Trustees

Peter Calderbank

Peter is the Chairman of the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee at YMCA England & Wales.

He is a qualified chartered accountant and is currently the Chief Executive of Field Lane, a charity providing care, accommodation and support for adults with learning disabilities and vulnerable families. In his early career he undertook a number of commercial finance roles before becoming the Finance Director at BSS, a national charity providing information, support and advice to people through the delivery of high quality information services. In 2002 he was appointed Chief Executive of BSS and then, in 2015, Peter joined Field Lane as Chief Executive.

In addition to his executive experience, he has sat on a number of boards in a non-executive capacity. These have included being Chairman of the London Early Years Foundation, Chairman of The Helplines Association (THA) and being a trustee of the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO).

In addition to his role at YMCA England & Wales, he is also currently a non-executive director at Inquilab Housing Association which provides social housing and related services for a wide range of London communities.

Ross Hendry

Ross is chief executive of the Christian Social Policy Charity CARE (Christian Action Research and Education), one of the oldest Christian organisations working with politicians across the UK which runs a pioneering internship programme for young adults interested in politics.

Before leading CARE Ross was the chief executive of the children’s charity Spurgeons which he joined after working with the Children’s Commissioner for England. In both roles he was a passionate advocate for young people’s participation in the development of public policy and the rights of marginalised and vulnerable children. Ross’ earlier career included roles in Action for Children, Unison, London Councils, and a London School of Economics based think tank/ research centre called CASE.

He is also a trustee of the Jubilee Centre in Cambridge (a Christian think-tank), the Family Matters Institute, and on the church council of a large and diverse church in the west end of London. There he leads a programme called the Ergon Fellowship which helps young adults study the theology of work and consider how their faith applies to their profession.

Paul Laffey

Paul Laffey has been CEO of YMCA Burton since 1998.

He has extensive knowledge and experience of the private, voluntary and statutory sectors. Prior to joining YMCA, Paul worked in a number of senior management roles for a local authority in south west London, Pizza Hut UK Ltd in south London and Look Ahead Housing Association in central London.

Paul held down a demanding job while studying with the Open University and gained a degree in Social Sciences. He also sits on the Board of a number of smaller charities and believes good governance should be at the heart of a well-run charity.

Paul attends the Elim Church, in Burton, and supports a strong church leadership network in the town. This, in turn, attracts wide support for YMCA Burton.

He is passionate about the needs of young people and homeless people and manages a number of community projects to help transform lives. In his spare time, Paul enjoys salsa dancing with his wife and is a member of a book club.

Jemima Lovett

Jemima has a background in legal policy and campaigning on a range of issues from domestic abuse to judicial diversity. She worked as the Development Director for the Global Foundation for the Elimination of Domestic Violence where she led projects in South Africa, New York and Ottawa.

Her work was recognised by the Royal Commonwealth Society who awarded her an Associate Fellowship. Subsequently she has worked for The Law Society of England and Wales working on international issues and leading policy on judicial diversity. In 2019 she was a finalist in the First 100 Years Inspirational Women in Law ‘Champion of the Year’ category.

She currently works for No5 Chambers will be Called to the Bar in 2020. In her spare time she enjoys swimming, yoga and reading a good book.

Jonathan Rowe

Jon was elected to the National Board in December 2019. He has been involved in the work of the YMCA at a local level for over 10 years. He originally joined the board of Wolverhampton YMCA in 2007 and was rather unusually asked to become Chair almost straight away. In 2009 the Boards of Wolverhampton and West Bromwich YMCA’s entered negotiations which culminated in them merging in 2010 and forming Black Country YMCA.

Initially, Jon was appointed joint chair of the new association and for the last 4 years has been sole chair. He stepped down from the board of Black Country YMCA in November 2010 and is looking forward to serving in a national capacity. After a 39 year career in Insurance and Financial Services Jon disposed of his business interests to pursue a new vocation and was one of the founding Pastors of Springs Church (Gornal) a free evangelical church that has a vision of “being a church for those who don’t do church” This was evidenced by the fact that the church was started in a local pub! Over the last few years, it has experienced substantial growth and now has a regular congregation of approx 100 and operates from a community hub in Gornal village centre.

Married to Carol, Jon is a keen golfer and was captain of Enville Golf club in 2015. He also takes an “unhealthy interest” in the fortunes of Wolverhampton Wanderers FC!

Jon’s passion for the YMCA is to see us move forward into our next 175 years based on the firm foundation of our Christian heritage.

Hanna Sebright

Hanna graduated from the University of Kent in 1984  after which she joined British Airways where she was fortunate to spend much of the next decade travelling worldwide.

In 1995 she took on the role of Business Development Director at New Hall Hospital, Salisbury subsequently  transferring to the Berkshire Independent Hospital, both hospitals being in the Capio Group.  This was the beginning of a long association in health care.   In 2000 she left to take a new role as a Senior Health Consultant at the Atomic Energy Authority (AEA Technology/ Momenta) working on a number of government health care programmes.  She left in 2003 to join the  Real Creative Group as Business Development Director where she launched a digital led  health care communications programme in hospitals across the UK.

Real Creative Group was subsequently bought out by ScreenFX when Hanna was appointed Managing Director of a new operating division; HealthFX.

In 2006, she led a management buy-out and founded Electronic Health Media (EHM), a health screen messaging system in real time, showcased in NHS hospital and GP surgery waiting areas. Subsequently  EHM was bought by  Lord Sugar when Hanna became Managing Director of Amscreen Healthcare.

Hanna has been Chief Executive at Midlands Air Ambulance Charity since 2009 leading the Charity through a period of significant change and development. During this time she has held the roles of Vice Chair and Chair of the Association of Air Ambulances, the national representative body of UK Air Ambulance Charities and is currently a Trustee and a founder member of  Air Ambulances UK (AAUK).

Gillian Sewell

Gillian Sewell is the Chief Executive of YMCA Derbyshire, Described by ‘Communities and Local Government’ as a visionary leader.

Gillian a graduate youth and community worker and business manager has transformed her YMCA by extending its youth empowerment activities, and masterminding the facility, known as The Campus for Learning and Development, a campus recognised as a Centre of National Significance with flagship status by the Department for Communities and Local Government for the combination of supported housing and vocational training tracking the employment opportunities of its local community.

Gillian is also an International strategic adviser to World Council of YMCAs on youth empowerment as well as a national YMCA England regional business development task and finish CEO developing regional strategies with underpinning funding plans around, sales, grants, contracts and fundraising.

Married to Ian, she is a mother to three sons – Mark, Matthew and Lewis

Dawn Ward CBE

Dawn is Chief Executive and Principal of Burton and South Derbyshire College.  She is a council member of the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce and a Director of Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership.

She has had a successful international career, has extensive experience in senior positions at Board level (both as a member and Chair) across a number of national groups and is a published author. She has received numerous awards for her leading contribution to skills and education.

She served as a member of the expert panel for the Lingfield Review on Professionalism in Further Education and is now Deputy Chair of The Chartered Institution for Further Education, Dawn is a Trustee of YMCA Birmingham and a Trustee of the League of Mercy.  She has devoted her life to working with young people, raising aspirations and opportunities for all. She is married with two sons.

Chris Stern

Chris joined the YMCA E&W Board in December 2020. Chris is on the West London YMCA Board and a member of the Risk and Audit Committee for SPG YMCA. Currently Senior Independent Director for StepChange, the largest UK debt charity, and Pension and Investment Trustee at Centrica PLC.

He is a Licensed Lay Minister within the Church of England and acknowledges that his faith provides an important foundation for his desire to help young people and to see individuals reach their full potential. Previously he was Chairman of British Gas Insurance, a large UK insurer, and NED on several boards in the financial service and residential services market.

A qualified accountant, he enjoyed a successful executive career with British Gas and Centrica, undertaking a variety of roles including CEO BG Insurance, and prior to this Divisional Finance Director, for;  British Gas Services, Centrica Business Services, and the Automobile Association.