About VAST-
Trustees
Neil Dawson
Neil has been a trustee of VAST since 1998, and has been the Chair since 2006. A committed socialist, believing in the usefulness of real partnership working, having worked in the private, voluntary, co-operative and state sectors, foster carer for 17 years and still a governor at three different level schools. Neil has also served as an elected City Councillor for 11 years, until 2007. Enjoys most sports, walking, reading and has a keen interest in science. Neil is very passionate about Port Vale Football Club.
Mark Barnish
Mark is a Chartered Accountant. Until April 2009 he was a partner in the top seven accounting firm, Baker Tilly, having formerly been a Partner with KPMG. He’s been the Honorary Treasurer of VAST since 1990. Mark has active community involvement including being a Council Member of the North Staffs Chamber of Commerce up until April 2009. He is a founder trustee of the Staffordshire Community Foundation and a trustee of The Dudson Centre and a member of the University of Keele Audit Committee . Mark is currently the Head of Finance and Corporate Services for the care charity, Saint John of God Hospitaller Services, which provides holistic health, social care and specialist support to many hundreds of the most vulnerable, disadvantaged and marginalised people throughout the UK
Judith Robinson
Judith is the Aimhigher Co-ordinator for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent as well as Head of Community Development at Staffordshire University, working with partners in the VCS and public sector on community learning and regeneration initiatives. Judith has previously served as an elected staff governor of Staffordshire University and as a trustee of the New Vic Theatre. She has been an active volunteer within the VCS for a number of years, including as a Volunteer Community Youth Offender Panel member with Staffordshire Youth Offending Team. Judith has been a board member since March 2007.
John Webbe
John works for local housing and regeneration organisation Midland Heart as the Regeneration Manager covering the Staffordshire and Black Country regions. Working from the Duncalf Street office in Burslem, John is heavily involved in the overall regeneration of the Burslem & Middleport area alongside partners from the North Staffs Regeneration Partnership and Renew North Staffs. John is a keen amateur photographer, a father of two daughters, and has been a Trustee with Voluntary Action since 2001.
Liz Watson
Liz has a senior management background in health and the voluntary sector. She has worked in Stoke-on-Trent for nine years in various general management and consultant roles in and for the NHS. She was interim Chief Executive of VAST in 2006. Liz is currently a Director of Change Through Partnership (UK) Ltd, and specialises in setting up social enterprises in health and social care.
John Beech
John has been a trustee of VAST since 1992. An active member of the Stoke community, John is passionate about the VCS. He has also served as an elected Council member in the past. He has been a voluntary worker at Disability Solutions for 20 years and also serves on their Management Committee, and is currently their Chairman. John has also in the past served as the Chair of the North Staff's Race Equality Council and stepped down after completing a three year Term.
Chris Lawley
Chris has worked in the third sector for the past 10 years developing and delivering engagement projects across the UK, in partnership with local authorities, businesses, health and third sector agencies in order to help improve local inequalities in community involvement, health, education, employment and training in deprived communities.
Most recently this has included the development of a range of intergenerational projects designed to break down barriers, challenge preconceptions and build relationships between generations by sharing memories, skills, experiences and learning through common interests.
In a change of pace Chris is currently working for the Office of National Statistics as 2011 Census Area Manager for North Staffordshire.
Yvonne Jeffries CBE. DL.
Married with 2 children, Yvonne Jeffries has worked in Education largely for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Authorities.
During her Headship at Haywood High School, the school, in partnership with Keele University was involved in important research into strategies for raising aspirations of pupils in disadvantage areas. The results of the research were widely applauded, published and used in teacher training and development courses.
A contributor to the Open University’s degree course and a speaker at a number of Conferences, Yvonne also was invited to become a member of the initial Think Tank set up by Tony Blair as part of his ‘Education, Education, Education’, agenda.
Still committed to raising the aspirations and achievements of young people she is actively pursuing her aims through her work in the Voluntary Sector and as a Governor in 3 schools. She was awarded a CBE for ‘Services to Education’ in 2000 and in 2001 was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Staffordshire.
Thurayya Cahill (Resigned January 2010)
Thurayya has been a board member since March 2007. She is the Chief Executive of UAACO, which she developed from a concept into a thriving organisation. An active member of the African and Caribbean communities in Stoke, she has been instrumental in developing many BME initiatives in health, social care, education and business development. Thurayya has an academic background and serves on many boards, locally, regionally and nationally. She is also active in non BME organisations in order to promote BME issues and to represent their interests.
Fiona Hawkins (From June 2010)
Fiona Hawkins, a director of Plinkfizz, is a marketer with 18 years client-side delivery of marketing campaign planning, primarily with The Co-operative.
After setting up her own agency Fiona specialised in marketing disciplines including digital marketing, new media and website development as well as multi-channel marketing strategies, project and event management.
In addition she has worked on a number of private and public sector initiatives, specialising in publishing and communications. Fiona is married with two children and lives in Stoke-on-Trent.
