Made up of a diverse team of experts and specialists in their fields, the Only A Pavement Away team is dedicated to making a difference by helping to place those facing or experiencing homelessness into long term, stable employment.
Dulal has over 20 years’ experience supporting vulnerable and disadvantaged people to progress and achieve their goals. The last 12 years have been specifically supporting people into employment.
Dulal is currently Employment Services Manager at Crisis and has been involved with OAPA from the onset and brings his experience and knowledge of the sector to the project.
Steven has led the British Institute of Innkeeping as CEO since March 2020 just as the pandemic struck. He and his team aim to inspire, develop and support their over 9000 members through a wide range of services, in particular providing clear and actionable information alongside expert advice to help their members rebuild their businesses in the months ahead. As the leading professional membership organisation for individuals in licensed hospitality, the BII is passionate about supporting people at the heart of great pubs. Steven’s background is leading technology businesses, most recently in hospitality, for nearly 30 years. He continues to train for the postponed Pedalling For Pubs challenge which will support OAPA as one of the key charities.
The Only A Pavement Away Team do an outstanding job of supporting some of the most vulnerable in our society. They successfully bring together goodwill and commitment across hospitality in delivering such important work. I am very proud to join their team as a Trustee.
Fiona Eastwood is Chief Operating Officer of Merlin’s Midway attractions encompassing 100+ sites in 22 countries across existing estate, new openings and franchise operations.
Fiona was previously Managing Director, Midway Attractions a role to which Fiona was appointed in 2019, following a period as Managing Director, Resort Theme Parks. In 2015, Fiona joined Merlin as Global Marketing Director, Midway Attractions, responsible for driving all aspects of brand strategy and marketing across a global portfolio of Midway brands.
Prior to Merlin Fiona was at BBC Worldwide, where she was responsible for strategic planning, brand management, market research, ancillary revenues and branded partnerships across Nordics, CEMA, Asia and Latin America. Previously, she held roles as Managing Director, Consumer Products and Commercial Director for one of the BBC’s biggest international brands, Doctor Who.
Andy joined The Restaurant Group as Chief Executive Officer on 1st August 2019. Andy is an experienced company Chief Executive, with strong consumer and digital credentials. He was previously Co Chief Operating Officer of GVC Holdings PLC (“GVC”). After joining Gala Coral in 2011, he was successively Chief Executive of Coral, Chief Operating Officer of Gala Coral, Chief Operating Officer of Ladbrokes Coral (following the merger with Ladbrokes in 2016) and Co Chief Operating Officer of GVC (following the purchase by GVC in 2018).
Prior to joining Gala Coral, Andy was Group Chief Executive of Alliance Boots from 2009 to 2011, having previously held positions as Chief Executive of Halifax Retail, CEO of the Retail Division of HBOS plc, Chief Operating Officer of HBOS plc and then Chief Executive of HBOS plc from 2006 to the end of 2008. Earlier in his career Andy held a range of roles at Asda, the supermarket retailer, including Retail Managing Director and Managing Director of ‘George’ clothing.
Jennie specialises in Risk Management and is currently the Head of Operations Risk Management at Capital One. As an experienced Risk Professional, Jennie has undertaken a wide range of roles from Interim Head of Chief Risk Officer's Office, Credit Risk in a Business and Commercial Banking arena, Risk Transformation Projects, Operational Risk Management to managing Risk Assessments for demonstrating compliance to CRD IV and remuneration principles for senior executives.
Jennie balances her day job with a myriad of volunteering work including a role on the Executive Board of Women in Banking & Finance (WiBF), a non-profit organisation run by volunteers for the promotion and advancement of women in the financial services industry. In addition to her work with WiBF, Jennie is an advisory board member to the Aston University Enactus team, and mentors with the Prince's Trust where she proactively supports the pipeline development and challenge of social mobility enabling young people to succeed and achieve their full potential.
Jennie thrives on being able to drive economic growth through connecting equality and inclusion whilst breaking down misconceptions embedded into society that prevents opportunities being in reach for all.
In 2002 after having spent nearly 25 years in corporate life culminating in being an Operations Director Greg started his own Pub business. On the sale of this in 2005 Greg set up Resolution Leisure, a consultancy working in the pub, leisure and hospitality industries. Greg has also worked alongside a leading Corporate Financial Advisory Company and Private Equity with the aim of setting up a hybrid Pub Co.
In 2018 Greg founded Only A Pavement Away, a charity whose purpose was to help the homeless, rough sleepers, ex-offenders and VETs find work in the hospitality industry.
Greg sees the industry as a key component of peoples leisure time and works with various hospitality associations.
Emma McClarkin is the Chief Executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, a former Member of the European Parliament and well known International Trade Specialist. A professional policy creator and executor Emma is an experienced trade negotiation adviser with established relationships with key stakeholders, Ministers & Trade Representatives across the globe.
A passionate beer and pub lover, Emma is the voice for the beer and pub sector leading them through the pandemic, interfacing with Government and stakeholders to secure vital grant support and economic stimulus to aid the recovery of the Sector. Protecting the future of the Great British Pub and our world-renowned brewers.
Twice elected, she served as Member of the European Parliament from 2009-2019. Prior to becoming a Member of the European Parliament, Emma worked for the Rugby Football Union as their Government Relations Executive and continues her passion for Sport as Non-Executive Director of Hampshire Cricket. Emma is also an Independent Director of the Ivors Academy for Songwriters and composers and continues to support British Music.
Paul’s career spans over 30 years in hospitality & leisure with FTSE businesses such as Whitbread, JD Wetherspoon & Punch Taverns.
He is an Exec / C-suite leader with expertise in growth, turnaround, & business sale, exit in Private Equity & Plc’s.
Paul drives business performance & profitability to unlock value & deliver sustainable commercial success. He has a record of creating innovative strategies & a winning culture that engages staff to exceed expectations
Paul delivers award winning customer service in B2B & B2C multi-site consumer facing businesses.
Paul’s roles have predominantly focussed on the strategic operation of the business to deliver the financial & people plan across all channels, Recently, an increasing emphasis has been on longer-term strategy & business sale/exit.
With extensive experience leading & inspiring cross-functional teams he has achieved outstanding results & has coached numerous individuals to realise their full potential
As a consultant, he has worked with FTSE businesses in the hospitality & leisure sector & several business start-ups in retail & digital.
Paul is an advocate of diversity & inclusion & proactively supports & develops talent. His interests include the Plan B Mentoring Program, committed to the development of women to progress in their careers, he is a Non Exec Director at The BIIAB, the BII’s awarding body & he is a School Governor at LVS Oxford, a special needs school which is part of The Licensed Trade Charity group.
Tony Sophoclides is Director of Communications for UKHospitality, a trade association formed in early 2018 by the merger of the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers and British Hospitality Association.
A public affairs and media specialist, Tony has a strong background in consultancy, as well as having worked for more than eight years in Parliament and a spell on Capitol Hill, Washington DC. He was previously a researcher for a number of backbench MPs and political adviser to Rt Hon John Prescott MP in both opposition and government.
Tony has a MA (Hons) Distinction in Diplomatic Studies and a BA(Hons) in Politics, Philosophy and Economics. He is father of two adult daughters. He enjoys live music but his own attempts to play the guitar and double bass are yet to attract a paying audience.
Ben is the Founder & CEO of PubLove, a London based pub hostel company. PubLove deliver a unique accommodation experience, genuine hospitality and the buzz of the London food and drink scene on their mission to love pubs back to life.
Ben grew up in hospitality, first in a family run pub, then a hotel in Torquay, so it’s in his bones. He founded PubLove in 2007 using family savings and his credit card. Over the next 10 years Ben grew PubLove to 6 London locations. In 2017 PubLove became a managed partner of the EI Group (formerly Enterprise Inns). This partnership provides PubLove with the investment and new site opportunities to help deliver its vision of creating a National Pub Hostel brand.
Along side growing PubLove, Ben is a husband, a father of two, a mentor, an investor and a keen supporter of the hospitality industry.
Maria Stanford is the People & Talent Director at WSH, a role she has held since January 2019. Her career has been largely in the hospitality and retail sectors and she has held senior positions in Selfridges Group, Marks & Spencer, Pret A Manger and wagamama.
Outside of work, Maria has volunteered her time on a pro bono basis for several years. She recently completed a 9-year term as a University Council member. When time permits she loves to travel and has a somewhat obsessive interest in cooking and eating.
Maria is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development and is a qualified executive coach.
Mollie is currently the General Counsel and Company Secretary for Britvic plc.
Mollie is an experienced General Counsel and Company Secretary having worked in a broad variety of roles in fast moving consumer goods, retail/logistics technology and professional services.
Mollie qualified as a lawyer at the law firm Slaughter and May and spent a number of years practising as a corporate lawyer in the City before making the move in-house and taking on executive level roles at Suntory Beverage and Food Europe (including as Director of Business Development for EMEA and General Counsel of their GB&I business unit), at DWF Group, the largest listed global law firm, as Group General Counsel and Company Secretary and latterly at Ocado Group as their Deputy General Counsel.
Mollie is an advocate of diversity and inclusion and mentors a number of women and men across multiple industries.
Matt works in the London and Oxfordshire offices, advising a diverse portfolio of clients. He has a wealth of experience providing compliance and advisory services to the hospitality and charity sectors. Matt’s approach is to work closely with clients to understand their organisation, history, aims and ambitions to deliver advice and solutions that add value to their operations and guide their future development.
Matt started his career at Wellers as a trainee accountant in the Oxford office in 1999. He gained the ACA qualification in 2004 and went on to become a partner at the firm 7 years later. Today, he also acts in the role of Finance Director for Wellers.
In his spare time Matt has a passion for music, both listening and performing, and is a keen golfer.
Tom Aikens is one of the UK’s most acclaimed and inspirational British chefs. With a father working in the wine industry and a childhood mostly spent gardening and cooking with his mother, Tom put food and the use of the finest ingredients at the centre of his life from a very early age.
His remarkable career took him to David Cavalier’s in Battersea, Pierre Koffmann’s La Tante Claire, Joel Robuchon in Paris, Gerard Boyere’s in Riems and Pied-à-Terre to name a few. It was at the latter that Tom became the youngest British chef ever to be awarded two Michelin stars, aged just 26. Tom remained at Pied-à-Terre for five years, then going on to open his immensely successful eponymous restaurant, Tom Aikens.
Restaurant Timeline:
2003-2014: Tom launched his first ever fine dining restaurant, Tom Aikens, which won a Michelin star and rising 2 star in 2009.
2015: Tom launched a new sharing concept, Pots, Pans & Boards, in Dubai.
2018: Tom successfully launched 3 restaurants called Market, The Oak Room and Alba Terrace in the New Edition Hotel, Abu Dhabi which is a ground-breaking hotel concept brought by Ian Schrager, in collaboration with Marriott International.
2020: The most recent addition to Tom’s portfolio is Muse, a cosy 25-seater renovated mews house in Belgravia. Muse provides a unique and intimate dining journey, offering each and every guest a kitchen table experience from either the kitchen counter or table side. The culmination of many years spent searching for the perfect location, Tom has finally found his new home. Muse is set to be the pinnacle of Tom’s career thus far, where the food, interiors and service comes together to provide a magical and memorable atmosphere for all who dine there.
This restaurant is very close to Tom’s heart, drawing on pivotal relationships, experiences and influences which have led him to this point in his life. Tom draws on inspiration from poignant memories of his early childhood and professional path throughout the years, when creating the seasonal, stripped-back tasting menu. Signature dishes spotlight one key ingredient or element per dish, allowing it to tell a story through minimal, yet expertly selected produce.
2021: Tom is opening in in Doha in the 1st quarter of 2021, in the sports museum by Qatar Museums, which is attached to the National stadium and it will be a full on activity and learning centre as well as having two F&B outlets, which he is running both. One for a café and deli and the other a premium casual concept, with both of these revolving around wellness and healthy eating.
Cook Books:
Tom has written three books; Cooking (2006), Fish (2008), and Easy (2011)
TV Appearances:
Tom and has made several appearances on television, reaching the final banquet of 2013’s Great British Menu on BBC2 in aid of Comic Relief, and is a regular guest on Great British Menu as a Judge and Great British Bake Off’s The Extra Slice.
Charity and Support Work: Tom is dedicated to serving only the highest quality, ethically sourced ingredients and continually supports The Environmental Justice Foundation to raise awareness of illegal ‘pirate’ fishing and diminishing fish stocks. He also works closely with various charities including: The Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Campaign, Royal Marsden Cancer Campaign and School Food Matters, where he teaches young children basic cooking skills. Most recently, Tom has become an ambassador for the homeless charity Only A Pavement Away helping to launch the Hospitality Against Homelessness campaign. The charities aim is to rehouse members of the homeless community and place them back into work within the hospitality industry.
Outside of work:
Tom is an avid sportsman and has a great passion for cycling. He has entered races including the Marmotte, Luc Alphand and the Etape de Tour up Mount Ventoux. In addition to participating in several London Marathons, he also completed the Marathon des Sables in 2010, running six marathons across the Sahara Desert in five days to raise money for Facing Africa. In 2012, Tom was selected as a Torch Bearer for the London Olympics and carried the Olympic Torch through the streets of Chelsea.
www.tomaikens.co.uk
Will comes from a background in Innovation and Brand Strategy Consulting, having worked with global brands to develop and execute corporate strategies and strategic plans.
From mentoring small business owners in the Philippines, to working with social enterprise start-ups in the UK, to coaching students and adults with special needs, building quality relationships has always been at the heart of everything he does, and this role of Employment Coach is no exception to that rule.
Will loves building those all-important connections with individuals seeking employment, meeting them where they are, and supporting them through every step of the process with the goal of enabling individuals not just to gain employment, but to sustain employment.
Will believes that every single individual he works with has the potential to become an invaluable asset in the hospitality workforce, and his skillset lies in uncovering their unique skillsets and strengths and helping them overcome the many obstacles that stand in the way of securing a bright, independent future.
In his spare time, Will likes to read, write and watch movies, and has recently taken up baking. His recent Victoria Sponge was described as a “total, inedible trainwreck”. He’s banking on improving with time.
I started in hospitality when I was 17, starting as a part time waitress and worked my way to General Manager throughout my 20s. I’ve worked in a range of businesses from cocktail bars to nightclubs and decided to leave my position as GM to take a leap into the charity sector.
Hospitality changed my life completely. It took me from being a shy young female with very little friends, to a confident, chatty, hardworking person, having made friends for life and enough stories from working in different sites around the country to keep anyone entertained for longer than they anticipated! Having always of had a passion for people and progression, combined with wanting to make an impact and a difference to those who face boundaries to employment, I can’t wait to get started forming strong relationships with our employment partners and getting people into employment within the hospitality industry as I’ve seen first-hand the positive experience someone can get.
I was brought up to always help others and be kind as it costs nothing, and this has always stuck with me. I love hospitality but also see the gap where we can do more as an industry to tackle the rising rates of homelessness throughout the UK by simply being kind, helpful and understanding to those who need extra support to maintain their stable employment.
Whilst I grew up thinking I was born to be a pop star, I now spend my time reading romance novels, keeping up to date with pop culture and often finding myself down a Tik Tok rabbit hole. I gave up on attempting any physical hobbies when I realised how clumsy I was after a serious of falling over my own feet!
Meet Federica, a passionate individual with a deep interest in human rights and politics. She recently completed her Master's degree in Human Rights, Conflicts, and International Politics and is excited to make a positive impact in the world.
Federica has always been passionate about human rights and has volunteered with various charities to help those in need. She believes that everyone should have access to basic human rights, regardless of their background, and is dedicated to making that a reality. Her experience in volunteering, and her academic knowledge have given her a deeper understanding of the challenges that vulnerable individuals face, and she is committed to finding ways to overcome these challenges.
Working at Only a Pavement Away means recognising that vulnerable individuals often face barriers to employment due to their circumstances, lack of education and training, or a criminal record. The charity can provide vulnerable individuals with a pathway to sustainable employment and financial independence.
In her private life, Federica loves to watch documentaries, go to football matches, listen to music and play her guitar. She enjoys nothing more than spending a sunny afternoon strumming a guitar and sipping on a pint of Guinness. Federica attempted to start cycling but ended up just peddling around in circles. It clearly didn't go quite as planned. With all her mishaps, Federica’s stories can always be counted on for a good laugh.
In the past seven years of completing my education, I have worked continuously throughout the hospitality sector. I eventually made my way up into management whilst completing my master’s degree in Global Affairs and have now combined both elements into my role here at Only A Pavement Away. Coming from a background where most people I knew growing up worked in public roles, there was always an emphasis on making sure that you use your skills to help others. As a Charity Relationship Manager, it’s lovely to witness the positive impact that Only A Pavement Away has for its candidates. Moreover, being able to meet and build rapports with likeminded individuals in the charity sector is always a privilege. I look forward to seeing Only A Pavement Away grow in terms of its support, knowing I’m doing my part in the process.
In my spare time, my main interest has always been reading and it can very comfortably fill up my whole day. I’m currently trying my hand at writing my own book, but whether it will be any good is an entirely different matter. I’m also learning German and enjoy drawing from time to time.
Since completing her degree in Tourism Management, Ria has worked in the hotel industry both in London and Manchester. She has worked in every department from housekeeping through to event sales management. Over the years she has volunteered with different charities alongside working in the hospitality sector. She’s now very excited to be able to put her passion for the hospitality industry behind a great charity like Only a Pavement Away.
The hospitality industry is so accessible to people of all skill sets and experience and really opens doors to do anything you want to in the future. As the Employer Relationship Manager, Ria will be able to help our partners fill their vacancies whilst helping to solve the ever-growing issue of homelessness.
During lockdown Ria was unfortunately made redundant along with a lot of the hospitality industry. She used this time to start up a small baking business from home sending brownies through people’s letter boxes, whilst applying for jobs. She enjoys cold water swimming in her local Lido and video gaming at the weekends.
Dolores has worked in the hospitality industry in London and abroad for many years and decided to leave her last position as a General Manager to join the charity sector. Over the years, she has volunteered for different organisations with her most recent experience as a First Aider. Her new role as a Relationship Manager is the perfect opportunity to strengthen the link between hospitality and the community. Dolores is thrilled to have joined the Only A Pavement Away team, where she will continue to maintain strong relationship with employers and charity partners.
When the first lockdown was announced, Dolores found herself blocked in a tiny island in the middle of the Caribbean and had no choice but to learn how to fish. On more regular times, she enjoys roller skating, playing bass and looking for new restaurants to try.
Since they started their new role, Amy and Dolores have launched the’ Covid Resource Hub’ to support hospitality workers affected by the current pandemic. They are now working on a Traineeship program to help those looking for work via our charity partners to upskill and gain hospitality work experience.
Julie's career has spanned over 30 years and has been varied and successful. From catering college where she gained her city and guilds qualifications, she started out in a 4* hotel in Hertfordshire where she spent 3 years building sound foundation for her future career. She has worked in restaurants and even spent a year working around the Caribbean then returning to the UK to enter the world of Event catering. Catering for parties, weddings and even catered for the BBC sports personality of the year, during her career she has achieved several awards for competitions including reaching chef of the year finals twice, a national competition reaching the final was a massive achievement as only 5 chefs made it through to the final round nationally.
Her passion for cooking started at the age of 8 when she received her cookery badge at brownies and made the biggest Yorkshire puddings that touched the top of the oven, the reaction she got from people planted the seed to wow and share her love of food with others. This is still embedded today and her later career has found her teaching and sharing her skills and knowledge with others. After spending 4 years teaching hospitality and catering in prison, She found she is so passionate about helping these individuals, she has now Joined Only a Pavement away to help others change their lives and work in this exciting and career prosperous industry. In her spare time Julie also practices vinyasa yoga, coaches her sons Rugby team most cold winter Sunday mornings and plays for a ladies cricket in the summer.
Louise comes from a vastly varied background, ranging from hospitality, volunteering and public sector roles. Her previous role as a Probation Officer for the Probation Service has afforded her the skills to empathise, understand and tailor dedicated services to those in need of a helping hand. She currently volunteers as a Diversity Champion and Board Member for two charities in the Midlands, ensuring equality and inclusion for all. Her passion for helping others has exceeded over the years, putting people at the very heart of all that she achieves.
Louise is about to complete her BA Honors Degree in Criminal Justice and has built long lasting relationships with those in the custodial sector. She enjoys forming new alliances with those that can work collaboratively to achieve a higher purpose. Louise aims to use her wide array of skills and knowledge to assist those who need support and an active voice.
Louise is absolutely over the moon to have been given this amazing opportunity, with her new Custodial Relationship Manager role being the perfect opportunity to bridge the gaps between prison leavers and the amazing opportunities our employers have to offer
Karen is an experienced Charity Officer with over 26 years’ experience working in the charity sector with extensive knowledge and understanding of both operational and executive management as well as fundraising and marketing.
Throughout her career, Karen’s roles have evolved but always included fundraising, sponsorship & events alongside Marketing & PR. She has developed sponsorship rights packages for major events, developed existing and new long term corporate partnerships, created and managed key fundraising events and has extensive experience in the development and improvement of key marketing communications channels. Karen has an extensive professional network through managing relationships with long term corporate partners, government and sector leaders.
During 10 years as CEO of a national disability charity, the charity’s income doubled to support the growth and development of the organisation achieving key increases in both participation and awareness. One of the most significant achievements during this time was working with a government PR & lobbying agency to secure a first time £2 Million central government grant and in addition, securing long term funding from Sport England, again a first in the history of the organisation, to support the charity’s strategic growth targets and develop new clubs across England.
Karen says, “I have a genuine passion for carrying out worthwhile work that supports a charity’s development to make positive and long-term changes to society. I am delighted to become an Advisor for Only A Pavement Away and looking forward to supporting the Charity through the early stages of its development and beyond”
As the Director of External Affairs for the Portman Group I have the privilege of highlighting the extensive responsible work by the alcohol sector. We are just one organisation in an ecosystem of care that the industry supports.
I have extensive experience in communications and government affairs having previously worked for MHP Communications and the Institution of Civil Engineers amongst others. I was also a board Director for Ellwood Atfield a search firm for communications professionals and oversaw the recruitment of hundreds of people across the industry.
I stood in the 2010 General Election as a Parliamentary candidate in Sheffield Hallam and was an elected Governor of King’s College Hospital Trust. I have been instrumental in founding a number of groups including the Women in Communications Careers Network, a peer support network for women leaders, and the work mentoring scheme for the Speakers Parliamentary internship Programme. I have a long term interest in homelessness and have supported a number of charities in the space, including volunteering with Crisis Open Christmas for seven years.
Paul is the founder of Hill Capital Partners LLP, through which he carries out private investment and advisory roles across the leisure and hospitality sectors.
He is currently an investor in and sits on the Boards as Chairman/NED of a number of leisure businesses – including in the hospitality sector Hawksmoor, Blacklock, Vinoteca, The Alchemist, Tortilla, Gusto, Hickory’s and Yard Sale Pizza.
Paul supports these businesses in brand development and expansion, as well as corporate and financial strategy. At the start of his career he qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Price Waterhouse.
Sarah is a barrister at Kings Chambers specialising in licensing, planning and environmental law and is nationally recognised as an expert in the hospitality and leisure industry. Sarah was appointed to act as the Specialist Adviser to the House of Lords Select Committee on the ten-year legislative review of the Licensing Act 2003.
Kate brings communications and income development experience to Only A Pavement Away. She secured her first role in communications after being interviewed for a role she hadn’t applied for and since then has worked in commercial, not-for profit and public sectors.
She brings broad in-house and consultancy communications experience, as well as income and business development skills for a range of not-for-profit and commercial organisations, spanning a variety of sectors including healthcare, food and hospitality, disability and education, FMCG and technology. Past clients have included IBM, Samsung, Nestle, Kerry Foodservice, apetito and Kenwood, and in-house roles with Shaw Trust, Royal Osteoporosis Society, and the NHS.
She’s passionate about supporting organisations that ‘do good’ and deliver social value, and will be working closely with the marketing communications and income development team at Only A Pavement Away to support with raising awareness and driving engagement.
Robert is a Principle Associate at Shoosmiths LLP, crowned Law Firm of the Year at the 2022 Legal Business Awards. For over ten years he has specialised in advising on charity law, acting for large and small charities around the country and increasingly for businesses seeking to increase their social impact by working with civil society or by setting up their charitable own foundations as ESG (“Environmental, Social and Governance”) issues come to the fore on board agendas.
As a charity lawyer Robert guides trustees on charity law, governance and regulatory issues, supporting charities in their work and at all stages of their journey: establishing new charities, incorporating existing organisations, advising on collaboration or merger issues and, where necessary, on dissolution.
He advises on the engagement of charities with the Charity Commission, in seeking necessary approvals and dealing with serious incident reporting and on charities' dealings with non-charities such as trading subsidiaries, corporate partners, sponsors and commissioning bodies.
He works closely with colleagues in Shoosmiths’ charities team – in particular with employment, commercial, corporate and real estate lawyers - to provide clients with integrated and responsive solutions to help them to manage their legal risk. Robert has previously been a trustee of a national education charity and volunteers on a weekly basis in a primary school to mentor some of its pupils. In his spare time, Robert follows his son’s football team and Manchester City (in that order) and loves cycling around forests on his mountain bike.
Lina is the Founding Director of Cafecito Ltd, a boutique Customer Experience Agency on a mission to ‘perk up’ brands by focusing on all stages of the customer journey.
With over 10 years experience in account management, marketing and business development, a multilingual background (Spanish, English, French) and an MBA in marketing behind her, Lina prides herself on offering unique breadth and depth of CX advisory services to clients.
Lina’s latest role was managing the membership of the UK’s leading trade association in Hospitality – UKHospitality – giving her the opportunity to meet and work with some of the industry’s most influential leaders from both operator and supplier sides.
Her specialisms include: research, customer profiling, service & platform design, customer communications and marketing (multimedia production, social media management), relationship management and support centre optimisation.
Lina starts her weekdays with 6am session at the Foundry, where she likes to flip 160kg tyres, push a 190kg prowler and carry 45kg sandbags to offset her love for a cold pint of Guinness, whiskey and all food.
Having met Greg for a Diet Coke (it was too early for a Beer!) at a pub in London and at the start up stages of Only A Pavement Away, Nick was in and believed that the social initiative had all the values, responsibility and purpose required to change the course of life for people in need of support to achieve this. Nick explained to Greg that he would love to give a little support with a bit of time and positive exposure for Only a Pavement Away through Market Positioning, some fundraising through the Tough Mudder event(s) and (as it turned out) other activities inc a 26K row for 26days during ‘Lockdown 1’.
Having set up a recruitment business with a few quid savings back in 2003, Nick works with great people in an industry he loves and is now CEO of a group of staffing solutions to the Hospitality industry which consist of (in order of Appearance), Appetite4Recruitment, Appetite4Work, Hospitality Jobs UK and Appetite4Careers.
Sarah’s hospitality career spans almost 20 years and has seen her cover many different roles across learning and development, recruitment, operations and marketing. Sarah’s early career focussed mainly on late night, wet-led venues and in more recent years on restaurants and co-working facilities. Sarah received her MA marketing in 2014, and is extremely passionate about the hospitality industry.
Sarah is also an enthusiastic volunteer, and volunteers for a variety of organisations, writing about her experiences on www.thevolunteeridea.com.
James Hacon is the Managing Director at THINK Hospitality and a respected investor, consultant and commentator in the restaurant sector.
His experience stretches working with more than 50 brands in 14 countries, from Michelin starred outlets to International hotel chains, casual dining groups to start-up takeaway concepts.
He is one of the worlds most prominent hospitality speakers, regularly traveling across the world appearing at conferences inspiring audiences and sharing his unique insights.
Dawn has more than 30 years’ experience within the recruitment industry, holding Group Recruitment positions for FTSE 100 companies and is now the Founder & Owner of Hospitality Jobs UK – the fastest growing hospitality job website across the UK. Renowned as an industry expert, Dawn is also the “go to” person for all things recruitment. She is actively involved in a number of industry trade bodies and charities, including: Only a Pavement Away and Licensed Trade Charity – as their recruitment advisor and ambassador.
Dawn is an active guest speaker, panellist and judge at key industry events & awards as well as an Advisor to the Board for the Newly launched Missenden Hotel & Hospitality University in Buckinghamshire. Her ultimate mission is to attract people into hospitality. showcasing the sector as a great place to work offering flexible working and huge career opportunities.
Peter Martin is one of the most authoritative and influential communicators and community-builders in the eating and drinking out sector, with some 40 years experience as entrepreneur, columnist, editor, media owner, market analyst and board adviser.
He is founder and executive director of Peach 20/20, the exclusive international network for senior leaders and entrepreneurs from the out-of-home food and drink market, which runs the annual Peach 20/20 conference and Hero & Icon awards in London and Atlantic Club tours and events in Northa America and Europe.
Over the years, he has launched and run a raft of business magazines, newsletters and conferences and is probably best known as co-founder of Peach Factory, the specialist media, research and events business, and co-founder and editor of the M&C Report newsletter, now renamed MCA. He remains a regular columnist and contributing editor at MCA. He is also the co-creator of the Coffer Peach Business Tracker, the UK pub and restaurant market’s definitive sales barometer.
He is a strategic advisor to a number of companies, including CGA, the global data and insight specialist for the food and drink sector, and Harri, the on-line people management platform based in New York and London.
Peter is an inveterate networker and 'allegedly' has the best contacts book in the UK market. He speaks and presents regularly at events in the UK, Europe and the US. He was a founder of the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR), the trade organization for the UK pub, bar and casual dining sector, and now sits on the advisory council of UK Hospitality, the lead hospitality association formed by the amalgamation of ALMR and BHA.
He is a trustee of the Tim Bacon Foundation, the cancer charity created in memory of celebrated restaurant and bar entrepreneur Tim Bacon.
In 2016 he won the Special Achievement Award from Eat Out magazine, and in 2018 the Special Award at the Casual Dining Restaurant & Pub Awards.
Katy has 20 years experience in business development, research and consultancy roles. She started off at The Daily Express where she sold ad space and got yelled at by Richard Desmond, moving on through recruitment and into research and consultancy 10 years ago. Katy is passionate about pubs and bars (and not just about being in them) and small format retail.
In retail, Katy has run research programmes for some of the biggest names in FMCG including Heineken, P&G, Diageo and Heinz. She has also worked consultatively with – and created and delivered research programmes to – most major retailers including The Co-operative, Waitrose and McColl’s. She hasn’t had a complaint yet.
In the ontrade, Katy has worked with pub and bar companies as a consultant since what seems like the dawn of time, and run bespoke and syndicated research programmes for both pub companies and ontrade suppliers such as Punch, Enterprise, St Austell, Shepherd Neame, First Drinks, and Carlsberg. They all seemed to like what she did too.
In her spare time, Katy can be found exploring new pubs, bars and restaurants around London, dancing the night away at gigs and partying in fields at festivals. However, she starts every day with a gym session and once in a while she visits a museum to balance it all out.
“I am thrilled to join the OAPA team as an Armed Forces Veteran Advisor in support of veterans and ex-offenders who have fallen on hard times and are sleeping rough on the streets. I come from a humble background, and realise that many less fortunate than myself would be able to transform their lives if the opportunity arose. By linking OAPA with the hospitality industry, Greg, Gill and the OAPA team are giving homeless veterans some hope and a chance to turn their lives around and believe in themselves once more. This is something that I am passionate about; especially in giving a little back to those in their time of greatest need who have served their country and have given so much.”
Major Scotty Mills joined the Royal Marines in 1987, his early service included operational tours in Northern Ireland, Norway, Mediterranean, the Caribbean and Iraq with 40 Commando. After training as a Physical Training Instructor, he swiftly sub-specialised and attained distinction on the Exercise Rehabilitation Instructor course at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre at Headley Court.
Following on, he was selected for a Queen’s Commission as Royal Marines Officer, as well as achieving a 1st Class BSc (Hons) Degree in Sports Rehabilitation and Psych out of St Mary’s University. On promotion to Captain in 2007 he deployed to Afghanistan on Operation Herrick with 3 Commando Brigade RM.
Captain Mills had the privilege of being selected as Lead RN Officer as Olympic Flag Bearer at the London 2012 Olympic Games. As a lead RM Officer for Performance and Leadership, he led youth development, corporate leadership and culture change programmes across a broad remit that led to the development of several new influence streams in the City of London.
Following Staff College at Shrivenham and his selection for promotion to Major he was appointed as Officer Commanding Hasler Company leading the multi-disciplinary care and recovery of the most complex, seriously injured and long-term ill members of the Corps. This privileged role has seen him lead a dynamic high profile multi-disciplinary team that provides optimal care to our battle injured Royal Marines across the multitude of recovery strands including mental health conditions within the Naval Service Recovery Pathway spectrum.
As Officer Commanding Commando Training Wing at Lympstone he was responsible for training 600 raw recruits, which was the followed by his last appointment as Head of Performance and Sport for the entire Corps of 6500 Royal Marines.
He is also closely linked to several wider service charities as an ambassador for The Royal Marines Charity, Care after Combat, Commando 999 and the Poppy Appeal. He passionately pursues the Olympic legacy and has led multiple elite sporting and corporate organisations to success such as the England Football Team, Team GB Olympic Teams, GB Gymnastics, UK Sport and many others. His real passion revolves around working alongside people and teams across business, industry, sports and youth development programmes so that they can reach their potential through inspiration, leadership, culture, identity and team cohesion.
Scotty also has deep experience across several other associated streams of activity such as leadership development, recruitment, programme management, logistics, change management, risk, communications, governance, policy, financial management, charity support and marketing.
In 2017 Major Mills achieved a 5-year goal and led a team of Royal Marines to the Marathon 26.2 miles Speed March World Record beating the 19-year old previous mark by some 2½ mins. He was also presented The National 2018 Sun Military Award for ‘Inspiring Others’ by his good friend the England Football manager Mr Gareth Southgate OBE.
Major Mills left the Royal Marines in 2019 after 32 years of passionate and dedicated service having deployed to over 80 countries around the world. He will continue his life’s work with a vision to ‘Inspire Others’ to achieve their impossible dreams.
Emma Osman, first started performing aged 14 when she got a role with the Boston Operatic Society in the Buddy Holly Story playing Lavern Baker. She then went on to further her education in performing arts at Lincoln College and from there to East 15 School of Acting. During her time there she performed as Ode Mae Brown with Pick Me Up Theatre and Titania in a Midsummer Nights Dream in a site specific performance with Nightshade Productions. During her three years at East 15 she played roles such as Othello and Portugal in Nadia Falls play Home in which Emma’s interest for telling stories centred around those that needed to be heard most began.
Her screen work includes Carly Reynolds on BBC’s Doctors and Beth Ayres on Little islands production of Snatch. Since graduating she has done workshops with the Almeda Theatre for their production of Burning down the house which raised awareness for the LGBTQI BAME community and C Jay Rangers adaptation of Hibo Warders book Cut one woman’s story of surviving FGM & being a refugee. Her latest work includes Kay Mellor’s Theatre production of Band of Gold, where Emma Played Carol.
Emma volunteers for the Girls Network and through this organisation Emma inspires young women, who may otherwise never have access to such a powerful role model to pursue their dreams in the arts and any other subject they are passionate about. She has spoken at numerous schools and facilities such as JP Morgan.
As an actor and performer Emma has the utmost integrity and is unwilling to engage with any works which do not uphold her strong moral values. Emma is a qualified fitness instructor and has a keen interest in many types of therapy, which she believes should be accessible to everyone.
Emma says, “I'm proud to be joining OAPA’s mission as I believe real change comes from people believing in themselves and developing new life skills. "Give a man a fish he eats for a day, teach him how to fish he eats for a lifetime".
Emma is one of the new faces at the hive management, The modelling agency has worked with brands such as Vogue, Gucci, Burberyy and many more. www.thehivemanagement.com
