A year ago, we lost a greatly valued member of our community very suddenly. Lindsey Newens was a passionate, loyal member of Highgate Counselling Centre. Only a matter of weeks before we lost Lindsey, she generously gave our internal Newsletter an interview about her time at Highgate Counselling Centre and what it meant to her. We felt this interview deserved to be shared with more than just HCC members and her family gave us permission to do so confident she would be proud to do so. So this article is to celebrate the Lindsey our friend and colleague and all she brought to our community.
In conversation with Lindsey Newens, HCC Operations Manager
Tell us about your background?
I grew up in north London with two older sisters and two younger brothers. When I was twelve years old I went off to school in north Wales. It was there that, amongst other outdoor activities, I learned to sail and I enjoyed the absolute beauty of the area.
Where else did you work prior to starting at HCC?
On returning home, my first job was in retail banking where I stayed for four years. I then moved on to a job in the IT department of a commercial surveyors in Mayfair, setting up systems and writing manuals. I stayed for nine years, so for the first 13 years of my working life I enjoyed the benefits of life in the West End, City and Canary Wharf. Quite different to the Snowdonia lakes! The next six years were spent working for the charity, ‘Help the Aged’ in Clerkenwell. This was a big gear change for me, to start working for a charity, but I really enjoyed the switch. I then took six years off to stay at home with my children, a girl and a boy, two years apart. When they were both settled at school I took a local job as Administrator for a worldwide church in their head office.
What brought you to HCC? How did you start here?
I started working for the Director at the time, Jim Bamber, in 2007 as he needed someone to produce his letters and I used to take dictation on a Monday afternoon. I soon realised what a unique and great organisation HCC was, and it was a very nice place to be.
What in your opinion is the role of the Operations Manager in the organisation like HCC?
Over the years this job has expanded significantly and can involve anything from taking the minutes at a Council of Management meeting, making payments and keeping financial records straight, to unblocking a drain and painting doors. It is the diversity of the role that keeps it fresh and interesting for me. I am able to use the experience I have gained over my previous jobs to help me. I enjoy the challenges this position brings and try and solve problems to hopefully make people’s lives at HCC a little smoother.
What do you enjoy most about the role?
The people, without a doubt!
What do you enjoy the last?
Building work, regulations and keeping up with all that is required, particularly in a rented property can be frustrating and challenging, but it is an essential part of the job.
How do you rest and practice self-care?
It has to be swimming as the closure of the pools as part of the COVID restrictions made me very miserable, and I appreciate the freedom that swimming gives me, whether that be indoor, outdoor, rivers or seas.
Interview first published in our internal newsletter, July 2025
