Trustees and staff
Bfriends is made up of a board of twelve independent trustees that have worked with the Trust’s Corporate Parenting team for several years on a range of projects, programmes and initiatives.
The co-chairs of the charity are the Trust’s finance director Lee Yale-Helms and Abba Loughran, a care-experienced adult and ambassador for young people and adults across Birmingham. Abba is also a former Trust employee.
Meet our trustee board
Abba Loughran (co-chair)
Ambassador for children in care and care leavers
Abba is the co-chair of the Bfriends charity and an ambassador for children in care and care leavers across Birmingham.
Abba’s professional journey started at age 17 when she started volunteering with Birmingham Children’s Trust as part of their Children in Care Council (CiCC). As a care-experienced young person, Abba felt very passionate about give something back to her peers. This voluntary work meant Abba was able to be there at the launch of the Children’s Trust (in 2018) and be an important part of shaping the ‘Local Offer’ for children in care and care leavers, from a young person’s perspective.
Abba has also been a key part of important milestones such as being on the panel for interviews for the Children’s Trust executive team, one Abba is very proud to now be working alongside at Bfriends.
Abba’s passion for volunteering has included supporting the work of the Rees Foundation and more recently Women in Theatre.
Abba has also served as a Health Mentor for young people with Evolve, part of this tenure during the global pandemic, where Abba mentored several young people and adults virtually.
Abba says: “Having someone there is so important for us all.”
Lee Yale-Helms (co-chair)
Director of Finance & Resources, Birmingham Childrens Trust
Lee Yale Helms is the Director of Finance & Resources at Birmingham Childrens Trust and has worked for children’s trusts for the last the last seven years in a director role.
Before that Lee worked across children’s services including special educational needs and children with disabilities.
He is a qualified accountant, a national council member, and fellow of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy (CIPFA). He is the current President of CIPFA Midlands.
Joshua Cronin
Managing Director, Evolve
Joshua Cronin is the Managing Director of Evolve: A Social Impact Company, a social enterprise that is focused on improving children and young people’s physical, emotional, and cognitive wellbeing.
Leigh Garbutt
National Social Values Manager, Fortem
A determined and balanced leader with over 30 years progressive and diversified experience in high profile businesses.
Strong operational as well as strategic capabilities, and a proven track record in people management across multi-site teams.
Passionate about making a difference and creating the best environment for colleagues and customers to thrive.
Daniel Hickman
Director, Jacobs
Daniel Hickman is a Director for Jacobs in Birmingham working in the professional services sector.
As a passionate inclusive business leader Dan sits on the West Midlands Business in the Community leadership board, is an Enterprise Advisor through the Careers and Enterprise Company and sits on Industry Advisory board for Aston University Engineering Academy.
Colin Horwath
Non-Executive Director, Birmingham Children’s Trust
Colin Horwath is a Non-Executive Director of Birmingham Children’s Trust and chairs the finance and resources committee. He is a qualified accountant, who has spent his career working with the public sector.
He was a partner with KPMG, based in Birmingham, for 20 years, leading audit and advisory assignments. His internal responsibilities included heading the national public sector practice.
Since leaving KPMG he continued his involvement with the public sector, serving as Deputy Chair of Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust until May 2018. He is currently a Non-Executive Director of Worcestershire Hospitals NHS Trust.
Hamish Munro
Legal Marketing Consultant
Hamish Munro is a leading marketing consultant for chambers, law firms and in-house legal departments. He is a passionate advocate for those in care – and leaving care – and those seeking to be fostered or adopted.
Claire Preston
Head of Responsible Business, GMI Construction Group PLC
Claire Preston is Head of Responsible Business at GMI Construction Group PLC based in the North of England with offices in Leeds, Stockton-on-Tees, Manchester and Birmingham .
As a passionate social value professional having worked in the Construction Industry for 25 years, Claire is clearly passionate having worked with the Care Leaver Covenant since it’s inception in 2018 and is proud to have established the Helping Hands Programme which has helped over 120 care leavers.
Through her work with care leavers, Claire was awarded the Construction Sector Based Champion for Care Leavers by Government in 2020.
Sam Richards
Executive Director, D1C1 & Create One UK
Sam Richards is the Executive Director of D1C1 & Create One UK who aim to develop self-sustainable community Hubs that are reflective of the communities that they serve.
She is an advocate for positive change in communities and works alongside her husband to form strong partnerships with local authorities, schools, and community providers to provide the best wrap-around provision for children & families across the city.
Sam is also a professional actress with a passion for theatre and children’s TV, her credits include Cbeebies, ITV, Channel 4, Royal Exchange & The Old Rep.
Guy Rippon
Head of Foundation, Aston Villa
Having joined the organisation in October 2016. Guy has overseen a significant growth in the size and reach of the Foundation over the last few years and sits on the club’s Executive Management Board.
Previously Guy had been a director at Coventry City’s community charity for five years and held regional management roles for both the Football League Trust and the Football Foundation dating back to 2008.
Prior to his involvement in the football industry, Guy worked in local government overseeing sport for good projects for young people in inner-city areas for several years, before moving into senior management sport and leisure local authority roles.
Alongside leading the Aston Villa Foundation, Guy is the executive lead for Aston Villa for environmental sustainability and is studying a part-time master’s degree in Business Administration at Aston Business School.
Meet our staff
Natalie Loon
Operations and Fundraising Manager, Bfriends Charity
Natalie Loon is the Operations and Fundraising Manager at Bfriends Charity and is the first staff member seconded by Birmingham Childrens Trust to work on setting up the foundations of Bfriends.
Nat has been with the Trust since its inception in 2018 and has worked championing various Corporate Parenting initiatives, programmes and events for young people and adults with the Trust, its Partnership network and community leaders during her time in post.
Nat’s background is social inclusion, partnership working and large scale consultation and events for vulnerable young people and adults.