About Us

Nicola Rickards brings over 20 years of NHS and private sector experience to the team, specialising in Stroke and Neurological Rehabilitation. As a local leader in her field, her expertise encompasses upper limb rehabilitation and mobility training, with a particular skill in spasticity management. Nicola holds Master’s-level qualifications and is driven by a passion that led to the founding of Reclaim Mobility. She strongly believes in making quality therapy accessible to everyone, irrespective of their ability to travel, disability, or financial constraints. Her approach is personally tailored, endeavouring to provide a rehabilitation package that meets individual needs. After providing independent Physiotherapy for many years, she realised the benefits to her clients for them to have access to a team of different professionals who can work collaboratively to help her clients achieve their therapy goals. From this desire for a team approach, Reclaim Mobility was founded. In addition to her professional pursuits, Nicola is a dedicated mother to two young children. Much of her time is spent juggling the demands of being a taxi driver for her family, preventing the cat from clawing the furniture, and navigating the ever-present hazard of stepping on Lego! Away from her responsibilities, Nicola enjoys running, exercising, and unwinding with a good book, accompanied by a glass of wine and some chocolate.

Emily has over 25 years of clinical experience working in both the NHS and private sectors, as well as running her own MSK practice for 12 years. She joined Reclaim Mobility in January 2025 and is thoroughly enjoying working in a community base setting and is seeing the huge benefit of treating patients in their own environment. She has a vast experience in treating MSK and Orthopaedic conditions and in the last 8 years has specialised in Vestibular Rehabilitation, with a special interest in PPPD and vestibular migraine. Emily has found working with a team to be of huge benefit to manage these conditions, helping patients to achieve their goals and maximum potential.

Outside of physiotherapy, Emily is a proud mum of two adult sons and enjoys open water swimming and spin.

Anne O’Neill, a dedicated member of our Rehabilitation Team, has been working both in the NHS and privately for over two decades. Her journey in helping others began early, assisting an elderly neighbour from the age of 12. This experience sparked her lifelong commitment to aiding people in achieving personal goals, regaining mobility and functioning independently in their homes. Anne’s expertise covers a wide range of conditions, including neurological, orthopaedic, surgical, oncology, frailty, falls and dementia. Additionally, she specialises in spasticity management and gait, and balance re-education, making her an invaluable asset to our team.

Bringing extensive experience to the table, Sam Shelley – who qualified as an Occupational Therapist in 2003 – is a key figure in our Rehabilitation Team. Sam found the love for Occupational Therapy when she was just 18 and witnessed for herself the benefits of what an OT could do for a loved one with a brain injury. She soon realised it was the career for her and now after two decades since working in both private and NHS sectors, where she has extensive experience working in the acute and long-term Rehabilitation sector for Stroke and Brain Injury patients. Recently, Sam’s involvement with the Long Covid Team has deepened her expertise in managing breathlessness, fatigue, stress, and cognitive difficulties. Sam also has a passion for supporting those at risk of falls and has been forthcoming at putting together the Reclaim Mobiliity falls package. Due to personal experience herself, Sam also has a keen interest in supporting mothers in the perinatal stages who may be suffering from pelvic girdle pain and fatigue.

I started working for the NHS in 1996 at Runwell hospital working within elderly mental health and have built up over 20 years of experience in this area, I have always worked around therapists on the wards and felt this was the area that I’d like to persue. So I moved into the discharge to assess role at Basildon hospital in the community, then moving on into physio and OT rehab within the NHS and in the private sector where I have found a love for helping pts regain their confidence, strength, ability and to improve, regain their independence in their own home.

I pride myself on being able to encourage and install my belief in people’s ability even if they can’t yet see it themselves. The pride I get in my job in helping pts regain their independence is immeasurable and I love sharing the skills I’ve acquired with pts and their families.

Kirsty Jenkins, our lead Speech and Language Therapist for the stroke team, transitioned to this role after gaining valuable experience as an SLT assistant. With nine years of service in the NHS, she has assisted many individuals and their families in regaining and adapting communication and swallowing skills following strokes and other medical conditions. Her commitment to helping people achieve the best outcomes in communication and swallowing skills underlines her passion for enhancing their quality of life.

Liz Woodley’s dedication to improving others’ independence and quality of life is deeply personal, stemming from her father’s severe stroke 20 years ago. Her career in the NHS began 12 years ago, initially on an advanced Dementia ward, and later she joined a community support team. Liz’s journey in healthcare led her to work with stroke survivors and patients with unstable fractures, culminating in a Distinction in her studies with Allied Health (NHS). Currently, she is instrumental in supporting people at home and in residential settings with their therapy goals and exercises, closely collaborating with the team’s therapists.

Stuart started working for the NHS in 1996 at Runwell hospital working within elderly mental health having built up over 20 years of experience in this area. Ha has always worked around therapists on the wards and felt this was the area that he would like to specialise. So he moved into the discharge to assess role at Basildon hospital in the community, progressing into physio and OT teams within the NHS and in the private sector where he found a love for helping people regain their confidence, strength, seeing them improve and regaining their independence in their own home. Stuart prides himself on being able to encourage and install his positive belief in people’s ability even if they can’t yet see it themselves. Stuart says “the pride I get in my job in helping people regain their independence is immeasurable and I love sharing the skills I’ve acquired with patients and their families”.

Dr. Denise Bevan, our chartered Clinical Psychologist, has over 12 years of experience in both the NHS and private sectors. Working in diverse settings, including inpatient wards and community environments, she has developed substantial expertise in treating clients of all ages. Her main areas of focus include anxiety disorders, depression and support for those adjusting to life with chronic health conditions. Collaborating closely with the multidisciplinary team, Denise plays a crucial role in supporting clients on their path to improving their quality of life.

Jackie is an accredited counsellor with over 10 years of experience working in different healthcare settings and has dedicated her career to supporting people through some of the most challenging times of their lives. She specialises in working with grief and loss, those living with cancer and other chronic conditions. Jackie is proud to be part of a team that provides a holistic approach, working with clients to provide confidential emotional/psychological support. She also feels passionately about providing accessible support and is therefore happy to offer home visits, online and telephone support.