CHAIR OF TRUSTEES

Christine, former Deputy Mayor of Newham, brings over 30 years of experience in charity leadership and management. Alongside a successful career in business, the voluntary sector, and local politics, she has dedicated many years to supporting and mentoring disadvantaged young people—helping them build confidence, develop skills, and achieve goals they may once have felt were out of reach.

TREASURER

Born in Hackney and a proud East London resident, Dave is the joint owner and Managing Director of Clark Electrical Industries Ltd, an electrical testing and maintenance contractor that has been based in Canning Town since the 1970s. A keen cyclist, Dave has completed the London to Paris charity cycle ride, raising £2,500, and was also part of a team that trekked to Everest Base Camp, collectively raising £90,000 for charitable causes. A long-standing supporter of AAA, Dave is delighted to now contribute his experience and commitment as a trustee.

Colin is a freelance journalist, editor, sub-editor, and writer with over 50 years of experience in the media. A former Editor of the Newham Recorder and sub-editor at The Guardian, he brings a wealth of editorial expertise to his work. With a strong passion for heritage and history, Colin has spent more than four decades supporting charities and community organisations.

Haydn is a former secondary headteacher with extensive experience in education. Now working as an education consultant, he is actively involved in developing sustainable educational initiatives in developing countries, helping to create opportunities and improve learning environments for communities in need.

Sarah brings over 30 years of experience supporting charities and community organisations in Newham. She served as NCVS Secretary for 15 years and later became the founding Director of Eat E16, a community café. Sarah is currently a local Councillor in Newham and serves as Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Education, and Sustainable Transport.

Melba is a freelance programme and business development consultant with extensive experience in building partnerships and leading community projects. Her work includes developing initiatives that support vulnerable young people across East London, as well as managing sports development programmes. A keen sportswoman, Melba was honoured as a London 2012 Torchbearer and went on to serve as an Olympic Ambassador.

Karen is a dynamic radio presenter on East London Radio, where she hosts The Heavy Rock Show, co-hosts the Saturday Morning Show, and presents Rock Radar on ERB Radio. She also contributes as a writer for ERB Magazine. With a strong passion for music, the arts, and grassroots community football, Karen co-founded The Atoms FC, a youth development football club based in Canning Town. Her wider experience includes working on the Haiti Earthquake Fundraiser at the Roundhouse and The Blank Canvas Project at the Big Chill Festival. Karen also served as editor and producer of LoveEast Magazine, a print publication celebrating East London that reached over 10,000 homes and businesses.n goes here

John is the Chief Executive of Newham Music, an award-winning organisation providing high-quality music-making opportunities for children and young people across schools and music centres in the borough. He also serves as a trustee of Drake Music, a national organisation working at the intersection of music, disability, and technology. With a professional background as a violinist with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, John brings exceptional musical expertise and leadership to his roles.

Mark is a former Head of Commissioning for the London Borough of Newham, with over 25 years’ experience commissioning and managing services across parks and open spaces, leisure centres, libraries, sports development, volunteering, and community grants. He has worked closely with AAA since its inception and played a key role in the development of facilities at Arc in the Park and Abbey Hub.

Steve dedicated 40 years to a wide range of educational services with the London Borough of Newham, retiring in 2017. He spent 13 years teaching at Eastlea Community School, where he helped develop it into a community education hub serving residents of Canning Town. In the early 1990s, Steve led the borough’s newly established Community Education Service, expanding adult education provision and overseeing Newham’s Youth Services and Enrichment Learning for children and young people. Later in his career, he managed the School Improvement Service and played a key role in developing new school funding structures. Throughout his career, Steve consistently championed strong partnerships between schools, colleges, education providers, and the Local Authority.

Helen has dedicated over 30 years to the NHS in Newham, where her midwifery role sparked a lasting commitment to supporting children and young people. She has served as a Board Nurse and held key leadership positions, including Director of 0-19 Children’s Health and HeadStart services for Newham Council, and Director of Health Improvement and Recovery at Newham Health Collaborative. With a passion for patient care, Helen has developed, delivered, and redesigned services to enhance care and outcomes. A long-time resident of Newham, she has recently taken on a new challenge as Chief Executive of the GP Federation in Havering.