Helen Lewis

Helen took over as Director of Guardians UK in 2022 having previously established and run her own successful guardianship agency. Prior to that she worked in pastoral leadership roles and as a teacher in various boarding schools across the UK and East Africa. Furthermore, her own children attended boarding schools giving Helen plenty of first-hand experience as a parent too.

When not at work Helen can either be found on the tennis court or out walking or cycling with a group of friends.

With the help of her team, Helen’s ambitions for Guardians UK are to further develop it into a nurturing and caring guardianship business which promotes a holistic approach to each and every child navigating the excitement and challenges of life in the UK.

Yuliia Vitkivska

Yuliia joined Guardians UK team in June 2022 after moving to the UK from Ukraine with her children. She has plenty of experience in an administrative position since she began her career as an Administrator at the Law Department of a Higher Education Institution. In more recent years she has been developing her own business as a solicitor.

As well as English, Yuliia speaks fluent Ukrainian and Russian, and therefore frequently supports students and their parents who speak these languages as their mother tongue. Moreover, experiencing life herself as a mother and a person in a foreign country, she is always happy to show support and care for all children and their parents regardless of their background.

Jakki Henderson

Jakki is the mother of two children; one daughter currently studying medicine at Cardiff University and a son at college who loves his rugby. Jakki’s background is in advertising, recruitment and finance but in recent years has worked in primary schools helping to run after school clubs, as well as being a voluntary teaching assistant, PTA Secretary, directing/producing community pantomimes and part-time Parish Clerk.

Having spent some of her childhood abroad in the Canary Islands, Jakki has an understanding of the kind of support a child might need when living and studying away from home. As your Regional Guardian, she looks forward to helping support your child during their time at school, acting as the important link between parent, school and student.

Jennie Trinder

Before joining Guardians UK Jennie was working as a Careers Adviser, assisting students to secure college and university places and guiding them through the different options open to them both in the UK and internationally. Prior to that Jennie worked for the Metropolitan Police based in London. She attended an independent boarding school as a child so knows first-hand the importance of a holistic approach to the care and support that students and their families require.

As Regional Guardian to international students in the West Country, Jennie is always on hand to assist with whatever it is that needs doing, whether that be arranging a visit to the orthodontist, or organising a host family for the holidays.

Out of the office, Jennie enjoys spending time outdoors and is often found pottering in the garden or camping with her husband and daughter.

Yuan Zhao-Pomfret