Meet The Team
Chris Hallam
CEO
Having grown up in Chapeltown and High Green, with family still living here, working at HGDT feels like home for Chris.
Chris says "I am really excited about the future for the site and love that every day is different here. Meeting so many local people with a passion for the area is very rewarding.
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Fun fact : In his spare time Chris coaches basketball which has taken him to over 30 European countries.
Lauren Sanderson
Community Engagement Manager
Lauren has worked and volunteered in the charity sector for almost a decade. Beginning her work at HGDT in September 2021 she is passionate about creating an inclusive and supportive environment to allow the local community to reach its full potential.
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Fun fact : Lauren has seen Manchester band The Courteeners over 20 times, and has lost count of the total amount of gigs and concerts she has been to in her lifetime.
Gail Sutton
Campus Manager
Gail joined the HGDT team in October 2021 tasked with transforming The Campus into a welcoming yet professional environment for the public and its occupants alike. She is enjoying seeing HGDT expand community presence and initiatives.
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Fun fact : For the first year of her life Gail lived in a caravan in the field behind The Crossfield Tavern with her mum and dad.
David Plotts
Trustee & Volunteer
David started as a trustee at HGDT in June 2021 and is excited to be leading the Community Garden and Allotment development project for the Trust.
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David readily admits that he has very few, if any, growing and gardening skills so is looking forward to lots of local engagement from the community to help develop the site into something the whole community can be proud of.
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Fun fact: David was born, raised, and educated in Perth, Australia before moving, at the age of 22, to the UK and Barnsley in 1989.
Michael Kimpton
Facilities Cleaning Services
Michael has worked at The Campus since January 2019 as a member of the facilities cleaning team.
He enjoys nature and wildlife and often walks through Westwood County Park in the summer months before starting work.
Karen Hague MBE
Trustee
Over 25 years later Karen is still involved with the building which was the Comprehensive School. She remembers walking into the abandoned classrooms all those years ago!
Having retired from her role with the Paces Sheffield charity Karen was delighted to be involved with HGDT again as she was the original seconded worker that helped bring it into existence!
So much has been achieved in that time and Karen tell us that she is proud to continue to play a small part!
Fun fact: When Karen met the Queen in 2004 to receive an MBE, the military Brass Band was playing songs from Hans Christian Anderson and she had to keep a straight face, and not take offence, when 'There once was an Ugly Duckling’ was played as she curtsied to the Queen!
Richard Brailsford
Chair of Trustees
A Human Resources professional with over 30 years experience in both the public and private sectors working across Europe and in North America, Richard grew up and went to school locally, he now lives just 5 minutes from the Campus and has been involved with the Trust since 2020.
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Fun Fact : Richard's Aunt was once nominated for the MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss along with Tom Hanks having appeared in the Hollywood film "A League of Their Own"
Isobel Wells
Trustee
A highly committed individual with multiple years’ experience within a project management background. A local resident with expertise in project management, development and implementation of initiatives and problem solving.
Colleagues would describe Isobel as an individual who is resourceful, proactive and proud in the work she does.
Helen Sheperd
Volunteer Coordinator
Helen recently joined the HGDT team in January 2023 to support, supervise, recruit and retain volunteers whilst highlighting the role volunteers play within the trust. She is continuing to work within the community sector after working at SWFC for 13 years. She is looking forward to a new challenge after becoming a new mum to her little boy Bobby.
Fun fact: Helen was born at the bottom of the stairs after her mum didn’t know she was pregnant with her, she weighed 3lb 11oz and wasn’t premature.
Gill Ellis
Trustee
Gill Ellis, one of our trustees, is now retired from her role of Director of Children’s services, prior to this Gill taught for 25 years, with a number of years as a secondary headteacher.
Gary Abbey
Trustee
have been an occupant of the building since 2010 firstly as part of Abbeycare and recently as the CEO of Blossom View which provides respite care and support. I am in my second stint as trustee having re-joined in 2022. The trust has made remarkable progress over recent years and I am excited to be part of a group that aims to improve the lives of both the local and wider community I am really excited future holds for the building its occupants and more importantly the community.
Fun fact: In my spare time I enjoy running. In 2022 I managed to achieve a lifelong ambition of running the London Marathon.
Kevin Clifford OBE
Trustee
Retiring from the role of Chief Nurse at Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group in September 2016, Kevin was Registered Nurse from 1983 and had held a range of Nursing and General Management posts in the NHS in Sheffield spanning over 33 years. Kevin’s contribution to Nursing was recognised in the 2018 New Years Honours when he was awarded an OBE for his services.
Since retiring Kevin has developed a portfolio of Non-executive / Trustee roles, including currently being a Non Executive Director at Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Non Executive Chair at Care Opinion CIC. Previous roles include, Chair at Longley 6th Form College and a Trustee of Brigantia Learning Trust until 2020 as well as being Chair of Cavendish Cancer Care until 2019.
Kevin was keen to offer his experience closer to home and as a resident of Chapeltown and Burncross for the last 40 years the High Green Development is a great opportunity to do that.
Fun Fact: By 15 Kevin was a qualified lifeguard working at Langold Lake, near Worksop, which allowed open water swimming at the time. As a lifeguard it was expected you would swim on Christmas Day and on the one Christmas Day he was there they had to break the ice!