Dr Christopher Charlton OBE is Chair of the Birnbeck Regeneration Trust.
Due to his experience and knowledge of working on multiple high profile charities. Before his retirement in 2008 he was for many years a university lecturer specialising in local and industrial history and from 1993 - 2008 served as secretary of the Arkwright Society and Director of the Cromford Mills Project. He was for 6 years Chairman of The British Association for Local History and over a long period a member of the English Heritage Industrial Archaeology Advisory Panel. He has extensive experience of establishing and managing heritage projects, fundraising and charity trusteeship. He was born in Weston and after many years in Derbyshire has now returned to live in the town.
Christopher.Charlton@birnbeckregenerationtrust.org.uk
Neil O’Donoghue is Communications & Public Relations Lead.
A resident of Weston-super-Mare since 1997 when Neil O'Donoghue moved to the town from North Devon - a career move with Tesco Stores Ltd. He has worked for for Tesco for 28 years, having spent several years specialising in change & high support change management for the company he is currently a Superstore Manager. He has previously been a trustee for Hope Church and is a volunteer member of the Weston-super-Mare street pastors team and an affiliate member of Release International.
Neil.O'Donoghue@birnbeckregenerationtrust.org.uk
Richard Griffin ChPP MAPM Operations, Assets, Governance & Digital Systems Lead.
Richard was born in Weston super Mare and joined the Royal Air Force where he served for 17 years in many operational theatres including Afghanistan and Iraq.
On leaving the Royal Air Force he moved back to the area to work for Cavendish Nuclear part of Babcock International as a Senior Construction Project Manager where he is a Chartered Project Manager and experienced team leader, responsible for the Design and Installation of complex projects, Health, Safety, welfare, quality assurance and delivering projects to tight timescales and fixed budgets.
Richard has also served for Banwell Parish Council where he was a Trustee for the Banwell Recreation Ground Charity where he delivered the park refurbishment project
Richard.Griffin@birnbeckregenerationtrust.org.uk
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Heritage and Visitor Attraction Trustee.
This post is vacant
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Finance, Income & Grants Lead.
If you are an accountant and would love to support please get in touch with the secretary.
- Oversee Trust finances, budgets and accounts.
- Monitor income, expenditure and reserves.
- Manage restricted and ring-fenced funds.
- Lead on grants, funding applications and grant reporting.
- Oversee donations, sponsorship and fundraising income.
- Work with sales and fundraising teams to track income.
- Provide regular financial reports to trustees.
- Ensure financial controls are in place.
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Engineering Trustee.
This post is vacant
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Event Lead.
If you are intererested in this role and would love to support please get in touch with the secretary.
- Plan and coordinate Trust events.
- Support heritage events, fundraising events, talks, exhibitions and open days.
- Work with Operations on safety, access, equipment and risk assessments.
- Work with Communications to promote events.
- Work with Volunteers to arrange event support.
- Work with Finance/Fundraising to track event income and costs.
- Review events after delivery and report lessons learned to trustees.
Peter Lander
Archivist & Collections Lead.
Born and lived in Derbyshire until retirement. Married with two sons and a grandchild. Majority of working life spent in engineering. Products range from vending machines, bus & coach, commercial vehicles and hydro electrics. Leisure time has been outdoor activities. A veteran member of the Camping and Caravanning Club has seen me serve on committees as an officer in many roles at all levels. Local through regional and at national representing The Club at shows and exhibitions. On retirement, I moved to Weston-super-Mare in 2011. I was immediately involved in community projects and elevated to committee. When in 2015 the plight for Birnbeck headlined, I was soon to be found at Pier View and fell into a roll of 'Meet and Greet'. This I still enjoy and have now become a part of the history team as Archivist.
Peter.Lander@birnbeckregenerationtrust.org.uk
archive@birnbeckregenerationtrust.org.uk
Dan Aldridge MP
Special Advisor.
- Provide strategic advice to the Trust.
- Support parliamentary and government awareness of Birnbeck Pier.
- Advise on potential public funding routes.
- Assist with introductions to relevant stakeholders.
- Support advocacy for heritage, education, regeneration and community benefit.
- Attend selected meetings as available.
- Avoid party-political activity on behalf of the Trust.
Lesley McCann is a Nominated Trustee by the Friends of the Old Pier.
Is currently the Secretary of the Friends of the Old Pier Society since 1999 and is also a Nominated Trustee on the Birnbeck Regeneration Trust.
Lesley was born in Weston-super-Mare. Upon leaving school she was trained as a telephonist in the old Weston Telephone Exchange. At 18 joined the QARANC, since when she has had a varied life travelling the world. Lesley returned to live in Weston in 1996 and couldn't believe the condition of the Old Pier, the rest as they say is history.
Lesley.McCann@birnbeckregenerationtrust.org.uk
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Nominated Trustee by Weston Town Council.
- Provide a formal link with Weston Town Council.
- Support town-wide community engagement.
- Help connect the Trust with local civic, tourism and visitor economy priorities.
- Support local events and partnership opportunities.
- Act in the best interests of the Trust when serving as a trustee.
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Nominated Trustee by North Somerset District Council.
- Provide a formal link with North Somerset Council.
- Support strategic alignment with wider regeneration and public benefit aims.
- Share relevant council insight where appropriate.
- Help maintain constructive relationships between the Trust and the Council.
- Act in the best interests of the Trust when serving as a trustee.
Cllr Robert Payne
Nominated Trustee by North Somerset District Council.
Born in Weston-super-Mare in 1968, and has lived in the town for most of his life. He has worked in the financial services industry in North Somerset and Bristol for over 30 years. While he believes that Weston is still a fantastic place to live, he became a member of the council because he was dismayed by the decline in some aspects of his home town over many years, such as the delapidation of Birnbeck Pier and Island. He is driven to work with others to try to address these issues, and was delighted to be nominated by North Somerset Council to the Birnbeck Regeneration Trust. He is passionate about the historical and cultural contribution that Birnbeck has always made to the town, and is committed to ensuring it continues to do so into the future.
Robert also volunteers in charitable work and fund raising, and can often be seen cycling around the town and surrounding areas.
He lives in Weston, close to the seafront, with his family.
Robert.Payne@birnbeckregenerationtrust.org.uk
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HR Volunteer & Safeguarding Lead.
If you are intererested in this role and would love to support please get in touch with the secretary.
- Lead volunteer recruitment, induction and support.
- Oversee volunteer training and role descriptions.
- Support volunteer rotas and day-to-day volunteer coordination.
- Promote volunteer welfare and recognition.
- Maintain safeguarding arrangements.
- Ensure volunteers understand Trust policies and expected standards.
- Act as the main trustee lead for volunteer issues.
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Education, Learning & Community Outreach Lead.
If you are intererested in this role and would love to support please get in touch with the secretary.
- Develop education and learning activities.
- Build relationships with schools, colleges and community groups.
- Create learning packs, talks, workshops and outreach material.
- Support guided visits and educational sessions.
- Promote Birnbeck’s history, engineering, ecology and community value.
- Ensure learning activities are inclusive and accessible.
- Link the Trust’s heritage work with wider community engagement.
IN MEMORY
Charles McCann LtCol. Rtd was Chairman of the Birnbeck Regeneration Trust
He enlisted in the Army as a Private Soldier during his service he served in the UK, North West Europe, Far East and Falkland Islands. He retired from the Army in 1996 as a Lt.Col. He moved to Weston his wife’s hometown on his retirement. He became involved with the Friends of the Old Pier Society in 1996 and became their Chairman in 2001.He was nominated as a Trustee for the Birnbeck Regeneration Trust in 2002 and was elected Chairman in 2004 and has been Chairman of both organisations since.
His guidance and leadership will be sadly missed.
Carol Hughes (B.A.Hons.) was a Nominated Trustee by The Kenneth Allsop Memorial Trust (Steep Holm) on the Birnbeck Regeneration Trust.
Carol was a resident of Weston-super-Mare since 1964 and had worked as an Administrator since 1970 then more recently as a Finance Assistant until 2010.
She had worked with the Kenneth Allsop Memorial Trust for the last 14 years and was a Trustee and a Trust Archaeologist for the island. Carol was elected as Treasurer and was responsible for the production of the Island’s Financial Accounts. She studied Archaeology at Bristol University and qualified in 2005 besides Steep Holm.
For the last two years she had been a volunteer at Weston Museum and was involved with various projects which included archiving Museum documents.
She was an active Trustee on the BRT and volunteer and has been missed as part of the team
