am a qualified level 3 early years educator and have been working with children for about 8 years. 

Occasionally the team from Little Pickles will help at Big Pickles so if you don’t see the face you’re looking for, be sure to take a look at the Little Pickles Team page.