Richard Stakes - Chair
Richard recently retired after a long career in mathematics education, though he continues to enjoy supporting both students and teachers, primarily online. He first became involved with Chance as a volunteer before joining the Board of Trustees in 2020, and he takes great pride in the charity’s achievements and impact.
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Sport has always been a passion for Richard, and although he admits his skills have not always matched his enthusiasm, he now enjoys playing walking rugby with a sociable group that ensures the game remains both active and fun.
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Richard is honoured to take on the role of Chair at Chance following the retirement of Sandra Link, who has provided outstanding leadership for the past eight years. He recognises the inspiring example she has set and, while her shoes will be hard to fill, he hopes to continue building on the excellent work achieved under her guidance.
Lou Vasey - Trustee
In January 2018 Lou went to the Saturday Kitchen, at that time operating out of St Stephens Church, to donate some food for the ‘take away’ bags. She was asked to stay that night and help with the washing up, and hasn’t left since, being appointed to the board of Trustees in August 2020.
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Lou has worked for more than thirty years in the advertising industry, being responsible for the production of broadcast commercials in places as diverse as Mount Rushmore, Hong Kong Harbour, and the Victorian sewers under Bolton.
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She has worked continually in the Saturday Kitchen forming trusting relationships with those that attend, firmly believing that vulnerable and/or homeless is what they are, not who they are and that it is important not just to look at people, but also look out for them.
Darren Evans - Trustee
Originally from Pontypridd in south Wales Darren left school at 16. He began working for his Local Authority straight away and continued to do so in highways, community development, policy and social care, eventually finishing his LA career as the Director of Social Care in Staffordshire.
Darren comes from an extremely modest background and strongly believes that education and improving your skillset is a very positive way to improve one's circumstances.
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Darren is a volunteer vaccinator for St John's Ambulance and until recently was working at Sandbach foodbank.
His interests are running, swimming, golf, and football.
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Juliette Boland - Trustee
Juliette became a trustee with Chance Changing Lives in November 2024, her current professional role is with West Cheshire Credit Union as a Community Outreach Officer. Juliette brings valuable experience to the charity in financial education and community engagement. Juliette’s expertise in helping individuals manage personal finances, access affordable credit solutions, and develop sustainable budgeting strategies enhances the ability of Chance to provide practical, actionable advice.
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Juliette is passionate about fostering financial literacy and is committed to making a positive impact on the lives of those facing debt-related challenges.
Prior to commencing the Trustee role, Juliette was a valued member of the Chance volunteer team and spent a great deal of her time supporting service users in the Saturday Kitchen.
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Tim Hiscock - Trustee
Tim works part-time as a business advisor and trainer, supporting companies as they develop and grow their export activities. Alongside this, he contributes articles to magazines and business websites, sharing his experience and insights.
Tim joined Chance Changing Lives as a trustee in September 2025 and is enthusiastic about being part of the charity’s work and community.
Outside of his professional life, Tim enjoys music, photography, and country walking. A keen folk music enthusiast, he regularly attends festivals and loves discovering new artists. Looking ahead to his planned retirement in 2026, Tim is excited to spend more time with Chance, on his hobbies, and with his family.
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David Barker - General Manager
David joined Chance as General Manager in June 2025. Bringing a wealth of experience from both the media and charity sectors, he has held operational and strategic roles at organisations including Netflix and Citizens Advice.
In addition, David serves as Charity Manager at UMHAN, a national organisation dedicated to supporting student mental health across universities.
Outside of work, David enjoys walking with his dog and is an avid sports enthusiast. When not being disappointed by Manchester United, he can often be found playing golf or squash.
David is passionate about helping Chance reach its full potential and is committed to making a meaningful impact in the communities it serves.
Carol Walker - Saturday Service Manager
In November 2023 we were pleased to welcome Carol Walker to the position of Saturday Service Manager.
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Carol began her career as a children's social worker and later worked in the community, supporting troubled teenagers, young adults, and their families.
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During her working life Carol has also ventured into logistics, sales planning, and even spent time as a pub landlord. One of her big passions is bringing groups of people together, especially over home cooked food.
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Originally from Cheshire, Carol moved to the South where she started and raised her family, returning to Crewe in 2021.
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Simon Tomkinson - Van Driver and Logistics Coordinator
Simon joined the Chance Changing Lives team in 2024 following a long career with BT.
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Starting out as a sixteen-year-old apprentice with the then GPO, during his time at BT he worked installing and maintaining Telephone Exchanges, as an Engineering Instructor teaching at BT Central Training School in Yarnfield, and as a Project Manager working all over the UK and also abroad in Dubai and Ghana.
He has always enjoyed traveling, combining his love of motorcycling with trips aboard. Having now hung up the helmet and boots he is still an avid spectator of motorcycle racing, albeit from the comfort of the armchair!
As the CCL Driver, Simon enjoys being able to support the day-to-day operations of the Community pantry and Saturday Kitchen, ensuring food donations and supplies are collected and delivered as required.
A local boy, Simon grew up in Shavington, near Crewe and has lived in the area most of his life.
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Jenny McKeown - Financial Administrator
After a busy few years as a full time Mum of three, part time Administrator and Volunteer for her location preschool, Jenny joined Chance Changing Lives as Administrative Officer in July 2022.
Coming from a background in Recruitment, HR and business administration, Jenny brings with her a wealth of experience in payroll, recruitment, meeting planning and reporting, the use of spreadsheets and databases. Jenny's organisational skills are faultless, and she has assisted in making our systems more logical and robust.
She is passionate about the work that Chance does and applied for the role as she wanted to be part of something that made a difference to others.
We feel very lucky to have Jenny, her professionalism and disposition enable the charity to do exactly that.
Outside of work she loves keeping busy with her three children and their love of playing different sports.
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Fiona Williams - Administrator
Fiona joined the Chance Changing Lives team as an Administrator in June 2025. She holds a degree in Sociology and brings a wealth of experience from her work with two national charities — The Raynaud’s & Scleroderma Association, where she
was Communications & Press Officer, and CLIMB (Children Living with Inherited Metabolic Diseases), where she served as Executive Assistant.
Known for her excellent interpersonal skills and genuine passion for supporting others, Fiona is dedicated to making a meaningful difference through her work. Having lived in Cheshire East for most of her life, she values the chance to give back to her local community as part of the Chance Changing Lives team.
Outside of work, Fiona enjoys spending time with her family, staying active with regular fitness routines, going for walks, and reading.
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