Syncora Leadership
Our leadership team brings together deep expertise across health, care, housing and community services. They have a proven track record of delivering complex contracts, improving outcomes for people, and maintaining the highest standards of governance and compliance.
Working across systems and sectors, they focus on what matters most: delivering safe, effective services that make a real difference, backed by strong partnerships, clear accountability and consistent performance.
Sarah Swanson
Sarah Swanson is Executive Director of Syncora, leading the Calico Group’s integrated health and wellbeing services across domestic abuse, substance misuse, homelessness, care and employability. With over 20 years’ experience in health, social care and supported housing, she has built her career around improving outcomes for people facing disadvantage or complex challenges.
Before joining Calico, Sarah held senior roles at Nugent, Save the Children UK and Knowsley Borough Council, leading national portfolios and regional operations focused on children and families. She leads with integrity and compassion, with a strong emphasis on trauma-informed practice and multi-agency collaboration.
At Syncora, Sarah champions a person-centred, joined-up approach, focused on building responsive systems, supporting innovation and ensuring services work together to create lasting change.
Alex Atkinson
Alex Atkinson is Head of Services for Safenet and has worked for the charity for 26 years. She has extensive leadership and management experience, co-ordinating and designing services and leading domestic abuse initiatives in local communities.
Alex works both strategically and operationally, contributing to service development, policy implementation and programme design.
She is known for her creative and innovative approach, developing training and specialist programmes that support teams to deliver positive outcomes for survivors.
Kate Cunliffe
Kate Cunliffe is an experienced Homeless and Prevention Services Manager, dedicated to improving housing stability and delivering person-centred support across the community. She has a strong background in service development, frontline leadership and partnership working.
Kate leads teams delivering homelessness prevention, crisis intervention and longer-term support, working closely with local authorities, health services and community organisations to ensure coordinated and timely support.
She is committed to high-quality service delivery and reducing homelessness through proactive prevention, innovative service design and helping people build sustainable futures.
Lindsey Danson
Lindsey Danson is Head of Skills and Enterprise at Syncora, part of the Calico Group, and has over 20 years’ experience in the employability, skills and enterprise sector. She has spent 14 years within the Calico Group, leading the development of inclusive services that support people to build skills, progress into work and sustain positive change.
Born and raised in Burnley, Lindsey’s local roots influence her commitment to place-based working and delivering services that respond to the needs of individuals and communities.
She provides strategic and operational leadership across a portfolio including supported internships, apprenticeships, employment programmes and youth provision, with a strong focus on service quality, colleague wellbeing and positive impact.
Kirsty Fanshawe
Kirsty Fanshawe is Director of Business Development & Performance at the Calico Group, leading the organisation’s approach to growth, partnerships and performance, with a particular focus on supporting Syncora’s services.
She brings extensive experience in business development, research and corporate finance, having held roles in deal origination, mergers and acquisitions and advising business and private equity clients on their growth strategies.
At Calico, Kirsty works across health, social care, employability and wider service areas, supporting Calico to develop and grow services. She focuses on building partnerships, identifying opportunities and strengthening approaches that enable services to expand their reach and impact.
Helen Gauder
Helen Gauder is Managing Director of Safenet. Over the past 28 years, she has led its development from a small volunteer-led charity to a regionally recognised provider of specialist domestic abuse services across the North West.
Helen champions equality, diversity and inclusion and has driven culture, growth and service development throughout the organisation.
She is an experienced coach and practitioner, supporting leadership development alongside her operational role, and remains focused on strengthening services for survivors and communities.
Sam Howarth
Sam Howarth is Director of Operations at Syncora, with over 20 years’ experience across housing, care and support services. She has a strong track record of leading complex, multi service operations and ensuring safe, effective and high-quality delivery.
Sam provides financial and operational leadership, including budget management, performance oversight and sustainability. She has extensive experience in mobilising services, managing large-scale change and working with commissioners, local authorities and sector partners.
Passionate about strengths-based, community-focused services, Sam is committed to building community capacity and developing high-performing teams that deliver lasting impact.
Claire Illingworth
Claire Illingworth is Head of Operations for Syncora services, part of the Calico Group, with responsibility across Delphi Medical, Acorn Recovery Projects and Syncora Care Services. She leads services spanning drug and alcohol support, adult and dementia care, and health and justice provision.
Claire has extensive experience across community, residential and custodial settings, with a focus on integrated, safe and person-centred services.
She is passionate about supporting colleagues to develop and progress, particularly through volunteer pathways, and is known for creating supportive environments where people can grow and deliver high-quality, client-led support.
Sarah Tattersall
Sarah Tattersall is Head of Operations at Syncora, responsible for services within Acorn Recovery Projects, part of the Calico Group. She has nearly 15 years’ experience across substance misuse and recovery services, alongside a background in supported housing, giving her a strong understanding of people accessing support.
She leads operational delivery across treatment and recovery services, with accountability for performance, quality, financial management and compliance, including CQC standards. Her focus is on consistent, responsive and well-governed delivery, with clear oversight and continuous improvement.
Sarah brings a direct, practical leadership style, working closely with teams to maintain high standards, strengthen delivery and ensure people receive safe, high-quality care.
Emma Thornber
Emma Thornber is Group Director of Governance and Regulation, responsible for governance, assurance, risk management and regulatory compliance. She also leads the Group’s approach to information governance.
She has over 20 years’ experience in governance-related roles and has been with the Calico Group for more than ten years. Her work focuses on supporting compliance, improving quality and safety, and developing frameworks that enable effective service delivery.
Emma is particularly focused on continuous improvement and creating clarity within complex systems, supporting teams and Boards to make informed and confident decisions.
Tom Woodcock
Tom Woodcock has over 30 years’ experience across public sector and VCSE roles in homelessness, addiction, mental health, community development and criminal justice.
As a commissioner in Lancashire, he worked with service users to establish the Lancashire User Forum and supported the development of Red Rose Recovery to build capacity within the recovery community.
Tom is committed to social justice and creating opportunities for people to grow together. He focuses on developing inclusive communities and identifying new ways to support people to make positive change.