Sue Sharps is a Brackley Town Councillor. Sue has had experience in project development, design, and sales before retraining in youth work. She has successfully managed various projects for diverse age groups with a variety of needs, including programmes for young mothers, mental health support, healthy eating, and summer holiday groups. Sue served as the former Town Mayor of Brackley and is actively involved in her community, sitting on the committees of Feoffee Charity and Brackley Community Hospital. She is also a Trustee for the 5th Brackley Scouts. Sue often volunteers her time to support the Brackley youth clubs, further demonstrating her commitment to youth development and community engagement.

Cllr Fiona Baker is a Conservative councillor representing Brackley on West Northamptonshire Council. First elected to local government in 2011 as a Brackley Town Councillor, she later became a unitary councillor following the formation of West Northamptonshire Council in 2021. She has served on a range of council committees, including those focused on children’s services, education, adult social care, health and community wellbeing. Following her experience with Children’s services, she understands how valuable youth work is and how much it is needed to support young people. Cllr Baker has joined SNYE as a trustee because she wants to do as much as she can to support youth work in West Northants.

Iain Anderson, the Chair of our Board,  is a dedicated Trustee with expertise in youth work, project management, and community development across statutory, charity, and church sectors. With a strong background in business planning and funding applications, he has successfully overseen multiple projects and teams, driving sustainable growth. Iain has mentored young people, designed youth centres, and encouraged engagement in sports and outdoor activities. As the former Youth Development Manager for NAYC, he has gained a deep understanding of the challenges young people face. His diverse skill set supports strategic growth and impactful contributions to the charity.

Theo Hayward is a Brackley resident and former Town Mayor with a strong passion for supporting young people in the town. Well connected within the local community, she is committed to building new partnerships for the charity and actively supports SNYE events.

Theo brings with her many years of experience advocating for young people. She served as a Brackley Town Councillor for nine years, focusing on youth needs within the local community, and previously ran a youth club for 8–15-year-olds in Brackley. Her key strengths lie in communication and administration.

Outside of SNYE, Theo has long-standing links with Mind, helping to establish weekly support meetings in Brackley, and until 2024 she was a trustee of the South Northants Volunteer Bureau, which provides a wide range of services and advice across South Northamptonshire.

Edward is Secretary of South Northants Youth Engagement and is proud to support the charity’s mission to create meaningful opportunities for young people in our community. He’s lived and worked abroad in Kuwait, Turkey and Guyana, experiences that shaped his understanding of different cultures and the importance of inclusion, belonging and opportunity for all young people. Edward brings that perspective into his work with the charity, helping to keep SNYE organised, forward‑thinking and focused on what matters. He’s passionate about empowering young people, strengthening partnerships and ensuring SNYE programmes make a real, positive difference across South Northants.

Martin has been a trustee representing Towcester Town Council since SNYE was founded. He spent his working life as a professional youth and community worker, mainly in the public sector, ending his career in the voluntary sector at Milton Keynes YMCA.

Considering his background, it is no surprise that he is a strong advocate for youth work. Martin believes in the value of informal education and that many young people need more opportunities to socialise and be offered activities in their free time. He also views youth work as a chance to provide positive adult role models for young people.

Steve Neate serves as an advisor, not a trustee. He is a retired FCCA with extensive experience across both the charity and manufacturing sectors.
Known for his ability to build strong relationships with key stakeholders, both internal and external, Steve adds valuable financial insight to the organisation.

Rachel attends Trustee meetings as an official observer. She works for Northamptonshire Children’s Trust as a Community Connector, which means that she makes links between the Trust and community and voluntary group support. Rachel feels  it is important that young people growing up in rural areas have access to youth services and so she has been involved with SNYE for many years and  has seen it grow into an effective youth organisation with committed staff and volunteers. Rachel is not a Trustee but supports the organisation by sharing knowledge and links.  Rachel lives in South Northants and is involved as a volunteer with Girlguiding and other local community organisations in her village.