Meet The Trustees

  • Christine, the former Deputy Mayor of Newham, brings over 30 years of experience in charity management. Alongside her busy career in business, the voluntary sector, and local politics, she has devoted many years to guiding and supporting disadvantaged young people, empowering them to grow, develop, and aspire to achievements they once thought out of reach.

  • 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 based in Canning Town since the 1970s. A passionate cyclist, Dave has completed the London to Paris charity cycle ride, raising £2,500, and he was part of a team that trekked to Everest Base Camp, collectively raising £90,000 for charity. A long-time supporter of AAA, Dave is thrilled to now serve as a trustee.

  • Colin is a freelance journalist, editor, sub-editor, and writer with 52 years of media experience. As a former Editor of the Newham Recorder and sub-editor at The Guardian, he brings unparalleled expertise to his work. Passionate about heritage and history, Colin has dedicated over 45 years to supporting charities and community organisations.

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

  • SSarah brings more than 30 years of experience working with and supporting charities in Newham. She served as the NCVS secretary for 15 years and later became the founding director of Eat E16, a community café. Currently, Sarah is a local Councillor in Newham and serves as the Statutory Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Environment, Sustainable Transport, Children Services, and Education.

  • Melba is a freelance programme and business development consultant with a strong background in forging partnerships and spearheading community projects. Her experience includes leading initiatives that support vulnerable young people in East London and managing sports development programmes. A passionate sportswoman, Melba was honoured as a London 2012 torchbearer and served as an Olympic ambassador.

  • Karen is a dynamic presenter on East London Radio, hosting The Heavy Rock Show, co-hosting the Saturday Morning Show, and anchoring the Rock Radar show on ERB Radio. She also contributes her writing skills to ERB magazine. With a deep passion for music, the arts, and grassroots community football, Karen co-founded The Atoms FC—a youth development football club in Canning Town. Her impressive portfolio 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 focused on East London that reached over 10,000 homes and businesses.

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

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

  • Steve dedicated 40 years to a broad range of educational services for the London Borough of Newham, retiring in 2017. He spent 13 years teaching at Eastlea Community School, where he helped transform it into a community education hub for Canning Town residents. In the early 1990s, Steve led the newly established Community Education Service for the borough, expanding adult education and managing Newham’s Youth Services and Enrichment Learning for children and young people. Later, he oversaw the School Improvement Service and played a key role in developing new school funding structures. Throughout his career, Steve 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.