Meet us

Mark is an Investor, Trustee and currently Chief Executive of St Ebba Capital Ltd. With a wealth of experience, knowledge, and a wide network, both locally and nationally, Mark supports our organisation through relationship building, vast fundraising expertise and passion for youth and community support projects.

Mark has a breadth of third sector experience as Trustee and Chair of Grant making Committee at The Squires Foundation, Chair of Newcastle upon Tyne Royal Grammar School Educational Trust, Governor for Newcastle College Group (Chair for Remco and being Vice-Chair of Audit Committee). Previously Mark was a Northeast Ambassador, Business Mentor, and Northeast Development Committee Deputy-Chair for The Prince’s Trust. His interest in supporting young people developed from a start-up charity some twenty-five years ago, Changemakers Northeast, a youth development charity promoting social entrepreneurial skills in young people, of which he was Chair.

Mark was formerly Chief Executive of Benfield Motor Group, the largest private family business in the Northeast employing 1600 people, which had its roots in Byker, and Chair of the Retail Motor Industry’s National Franchised Dealers Association

Mark joined as Treasurer to the board of Trustees in August 23 and is an experienced chartered management accountant. Currently Group Financial Controller at NCG, a national group of 7 Further Education colleges with a turnover of £164m, with its base in the west end of Newcastle. In his 20 years at NCG, Mark has worked in a variety of finance roles ranging from operational with a focus on planning, analysis and cost efficiency to compliance and reporting including responsibility for charitable incorporated subsidiaries.

In addition to this Mark has significant experience in the bidding, management and delivery of large-scale grant funded projects, compliance and maximisation of external funding, and cash management.

John is the former Vicar of St Michaels Church, Byker, a retired sociology and business studies teacher, and former Managing Director of a foundry business. With over 10 years’ experience of Church development in Byker, not least the author and founding father of St. Martins Centre, a project which replaced its church building with a purpose-built Community Centre, John is a font of knowledge. John has great experience of successful Capital fundraising bids from both the National Lottery, and Heritage Lottery Fund, which has enabled St Michaels to carry out urgent works from roofing to the replacement of damaged stained-glass windows. John still maintains a passion to transform the building and site into a valuable community facility.

John has been involved in local projects to create the housing association’s head office, 19 supported living flats for vulnerable people, a multi-use space used for day-care by Age Concern and worship space. Instrumental in creating a new family, children’s and community hub, at St Martin’s. Most recently working with St Nicholas Cathedral, Newcastle to develop and implement the Common Ground in Sacred Space project, who’s chief is to make best use of the Cathedral for schools, families, and visitors. CGSS also houses two social action projects, Café 16 staffed by HMP Northumberland leavers and the Lantern Initiative providing a radical welcome particularly to vulnerable people. John is also currently working with Churches in West Northumberland to encourage the idea that ‘being a church’ is just as much to do with being ‘community facing’ as it is to do with meeting together for worship.

Izzy’s involvement in the project began 10 years ago when looking for volunteering opportunities in Byker, where Izzy was then living. Initially volunteering at the weekly youth cafe, run by the St. Michaels in a shop unit at Raby Cross. Izzy recalls being overwhelmed as they were totally oversubscribed, and groups of young people were queuing to get in.  After a time, Izzy got involved in the governance as the team started to look at St Michael’s and what it might need to become usable again.

Izzy’s church experience started with being on Diocesan and then General Synod, and now sit on the panel of chairs for Synod debates nationally. Having been the Chair of Trustees at Lindisfarne College of Theology following 2 years on the board Izzy is currently in training for Licensed Lay ministry, the Diocesan lay chair and a lay Canon at the cathedral (an honorary title given by the Bishop). With great experiences gained on Bishop’s Council, Diocesan Board of Finance, and the Diocesan Society (an independent charity that looks after church and PCC assets) Izzy supports The Lighthouse Project in finance analysis and getting the best out of people.

For the last 15 years Izzy has worked as the Operations and Retail Manager for the National Glass Centre in Sunderland, a visitor attraction and art gallery.  Using her Art & Design degree as a buyer for the retail space and managing the Centre as a whole.

For the past 20 years Stacey has been a youth worker in various organisations across Newcastle.  Initially as a detached youth worker for The Young Off Roaders in the West end. Then for Newcastle YMCA at the Walker detached youth project. For the last 14 years Stacey has been a member of the Bostey Youth Club team, specialising in project work fundraising, Staff and partnership and programme and session planning and coordination. Stacey is also a SEN teaching assistant at Byker Primary School, a Staff Governor, and a member of their safeguarding and curriculum team.

Stacey is passionate about the local community and during spare time volunteers at the local playscheme planning activities and events with the parents, children, and young people. Stacey understands how the community in Byker works and is a key part of its support network helping and supporting others. With strong working relationships across Byker, Stacey supports The Lighthouse project with community liaison, as having always lived in the heart of Byker understands what’s needed.

With over 20 years’ experience in the charitable sector, 17 of which have been at The Prince’s Trust, Simon Campbell is a passionate advocate for young people and the vital role they play in society and the economy. In his role as Senior Head of Partnerships, Simon has responsibility for strategic relationships across the English regions, working with external partners and stakeholders to ensure young people are always at the heart of local communities and the decisions that affect their future. From devolution to sector skills, education to enterprise, social value to social mobility, Simon is the strategic eyes and ears of The Prince’s Trust. Married with three stepsons, Simon enjoys cycling and when he’s not on the open road, he can be found enjoying the more leisurely pursuits of running, swimming, and playing guitar.

As a Third Sector leader, Simon has a very particular interest in seeing local charities collaborate, thrive, and achieve greater impact. As the former Chair of Trustees at Stepney Bank Stables, Simon has a close understanding of life in and around Ouseburn Valley and the City of Newcastle and it is for this very reason that he has become involved in The Lighthouse Project.

Simon is Principal at Newcastle Sixth Form College, part of the NCG group of colleges. Simon joined the college in 2016; during that time, he has overseen the pastoral and curriculum strategy and implementation, securing significant improvements to student experience and outcomes. He has helped lead cultural change which has seen high expectations embedded across the college and significant improvements in student outcomes, with the Sixth Form (as part of NCG) moving from Ofsted RI to Good in January 2022.

Simon’s background is as a history teacher, having worked in secondary schools in Reading and Oxford, before moving to Newcastle upon Tyne in 2011. He is a governor at a local primary school as well as a trustee of a regional Multi Academy Trust. Throughout his career Simon has been committed to ensuring young people benefit from aspirational, inclusive teaching and learning that helps them to fulfil their potential. He is excited to be supporting The Lighthouse Project in its mission to provide an inspirational and inclusive space for community groups in Byker.

Jamie is a retired Solicitor, having qualified as long ago as 1980, he has practised in the North East of England for most of his career. Jamie is past Chair of the Regional Council of the CBI and has been amongst other things: –

• Chairman of Newcastle College Group
• Chair of the Audit Committee for Newcastle College
• Vice-Chairman of the Community Foundation serving Tyne and Wear and Northumberland
• Member of the Audit Committee of the Community Foundation serving Tyne and Wear and Northumberland and Chairman of its Development Committee
• A Chairman of the Development Board of the Foundation of Light
• Member of the Finance Audit and Risk Committee at the Foundation of Light
• Previous Member of the Regional Leadership Team of Business in the Community
• His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales North East Ambassador for Corporate Social Responsibility in 2007
• Chairman of the Newcastle Gateshead Initiative
• Chairman of Aspire Partnership Limited

Jamie is a Deputy Lieutenant of Tyne and Wear and Director of East Quayside Management Limited.

He was awarded an OBE for services to Business in the New Years Honours List in 2008. Jamie was Managing Partner and then Senior Partner of the commercial law firm Ward Hadaway whose headquarters are on the East Quayside in Newcastle and until recently he has been responsible for the firms ESG programme as Chairman of the Responsible Business Board.

David is an international Project Supervisor working in the oil and gas sector currently between America, Canada, and Uganda. David holds more than a decade of successful project delivery with a sound financial background. His duties are mainly to ensure that the project is delivered to specification.

David has also previously set-up and run a Community Interest Company (One Love Northeast CIC), in Byker with 2 other residents to try and engage the youth of the area to be more productive with a sense of purpose. He was also a Volunteer Family Support officer in ACANE, Treasurer Byker Play & Youth Forum, Deputy Head of Governor’s at Byker Primary School. He is currently Treasurer and Warden of Byker PCC and coaches Volleyball in Newcastle upon Tyne.

David was selected by the Byker PCC to join the steering group of The Lighthouse Project as one of two Trustees from the church to represent the PCC’s interest within the project design and development. As a member of Byker PCC and a resident in Byker for over twenty years, David possesses great local knowledge that is beneficial to the project.