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 10 years have been working at Crisis, ending homelessness through innovative solutions including housing and employment.
Dulal is currently Director of Skylight London, Crisis most busiest service supporting over 2,500 people per year and has been involved with OAPA from the onset, bringing his experience, knowledge and networks within the charity sector to the project.
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.
A “dependable Innovator” who builds strong teams and relationships to achieve great things.
Originally a Draughtsman, Mechanical Engineer and Quality Assurance Professional, for the last 20 or so years, Ian has been a technical and strategic professional, providing IT, Technical and digital leadership to various sectors, including defence, network vendor, telecom, software, and non-profit organisations. Ian has worked for notable companies such as Marconi Underwater Systems, Digital Equipment Corp, Cisco Systems, Juniper Networks, Shaw Trust, Alfresco Software (Hyland Software) and Complete Technology Group. He has extensive experience in IT & service management, software development, IT governance, outsourcing, co-sourcing and supplier management, including cloud platforms, enterprise software, and service providers. Ian has a demonstrated history leading digital transformation projects, as well as strategic and customer projects. Ian also has success negotiating contracts and championing cost reduction plans to increase and support revenues.
Until recently Ian was a Trustee and Board member with the Vision Care for Homeless People charity and also volunteers for the SERV OBN “Blood Bikers” as a rider and fundraiser.
Ian has two grown-up children and lives in central Berkshire with his wife Julie and two slightly crazy dogs
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.
Lisa Helmanis has a diverse career spanning creative and strategic roles, including Editor of The Sunday Times Inside Out Magazine, CMO, and consultant for SMEs, as well as Creative Director of her agencies, Helmanis and Daystudio.
Daystudio, a London-based interior design and creative agency, specializes in hospitality and commercial spaces, crafting memorable brands and designs with aesthetic and structural integrity. Collaborating with a network of experts, it incorporates sustainable techniques to minimize environmental impact.
Helmanis Ltd, inspired by Lisa's journalism career, bridges editorial, marketing, and digital disciplines to create multi-platform content, including for charities. Passionate about hospitality, Lisa has shaped London restaurant favorites like Padella and Trullo. Dedicated to charity, she has worked in the sector for 30 years, currently supporting Women’s Aid in Luton, and has been a trustee for both Refugee Connection and Children with Aids Charity (CWAC).
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.
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
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.
Bob Silk joined Barclays Bank in September 1979, straight from school; he made the tea on his first day – it didn’t go well and so he was required to make afternoon tea for 30 of his colleagues every day for the following three months!
Having worked his way up, Bob got his first “bank manager’s” job when he was 24 and ever since then has worked with businesses ranging from “single owner-drivers” to multinationals. Along the way he also spent 5 years specialising in corporate turnarounds.
In March 1998, Bob was a founder member of the Bank’s Hospitality & Leisure Team, and ever since his focus has been on funding multi-site hotel, restaurant and pub businesses, mainly in the UK; mergers, acquisitions, including roll-out funding for restaurant brands and development funding for hotels.
Alongside his day job, Bob is Chair of HOSPA and until recently (3/24) was a Trustee for nine years of The Springboard Charity. He is also closely involved with Barclays’ military veterans programme.
Bob lives in Surrey, is married, and has five children.
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.
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Alex is an Investment Partner at the private equity firm Epiris, which has invested over £2.3bn in UK businesses over the last decade. In this role, he leads their investment activity in the Consumer and Hospitality sectors, alongside sitting on its Investment Committee.
He is a Non-Executive Director of The Big Table Group (operating over 230 casual dining restaurants in the UK), The Club Company (the UK’s largest golf and country club operator) and Sharps (the UK’s leading supplier of fitted bedroom, home office and living furniture).
Alex has spent over a decade in private equity, prior to which he worked in Corporate Banking at Lloyds Banking Group. Before embarking down the finance route however, he cut his cloth as a barman in his local Fuller’s pub!
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.
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.
Accomplished hospitality professional with over 10 years of experience, including 7 years in management roles within the industry. Working in a wide range of venues in hospitality such as managing an iconic nightclub in Brighton, and a multi-purpose food hall, with my most recent line of work was building and maintaining relationship with high-profile clients and VIP’s at Soho House, I am skilled in delivering exceptional guest experiences, leading high-performing teams, and driving operational excellence in fast-paced, high-standard environments. Adept at overseeing all aspects of hospitality operations, from staff development and customer relations to quality assurance and revenue optimization. Passionate about maintaining impeccable service standards and fostering a culture of excellence to exceed guest expectations.
Studied at Sussex University for a degree in Geography & International Development from 2017-2021, during the pandemic era.
Taking the leap from operational hospitality roles, I am so excited to start within the employment charity sector, engaging and building relationships with employers and offering those with boundaries to employment amazing opportunities. I am passionate for change and will strive to make an impact and a difference to those in difficult situations. I believe every person has uncapped talent and I am so excited to be able to foster new relationships between high-quality candidates and top hospitality employers.
Away from work you will find me paddle boarding on the open water, playing football and trying all new kinds of food! A relaxed night for me is popcorn and a horror movie, so no doubt I will be asking to discuss your favourite horror movie!
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.
I am a proud South Londoner and was born not far from the Only a Pavement Away offices in Borough. At school I had amazing teachers that encouraged me to study and to go onto university, which I did. Going to University really expanded my horizons, meeting different people learning new ideas and travelling.
After university I was able to move into interesting employment in the media and as a press officer in a several educational institutions and children’s charities. From working on BBC documentaries about poverty in the UK, working in the press office at the Open University on the Mars Beagle 2 Space mission, to managing the Royal Horticultural Society’s school gardening campaign.
During Covid I joined the Information and Guidance team at Wormword Scrubs. My first time in a prison and first time working with and for people with convictions. This role was the start of my journey in the criminal justice campaigning for a fairer and a more compassionate system. A system that gives people in prison dignity, hope and the ability to return to society with the tools to live a meaningful life. I then worked for the Criminal Justice Alliance on a leadership programme called Elevate CJS. Elevate CJS was a leadership programme for people with lived experience of the criminal justice system. Who better to be at the forefront of change than those who have lived it.
I am very passionate about working in the voluntary sector as I want to support people the way my teachers supported me all those years ago. When given the right tools and opportunities, I believe people can improve their life chances.
So, I was really excited when I got this position at Only A Pavement Away. It brings together all my passions for supporting marginalised groups and exposing them to different opportunities and experiences.
I love to travel and took a year off and visited India, Australia, Hong Kong, Vietnam and many other wonderous countries. My all-time favourite was Nepal – the people, the Himalayas and the culture – amazing. I loved it so much a friend and I started a small children’s charity raising money to send 10 rural children to school.
I also love to watch films and enjoy Sci-fi and horror movies!
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 Senior 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.
Born and bred in Manchester, I started my career in the bustling world of hospitality, where I discovered my passion for connecting with people and making a difference. After honing my skills in building relationships and driving positive change, I moved into the private sector and there, I worked on creating partnerships across the North-West, helping charities, employers, and individuals overcome barriers to employment. My time with the local government homelessness team deepened my commitment to supporting vulnerable communities.
Now with Only A Pavement Away, I’m proud to be part of a team making a real difference to people’s lives. My focus is on creating meaningful connections and building strategic partnerships that drive impactful results.
Outside of work, you’ll probably find me exploring new places, picking up my guitar, or at a gig soaking up the energy of live music. These moments inspire me and fuel my passion for both personal and professional growth.
Katy comes from a hospitality and charity sector background. Having started her hospitality career as a teenager, she worked across various roles up to management level. Katy moved into the charity sector after being inspired by her time in Australia. Her experience is wide-ranging, from recruitment, business development and employability to criminal justice and supporting people at risk of homelessness into sustainable employment. Katy has extensive experience of supporting women in prison by delivering employability workshops across the country and more recently she has supported male prison leavers.
Originally from the South West coast of Scotland, Katy has relocated to Edinburgh after spending 17 years in London. She is incredibly excited to play a key role in expanding Only A Pavement Away's reach in Scotland, building relationships and opportunities for people at risk of homelessness.
Having done 5 bouts in the ring pre-pandemic, Katy spends a lot of her spare time at her boxing club working on technique and fitness. Katy plans to have a big comeback in the ring soon! More recently she has rediscovered her creative side and has started writing random poems about her friends and family. She is also a natural performer and loves being on stage!
I have worked in hospitality roles since I was 15 years old, and left Ireland to attend university in Liverpool. I completed a Business Studies degree at Liverpool John Moores University, where I was appointed as the representative for the LJMU Business School.
In addition to hospitality roles, I have worked in a range of sectors; from a pharmaceutical laboratory role in Ireland to an online customer service role in Australia. I moved back to the UK at the start of 2024 to seriously begin my career in something I have always wanted to work in - the charity sector. This is where I began my journey with the amazing Only A Pavement Away team!
In my spare time, I love seeking out a nice little jazz bar, going to gigs, playing and writing music (being brought up in a very musical family!) or going for a cold-water swim. You'll always find me attempting a new hobby - my newest are learning to play the drums and to DJ!
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.
I began my journey in hospitality at 14, starting as a pot washer and moving through various roles such as waitressing, bartending, and eventually leading a team of baristas. These experiences taught me invaluable skills—teamwork, problem-solving, and, most importantly, how to connect with people. Hospitality helped me build confidence and provided the flexibility to support myself through five years of university.
After graduating, I shifted into recruitment, where I found great fulfilment in helping others navigate their career paths. Forming meaningful personal and professional relationships with candidates was key to supporting them in finding new opportunities.
Volunteering at homeless shelters from a young age ignited a lifelong passion for giving back, especially to vulnerable populations. This drive led me to pursue a Mental Health First Aider qualification.
Today, I’m proud to work for Only a Pavement Away, a charity that allows me to combine my recruitment skills with my passion for helping others. In this role, I assist individuals seeking employment in the hospitality industry, empowering them to rebuild their lives through meaningful work.
When I’m not working, you’ll often find me painting, exploring new places, or chasing sunsets—always on the lookout for inspiration in the world around me.
I have a strong background in hospitality spanning over 6 years from working across bars and restaurants as a teenager and early twenties where I enjoyed constantly meeting new peopleas no day was the same. During this time, I attended Nottingham Trent University where I studied Product Design. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there where I was able to refine my creative skills in a commercial environment while also gaining experience in managing and planning projects, learning to both thrive independently and as a team player. Over the course of my studies, I focused most of my projects around the theme of loneliness and the importance of human interactions especially after the detrimental impacts of COVID-19.
After graduating I eventually found myself working in the life insurance industry as an administrative assistant for the Underwriting department. This has allowed me to gain exposure to the corporate world and build resilience. Here I learnt the importance of completing all tasks to a high standard no matter how small they might seem as everybody has an important part to play for a project to be successful. Here I realised how much I enjoyed collaborating with different individuals, getting stuck in on projects and bringing the ideas to life. Now I aim to utilise all my transferable skills into this amazing charity and help support the team that make this charity such a success.
In my spare time, you’ll find me in the kitchen cooking and experimenting where I bring my friends and family together to enjoy what I’ve created or you can find me at concerts in the middle of the crowd dancing and singing my heart out!
After completing a Master’s degree in International Project Management and gaining diverse experiences around the world, Dolores chose to settle in the UK. She quickly fell in love with London’s vibrant hospitality scene and spent several years working in operations across a range of venues.
Eager to make a broader impact, Dolores brought her wealth of industry experience to Only A Pavement Away in 2020. Since then, she has been helping grow the charity, supporting people facing homelessness find meaningful employment within hospitality. Passionate about the charity’s mission, she remains deeply committed to expanding its reach and supporting both the team and its beneficiaries. Now Head of Operations, Dolores leads the operational team and oversees the development of programs and activities that empower more individuals to rebuild their lives through careers in hospitality.
Always up for a challenge, Dolores has taken on adventures like Tough Mudder and participated in Hospitality Rides across Jordan, Sri Lanka, and Kenya to raise funds and awareness for Only A Pavement Away. When she’s not seeking out her next adrenaline rush, you’ll likely find her enjoying the best of London’s hospitality scene.
After completing my undergraduate in working with children and young people: Social Pedagogy, and my masters in Youth and Community, I knew I wanted to continue to help and support people – especially those who face adversity. I have worked with young people, young offenders, and adults within the education, higher education, custodial and charity sector. I have mentored, coached, taught and lead individuals through 1-1’s and large group sessions.
Through this fulfilling journey, I have been able to meet many people, industry partners, and work collaboratively to ensure there were positive changed in people’s lives. Working at Only A Pavement Away helps me to build on my passion of working with people who are facing barriers by helping charities find their candidates a pathway to sustainable employment.
I’m a huge fan of movies, with my favourite genre being thrillers. During my spare time, I like to spend time with my family, going for walks in the woods or exploring new cuisines (especially deserts). I have an adoration for all things related to pandas and hope to meet one, one day (in an ethical and appropriate environment).
My first ever job was working in a pub kitchen as a pot wash before working at an airport on the runway. After this I spent 8 years working as a police officer in London and Yorkshire. I worked on a number of teams during this time, such as an emergency response team, neighbourhood and community based policing teams and as a tutor, helping student officers start their careers. Working for the Police service taught me that my workplace satisfaction comes from helping others and making a positive impact to individuals and the community.
Working within the Police service allowed me to meet people from all walks of life and work alongside some brilliant organisations and agencies. I hope to use my previous experience of multi-agency work in my role here at Only A Pavement Away.
I am a Prison Relationship Manager, specifically for the north of England. My role consists of connecting with new and existing custodial centres and working alongside them to ensure that their suitable prison leavers have an opportunity to kickstart their careers in hospitality.
I adore all animals but have an extra soft spot for Dogs. In 2024 I adopted a stray pup in need of her forever home, Olive, from my local rescue centre.
When I’m not working, I enjoy exploring the Peak District with my son, partner and Olive. We love road trips and exploring new places. Any opportunity we get we’ll load up the car and head to the Scottish Highlands or across the channel and into the Alps!
Matthew’s career in hospitality began in Coventry, where he started as a kitchen porter at a modest 50-bedroom hotel. The experience provided Matthew with a solid foundation in the fundamentals of hospitality. His transition into a front-of-house role marked a pivotal moment in his career, igniting a profound passion for the industry. Matthew went on to enjoy many years with Marriott Hotels, IHG, and private hotels, before joining L+R Hotels in 2016. After heading up the conversion and transformation of Radisson Blu Portman Square and Nobu Hotel Portman Square, Matthew took over L+R Hotels flagship and largest hotel, Strand Palace in 2020, after the retirement of David Macrae.
As the Managing Director of Strand Palace, Matthew is entrusted with the wellbeing of both our guests and our staff. Leading a dynamic team of over 200 members, Matthew ensures the seamless operation of the venue’s 778 bedrooms and two food and beverage outlets. “My role is multifaceted, blending strategic oversight with a hands-on approach to day-to-day operations.” Positive culture is critical for the success of the hotel, this is how we have achieved record breaking guest feedback scores, RevPAR, GOP and 'A Great Place to Work' accolade."
Reflecting on his journey, the support and belief from various managers and supervisors have been instrumental in shaping Matthew’s career, “Reaching the position of Managing Director at Strand Palace stands as the pinnacle of my career. Leading one of the largest hotels in London and the UK is a testament to the incredible team I work with, who share a genuine commitment to delivering exceptional service. Together, we strive to create memorable experiences for our guests, ensuring Strand Palace remains a beacon of excellence in the industry."
What Matthew cherishes most about his role is the ability to provide exceptional hospitality to a diverse guest base, which includes visitors from the United Kingdom, North America, Australia, and Europe. Ensuring that his team operates effectively is a priority, with a significant focus on sustainability and enhancing the guest experience. CSR and community are at the heart of what Matthew and the team are dedicated to and after being recognised as a Great Place To Work, the hotel continually works to create a fantastic team environment and an unrivalled guest experience.
Matthew and the team at Strand Palace have worked closely with Only A Pavement Away to provide meeting and event spaces for local events and conferences, employment opportunities to vulnerable members of the community and charity events throughout the year. It is an ongoing partnership that Strand Palace is proud to be connected to and look forward to collaborating on future projects with.
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.
Evangeline (Evie) Harbury finished her culinary training at Le Cordon Bleu, London in 2016 and has since been working as a chef, food stylist, recipe developer and home economist. Originally from Bath, brought up between England and Czech Republic, Evie is now an East London-based Bohemian with a penchant for all things food.
Evie’s cookbook and television credits are numerous and includes work with several household names such as Dame Mary Berry, Rosemary Shrager, Tom Kerridge, Giorgio Locatelli, Angela Harnett, Michel Roux Jr, James Martin and Mary McCartney. She has written, developed and tested recipes for a variety of clients, including: Deliciously Ella, Smirnoff, Baileys, McCartney Serves It Up (Discovery Plus) Celebrity Cooking School (E4), Cooking with the Stars (ITV), Big Zuu’s Big Eats (Dave), Hungry For It (BBC), Tastemade and various cookbooks.
One of Evie’s most notable and fulfilling roles was as a Home Economist on Full Time Meals with Marcus Rashford and Tom Kerridge. A campaign run by Rashford and Kerridge creating pocket friendly meals and shining a serious light on the national issue of child food poverty.
Evie has spent time volunteering at Bath soup run and is also known for her cake stalls, which she runs to raise money for various charities.
Evie has a deep knowledge and understanding of the hospitality industry, having worked in restaurants, bakeries, cafes, pubs, and hotels over the last 16 years. She understands the valuable work that chefs do as well as truly knowing the support and stability needed behind this.
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.
Nick Mackenzie is the CEO of Greene King, the UK’s leading pub company and brewer. Nick holds various positions outside of his CEO role including Chair of the British Beer & Pub Association, NED at Workspace plc and Advisory Board Member at WiHTL. Nick was awarded Business Leader of the Year at the Publican Awards 2021.
Prior to joining Greene King in 2019, Nick spent 17 years at Merlin Entertainments plc, and was most recently managing director of Midway Attractions, the largest division within the group.
Greg’s journey in the hospitality industry is a testament to his passion and dedication. His career began over 15 years ago glass collecting, during which he has accumulated extensive experience and expertise. Recently, Greg founded Fáilte, a consultancy specialising in Commercial Sales & Hospitality Partnerships, further cementing his commitment to the industry.
Greg's career is marked by significant achievements in sales, marketing, and commercial partnerships. His ability to build and maintain client relationships with a commercial focus has consistently boosted profitability and brand recognition for the businesses he has worked with. His enthusiasm for networking and creating business relations is evident, and his approach is a blend of industry knowledge, passion, and a people-centric mindset.
Greg's professional journey is also marked by his role as a non-executive director at So Lets Talk. This organisation supports hospitality-focused individuals, businesses, and groups, developing bespoke solutions to meet the specific needs of those within the industry. Collaborating with experts in health, nutrition, exercise, and beyond, So Let’s Talk is dedicated to enhancing the wellbeing of those in the sector.
In addition to his professional roles, Greg is the founder of the Manchester Hospitality Network. This event-based networking organisation serves as a catalyst for the hospitality sector across Greater Manchester, creating connections and providing essential support to industry professionals through events.
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.
Ashley and Kelly McCarthy have been passionate figures in the hospitality world for over two decades. Since 2004, they’ve been running the award-winning Ye Old Sun Inn near York – known not just for great food and drink, but for warm, community-focused hospitality. More recently, they’ve expanded their creative ventures with the launch of Fairfax Distillery & Chocolatiers, crafting small batch spirits, handmade chocolates, and eye-catching chocolate sculptures.
Both Ashley and Kelly are deeply involved in the wider hospitality industry. Kelly is a trustee of the British Institute of Inn keeping (BII), while Ashley serves as head judge for the BII Licensee of the Year Award (LOYA). Fittingly, they are also both former LOYA winners, a testament to their dedication and innovation.
As charity ambassadors, Ashley and Kelly bring not only their expertise but their energy and heart. They play an active role in our Cook & Dine event, generously giving up their time to help create memorable experiences for our community.
We are proud to have Ashley and Kelly as part of our ambassador family – their commitment to giving back perfectly aligns with our mission.
“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.
After serving his sentence in HMP Brixton, Nathaniel used cooking as a tool for transformation. Now, he’s on a mission to inspire prison leavers and those facing barriers to employment to believe in second chances and carve their own paths forward.
With roots in Michelin starred kitchens and a social media following of over 82,000, Nathaniel blends fine dining with bold Caribbean flavour. His journey has led to collaborations with brands like Spotify, Apple, Wray & Nephew and appearances on platforms such as Sorted Food and The Clink Charity Gala.
He is proud to be an ambassador for Only A Pavement Away. Nathaniel embodies the mission to change lives through opportunity. In June 2025 he sat on a judging panel with Tom Aikens, helping to spotlight diverse talent and lived experience in the industry.
Through his food, platform and purpose, Nathaniel is reshaping what success looks like and proving that your past doesn’t define your future.
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.
Lucy Noone Blake is co-founder of Pear, a hospitality communications consultancy based out of Manchester. She brings a wealth of contacts and context in the northern market to Only A Pavement Away.
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
Anthony founded Yummy with the opening of our first pub in 2007 and since then have evolved the business to include unique venues that have a focus on authenticity and people. The collection now operates two award winning pubs and has recently opened a sustainable seafood restaurant, Faber. Anthony chaired the British institute of innkeeping from 2014 – 2018 helping to transform the organisation to be fit for purpose for it’ members. Anthony has been a supporter of OAPA since Greg first created the charity, supporting initiatives and promoting the charity.
I believe Hospitality has a place for everyone – regardless of background or education.
In my role as Director of People and Culture at The Wolseley Hospitality Group I’m passionate about building an inclusive and engaged workforce. Having worked in both front and back of house positions in the early years of my career, I have first hand industry experience and I know the opportunities it can provide, and I am passionate about enabling others to experience that too.
I was born and raised in South Africa where I developed a keen interest in the hospitality industry very early on. From the age of 16, I worked in a number of restaurants whilst I studied, taking on a variety of roles, and eventually graduating with a degree in Graphic Design.
In 2001, I moved to the UK and embarked on a career in hotels and restaurants starting as a chef before moving to front of house. Joining Gaucho in 2003 as an Assistant Manager, progressing to Head of Staff Training and Development where I launched The Gaucho Academy. Since then, I’ve had the privilege of working at Prezzo as Training and HR Director, before moving to The Ivy Collection as Director of People in February 2017. I was then promoted to Chief People Officer of the group including Caprice Holdings and Bill’s Restaurants & Bar.
I now lead the people function at The Wolseley Hospitality Group and am excited to be driving inclusive change for our business and the hospitality industry.
Shereen has 25 years of experience in everything hospitality, PR and construction and is a leader with a difference. She can give you a masterclass in how to lead by inspiration, she creates teams with the strength of lions, and her ‘Only Way is Essex’ upbringing taught her to add glitter to everything.
She believes that business success involves balancing operational and commercial considerations with human ones. She has a proven track-record in building, leading and managing high-performing teams that have delivered outstanding revenue performance in exceptionally tough market conditions.
Her approach has helped her to turn around enterprise performance, routinely beat budgets, and create and launch a new digital business in just three weeks. She is known for agility, determination and a relentlessly positive attitude that motivates and inspires those around her. She does not back down from a challenge and her teams have made the impossible a reality.
As the former Managing Director of LEON she led the brand through its most successful, as well as its most challenging time. LEON sold to Euro Garages for 100 million pounds during Covid under her stewardship. Prior to LEON and after a stint in PR and Construction she ‘returned home’ to hospitality and joined Las Iguanas where she grew the business and supported the sale of Las Iguanas to the Casual Dining Group.
Shereen is currently the Chief Executive Officer for the independent bakery brand, buns from home. The brand that was born during the pandemic which has taken the city and social feeds by storm. With queues around the block morning, noon and night, the rapidly growing brand is not only expanding its bakeries but launching into retail and cookbooks.
Having started her journey in hospitality at 15 years old with an evening job cleaning tables at TGI Fridays, little did she know at the time that this part time job would shape her future in the most significant way. She can still teach you the TGI Fridays trick of how to hold 6 glasses in one hand!
Fondly known as The Gaffer, Jill is co-founder of HIT Training Ltd and a driving force behind the company’s award-winning success.
Her passion is the development of individuals to access their potential and provide businesses with the skills they need to excel in their performance, all through apprenticeships and people development.
“There’s no better way of igniting your business than nurturing home grown talent,” says Jill.
“Apprenticeships are the future. It’s the best way to reduce staff turnover, bring diversity to the workplace and enhance the skills your company needs to succeed.
“In turn, apprentices improve profitability.”
Jill co-founded HIT in 2006 with colleagues from a previous company. She was named Institute of Directors’ Director of the Year for the South East and London, and is listed in the Shine Awards 100 Most Influential Women in Hospitality as well as the Association of Catering Excellence’s (ACE) top 50 most influential women in food service.
With 500 staff supporting over 10,000 apprentices and 4,000 employers each year, Jill’s vision for HIT is clear. To be the employer training provider of choice.
“We call ourselves a funny, little family because that’s what we are – we’re all about the people we employ and the people we help,” says Jill. “We’re a dynamic, bouncy company able to tailor apprenticeships to what the employer needs.
“Two of our proudest moments were winning both a Catey award, the equivalent of an Oscar in the hospitality industry, and the Times Education Supplement’s Training Provider of the Year. Better still was coming 17th in the Top Companies to Work for. It’s great to be recognised by clients, peers and by our own people.”
Finding solutions excites Jill. Whether it’s sailing around the world in a yacht – yes, she’s done that too – or cold water swimming in the sea, Jill is up for the challenge.
When not working, Jill can be found making sourdough, skiing, enjoying a nice pint of ale or planning her next round-the-world sailing trip.
Jill is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, the Institute of Hospitality, the Hospitality Professionals Association (HOSPA), the British Institute of Innkeeping and the Royal Society of Arts.
She was awarded an OBE in The Queen’s Birthday Honours list in June 2022 for outstanding services to apprenticeships in hospitality, care and management. The following year [2023], Jill scooped the Franca Knowles Live Your Life award at the British Institute of Innkeeping National Innovation in Training Awards (NITAs).
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A nationally recognised figure in the UK’s restaurant scene, Martin Williams is the founder and CEO of Rare Restaurants. Operating a selection of the country’s most innovative hospitality brands, Rare Restaurants comprises renowned modern Argentinian steak restaurant Gaucho, the ground-breaking M Restaurants and The Crane Tap.
Aged 18, Williams moved to London and instantly fell in love with the capital’s theatrical dining destinations, frequenting Grande Dame London institutions such as Quaglino’s, Mezzo and The Ritz. Despite having initially trained as an actor, in 1996, Williams immersed himself wholly in the world of hospitality and began his career in restaurants.
In 2005, Williams joined Gaucho restaurants, working his way up through the ranks from general manager to operations director to managing director before taking some time out to travel - South Africa, Japan, Australia, the USA and everywhere in between. Inspired by those places and cuisines, he returned to London and embarked on his first solo restaurant, M, opening on The City’s Threadneedle Street in 2014. Since launching, M has won a string of awards including Best Use of Technology and Best Young Chef as well as Best New Restaurant for the latest M at Canary Wharf.
Four years later, Williams re-joined Gaucho as CEO, bringing M into the portfolio, and Rare Restaurants was formed. Since then, he has overseen Gaucho, growing it from six to 17 sites, with three more scheduled to open in the first half of 2023. Throughout his tenure, the brand has scooped a glut of accolades including ‘Best Restaurant Group’ at The Cateys and ‘Best Steak Restaurant’ at the Time Out Awards.
The success of the group was recently recognised (March 2023) at the City AM Awards with Rare Restaurants scooping the prestigious title of Business of the Year. Martin has also received several business gongs including being named in The Sunday Times’ ‘Top 100 UK Entrepreneurs’ where he remains in this respected alumnus.
Originally from France, I moved to England in 2020 to pursue an undergraduate degree in criminology, which culminated in a dissertation on the topic of English Channel migrant crossings by boat, researching media and political discourses surrounding it. Throughout my studies, I developed a passion for understanding social harms and addressing inequalities faced by vulnerable groups, including people experiencing homelessness, ex-prisoners, migrants, and survivors of domestic abuse.
After graduating, I worked full-time in London’s hospitality sector, where I enjoyed connecting with people, fostering relationships, and found fulfilment in helping to organise and run events.
In late 2024, after gaining valuable experience within an NGO, I became eager to merge my passion for social change with my creative skills in writing, and communication. I’m thrilled to now be working as the Events & Marketing Officer at Only A Pavement Away.
Outside of work, I enjoy music, cooking, reading, writing, spending time with friends and family, and exploring new places.
From a young age, Maria has always been involved in the hospitality industry. She completed a BA in Hotel Management and has worked in events, sales, planning and operations in various hotels in Spain and London. After completing an MBA she co-founded a non-profit organization focused on using new technology to help people experiencing homelessness in London, where she oversaw Operations and Marketing.
Maria has always believed in the good of helping others and wanted to dedicate more of her time to help people and find a purpose. Now as Events & Campaign Manager at Only A Pavement Away she combines her knowledge and her devotion to help those in need by organizing events with a meaning. Raising funds to help people struggling to find stable and long-term employment so they can restart their lives with a better future ahead.
She is a very curious person, loves discovering new places and countries, and learning about different cultures. Her other secret skill is cooking while trying as many recipes as she can find.
I have a rich understanding of the hospitality industry - working for a pub for 5 years during my teenage years. While working at the pub I went to The University of East Anglia to study a Media degree where I found my love for social media. I've always been very creative and while in my final year of university I co-hosted a radio show with a friend. I managed our social media platforms, creating fun content to promote the show. This led to my passion for a role in this industry. Straight after graduating I volunteered my skills to an organisation helping battle loneliness in young adults. This role further enhanced my social media love and understanding as well as my interest in helping people which I now have the amazing opportunity to do at Only A Pavement Away.
As well as creating content I love trying new food, listening to music (particularly Taylor Swift) and enjoy travelling. Disney World Florida is my favourite place - I completed their 3 month College Programme in 2023, living in the US while working in The Animal Kingdom! I am also radio show host for my local radio.
Marie has always had a passion for marketing and building strong relationships between brands and their audiences. After finding her first role in hospitality as a Brand Manager for a large restaurant chain, she was hooked! The hospitality sector is such a vibrant, inclusive and resilient community, and Only A Pavement Away does incredible work to help people rebuild their lives and gain stability through employment - helping people in need, supporting the hospitality sector, and adding value back into society and local communities.
As the Head of Marketing & Partnerships, Marie will utilise her marketing know-how and passion for the sector to really help drive the incredible impact the charity can make.
Marie loves to explore new places, whether it’s a new summit, hiking route, ski slope, restaurant or wine bar.
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.
From a young age, Maria has always been involved in the hospitality industry. She completed a BA in Hotel Management and has worked in events, sales, planning and operations in various hotels in Spain and London. After completing an MBA she co-founded a non-profit organization focused on using new technology to help people experiencing homelessness in London, where she oversaw Operations and Marketing.
Maria has always believed in the good of helping others and wanted to dedicate more of her time to help people and find a purpose. Now as Events & Campaign Manager at Only A Pavement Away she combines her knowledge and her devotion to help those in need by organizing events with a meaning. Raising funds to help people struggling to find stable and long-term employment so they can restart their lives with a better future ahead.
She is a very curious person, loves discovering new places and countries, and learning about different cultures. Her other secret skill is cooking while trying as many recipes as she can find.
Marie has always had a passion for marketing and building strong relationships between brands and their audiences. After finding her first role in hospitality as a Brand Manager for a large restaurant chain, she was hooked! The hospitality sector is such a vibrant, inclusive and resilient community, and Only A Pavement Away does incredible work to help people rebuild their lives and gain stability through employment - helping people in need, supporting the hospitality sector, and adding value back into society and local communities.
As the Head of Marketing & Partnerships, Marie will utilise her marketing know-how and passion for the sector to really help drive the incredible impact the charity can make.
Marie loves to explore new places, whether it’s a new summit, hiking route, ski slope, restaurant or wine bar.
After completing a Master’s degree in International Project Management and gaining diverse experiences around the world, Dolores chose to settle in the UK. She quickly fell in love with London’s vibrant hospitality scene and spent several years working in operations across a range of venues.
Eager to make a broader impact, Dolores brought her wealth of industry experience to Only A Pavement Away in 2020. Since then, she has been helping grow the charity, supporting people facing homelessness find meaningful employment within hospitality. Passionate about the charity’s mission, she remains deeply committed to expanding its reach and supporting both the team and its beneficiaries. Now Head of Operations, Dolores leads the operational team and oversees the development of programs and activities that empower more individuals to rebuild their lives through careers in hospitality.
Always up for a challenge, Dolores has taken on adventures like Tough Mudder and participated in Hospitality Rides across Jordan, Sri Lanka, and Kenya to raise funds and awareness for Only A Pavement Away. When she’s not seeking out her next adrenaline rush, you’ll likely find her enjoying the best of London’s hospitality scene.
