Our Trainees
Hop Stitch & Jumper was opened in order to offer a hands on work training programme for adults with learning disabilities.
Sylvia
Trainee & Junior retail assistant
Ross
Trainee
Adam
Trainee
Rebecca
Trainee
Harry
Trainee
Sam
Trainee
Christian
Trainee
Alex
Trainee
Dan
Trainee – Maidstone
Alice
Trainee
Tessa
Managing Director of Symbol
Tessa founded Symbol in 1988 and has led the delivery, development and diversification of the organisation with a keen eye on addressing the many unmet needs of people with learning disabilities living in the UK.
The development of The Hop, Stitch & Jumper and Celestine is Tessa’s latest innovative and inclusive service opportunity.
In addition to practising as a Speech and Language Therapist, Tessa has managed community, residential and day services for people with Learning disabilities. A fellow of The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, Tessa has published two books relating to her fields of practice.
Florentina
Store Manager
Florentina has dedicated her career to supporting adults with learning disabilities, focusing on creating inclusive services. Florentina leads in multiple Symbol services.
Florentina is an avid knitter, quilter and dressmaker. Florentina is happy to decifer your tricky knitting patterns!
Lauren
Leader of Trainee Programme &
Retail Lead – Tenterden/Maidstone
Lauren is the leader of the trainee retail program. With 8 years of experience working with trainees in Day Services, she now helps them develop the skills and knowledge they need to work in retail. Holding a degree and master’s in Fabric and Surface Design, Lauren is passionate about color matching and skilled in various crafts, including crochet, quilting, dressmaking, and fabric printing.
Julie
Retail Lead – Maidstone
Julie has been with Hop Stitch & Jumper Maidstone from early days.
Julie is the heart and soul of our Maidstone store. As well as a wealth of experience working with adults with learning disabilities, Julie is a keen knitter. Julie can help with all your knitting and sewing related queries. The fashionable Julie is a pro at matching fabrics with patterns.
Freya
Retail Assistant – Tenterden
Freya has been at Hop, Stitch and Jumper Tenterden since it first opened. With a degree in Performance Design, she found her love of sewing through making costumes. Also a keen crocheter and quilter.
Charlotte
Retail Assistant – Tenterden
Charlotte joined the team at Hop, Stitch and Jumper in 2024, having been a regular customer since we first opened. With a passion for crochet and knitting, she’s the go-to person for all your crafting questions. Outside of yarn, Charlotte has a love for crystals and aromatherapy. You’ll often find her splitting her time between Hop, Stitch and Jumper, and Celestine.
Emily
Retail Assistant – Maidstone
Emily is our newest member of the team in Maidstone. Emily is a wonderful and creative embroiderer, running a successful business alongside her work at Hop, Stitch & Jumper. Emily has fit in perfectly as a member of the team, we are very lucky to have her.
Chris Wood
Celestine
Chris helps manage our wonderful crystal shop called Celestine, he has 30 years experience as a therapist in the world of mind, body and spirit. He is passionate about supporting growth and transformation, Chris works closely with our trainees across the Symbol Group, offering guidance and expertise in many ways.
Tilly
Leader of Trainee Programme
Speech & Language Therapist
Tilly is the Creative Lead for the Work Enterprise Project at The Hop, Stitch and Jumper, which supports clients to develop their own businesses. Every aspect of business is learnt, from initial ideas, through to consumer research, product development and purchase, to delivery of goods.
Alongside The Hop, Stitch and Jumper, Tilly works in Symbol’s Speech and Language Therapy Service, specialising in Down Syndrome and is also Creative Director of The Hopshed – Kent’s first inclusive theatre company.
Andrea
Speach & Language Therapist
Andrea leads alongside Lauren & Tilly to run our work place training programme and well as our Communication Group. The group offers clients working at The Hop, Stitch and Jumper an opportunity to talk in a safe and relaxed space about anything and everything.
With communication at the heart of The Hop, Stitch and Jumper, Symbol’s Speech and Language Therapy service is an instrumental and integrated part of day-to-day activities of the shop.
Beth Stamp
Retail Assistant
Beth has been with Hop, Stitch, and Jumper Tenterden from the start, bringing her crochet, quilting, and embellishing skills; along with plenty of laughter and a love of fashion to the shop. She also works in our sister shop, Celestine, where her keen eye for beautiful crystals and jewellery makes her an excellent source of advice and help.