Trustees

Trustees

Charity trustees are the people who share ultimate responsibility for governing a charity and directing how it is managed and run.

The National Coastwatch Board of Trustees comprises eight Trustees elected by NCI Member Stations, and one co-opted Trustee (the National Treasurer), all of whom are working watchkeepers. The Board members each serve a term of three years before needing to stand down. They may opt to stand for re-election up to a maximum of three terms.

The current members of the Board of Trustees are:

Lesley Suddes

Chairman

After a full career in the Royal Navy spending time at sea and ashore as a Meteorologist and Oceanographer, Lesley retired in 2010 and now works part time as a Forecaster and Broadcaster for BBC Radio Cornwall. Lesley joined the NCI as a watchkeeper at NCI Nare Point, near Falmouth, became an NCI Trustee and General Secretary in 2013 and was then elected National Chairman in 2016. In her rare spare moments, Lesley enjoys walking, cycling and sailing in Cornwall.

Ian Whalley

Deputy Chair and National Fundraising Lead

Ian is a former Merchant Navy radio officer, joining NCI in 2009. Following his career at sea, he trained in marine purchase and supply, specialising in food. He has lived and worked in Hong Kong and Germany, travelling extensively and supplying all manner of commercial and naval vessels and military units in many countries. On retirement he did project work with HM Prison Service and City Hall, London amongst others. He now works part time on outdoor development for graduate trainees and undertakes occasional international project assignments. He has served on the board of several companies including a charity working for disadvantaged families. His hobbies include photography, painting and designing and building sets for live theatre. His NCI duties include DSM at NCI Skegness, National Fundraising and lead on East Coast new stations.

Steve Ashby

National Treasurer

Steve graduated in 1980 with a degree in Computer Science and Marine Biology. He worked for 17 years in Defence IT, much of this time spent in Germany working on the electronics for the Typhoon fighter. Steve then moved into Management Consultancy, specialising in Project Management, Corporate and Social Psychology, Leadership and Team Building where he worked throughout Europe as a professional trainer. After taking voluntary redundancy in 2015, he became the manager of a golf club. Steve has since retrained as an accountant and currently runs a small accountancy practice. Steve joined NCI as a watchkeeper in 2011 and currently serves on the Board of Trustees as National Treasurer. He also volunteers with the National Trust, is a keen golfer and qualified referee. He is also fluent in German.

Mike Byrne

Secretary and Board Secretary

Mike spent his working life in banking and in 1996 helped establish a joint system with UK banks for processing cheques. After taking early retirement in 2011 he did what many Liverpool lads do and took to the sea. He has a small day-fishing boat in Conwy and is an experienced tall ship watch leader and trainer. He has done four trans-Atlantic voyages as well as many closer to home. He joined NCI in 2015 and is a Senior Watch-keeper at Rossall Point. Elected to the Board of Trustees in 2016 he is currently the NCI Secretary and also a DFS Assessor.

David Crozier

Lead - Operations, Training and External Liaison

Following a lifelong career in broadcast TV, David joined the NCI in 2010. He is currently a Trustee: Operations and Training, DFS Assessor, Station Manager and member of the NCI/Coastguard Liaison Team as well as being a Watchkeeper. His passion is his belief in a truly national NCI.

Tim Colquhoun

Head of Corporate Communications & PR

Following a career in the regular army, Tim was in business in London & Dorset (which included PR), was a director of three brewery companies (now retired), a professional yacht skipper for private charter (mainly in the Mediterranean, Atlantic and West Indies) and for a number of years ran a yacht delivery business. He is a classical organist [PhD (Mus)] now retired from teaching. Tim is a watchkeeper at St.Albans Head and the NCI Trustee responsible for Corporate Communications & National Public Relations since 2016. He has a Yachtmaster [Ocean] ticket with international marine radiotelephony operator’s certificate (MP&T).

Clive Pouncey

Head of HR

Clive was born in London and after serving 30 years with the Metropolitan Police moved to Lincolnshire and was appointed head of police driver training for Lincolnshire Police. Following retirement, he joined NCI Skegness in 2014 and has served as Treasurer, Station Manager and Training Officer. He is currently Deputy Station Manager. Clive was elected to the Board of Trustees in April 2019 and is the current Lead for Personnel and has joint responsibility for the development of new stations in the north east. He is married with two daughters and two grandsons. In what spare time he has outside the NCI he enjoys sailing holidays, reading and assisting in the maintenance of his home and garden

Jonathan Rothwell

Head of Internal Comms and Social Media

Jonathan worked for Merseyside Police and the Civil Service in Liverpool (with a brief spell at QVC as Distribution Team Leader and Staff Trainer). He studied Business Management at John Moore University and Psychology & Social History with the Open University. After re-locating to Cornwall, he joined NCI Cape Cornwall in 2010, where he served as Training Manager, Fundraising Officer and PR Officer before becoming Station Manager in 2012. In 2017 Jonathan joined the NCI Board of Trustees where his role is Head of Internal Communications & Social Media, Website News Manager and National Data Controller. His ambition is for the NCI to become an organisation that is as well-known and respected as our SAR colleagues. Jonathan is married with two children, four grandchildren, two dogs and three cats. His interests outside NCI are helping to run the family online business, military history and listening to music.

Stephen Hand

IT and National Office

Stephen began a career in IT management in 1975 in the transport industry, followed by spells in investment banking, insurance and legal services. From 2000 to 2011 he led a global IT function as Group IT Director at the Lloyd’s Register Group. Following retirement, Stephen worked as a consultant helping clients in the UK, Europe and Asia with IT strategy, governance and commercial management. He also qualified as a commercial arbitrator and is still involved in contractual dispute resolution. He was a member of the Board of Governors at Middlesex University for six years and is a local councillor, spending five years as council chair. Stephen joined NCI in 2016 at Shoreham station as a watchkeeper and was elected Station Manager in 2018. He was elected as a Trustee in 2020. He has crewed other people’s yachts in the Solent and the South China sea, and now in his spare time plays golf and bowls as often as possible and, because someone has to, supports Queens Park Rangers. Stephen is a Fellow of the British Computer Society, a Chartered IT Professional and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

About

Currently 56 NCI stations are operational and manned by over 2600 volunteers keeping watch around the British Isles from Fleetwood in the North West, through Wales, to the South and East of England to Hornsea in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

NCI watchkeepers provide the eyes and ears along the coast, monitoring radio channels and providing a listening watch in poor visibility. They are trained to deal with emergencies offering a variety of skills and experience, and full training by the NCI ensures that high standards are met.

The words National Coastwatch Institution and Eyes Along the Coast and the NCI logos are Registered Trademarks of NCI.

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