Senior management team

Rob Parkinson - chief executive

Rob Parkinson has been chief executive of Home-Start UK since September 2013. In his previous role as chief executive of Action Homeless, Rob worked with people living with the consequences of growing up in a family with multiple and complex needs decades earlier. Frustrated at only being able to fire-fight, he decided he wanted to work in early intervention to help solve problems now, before they became the crises of the future.

Vivien Waterfield - deputy chief executive

Vivien joined Home-Start in 1998. She has held the post of director of fundraising and communications for 11 years and was appointed deputy chief executive in 2012. Vivien is passionate about social justice, opportunity and potential. She leads the charity's new business development, external relations and service development activity. Vivien is a trustee of Curve Theatre in Leicester and lives in the city with her husband and two daughters.

Elizabeth Young - director for research evaluation and policy

Elizabeth is responsible for measuring the impact of the organisation’s work, as well as influencing family and volunteer policy across four nations of the UK. Her background is in nursing and medical sociology and she has an interest in researching sensitive topics, focus group methodology and more recently in evaluation and organizational development.

Pete Thomas - director of finance and corporate services

Pete joined Home-Start UK in June 2014. Over more than 10 years in the charity sector Pete’s passion has been to secure maximum impact for charitable resources through strong financial management and good governance. As a father of three young children Pete recognised the exceptional value offered and vital need met by Home-Start’s approach to support for families.