MEET THE PEOPLE BEHIND FEEDING FAMILIES

A small, passionate team and dedicated trustees working together to support families across the North East with dignity, care, and hope.

OUR STAFF TEAM

Wayne Dobson – Chief Executive Officer

Wayne leads Feeding Families with a focus on real people and real impact across the North East. He works to make sure support reaches people when it’s needed most, helping communities move through crisis and rebuild. Outside work, he spends his time adventuring with his family.

Hazel Ditchburn – Head of Partnerships & Sustainability

Hazel leads income generation at Feeding Families, shaping the partnerships and strategy that power our work across the North East. She works closely with funders, businesses, and supporters to build meaningful, long-term relationships that make a real difference. Passionate about people and purpose, Hazel is driven by a belief that no one should face crisis alone.

Libby Malcolm – Service Development Manager

Libby is dedicated to shaping services that are compassionate, dignified, and responsive to real need. She works closely with partners to strengthen support for families across the region. Libby believes in a future without food poverty—and until then, is committed to walking alongside those who need us.

Chris Parker – Operations, Site & Logistics Manager

Chris leads operations at Feeding Families, ensuring everything runs smoothly behind the scenes. He oversees the warehouse, logistics, and fleet, working closely with staff, volunteers, and partners to keep services safe, efficient, and well organised. Chris plays a vital role in making sure support reaches families quickly and reliably when it’s needed most.

Rachel Lister – Public Fundraising Manager

Rachel leads our public fundraising and communications, turning community support into real impact for families in crisis. From campaigns and events to digital storytelling, she connects people to our mission in meaningful ways. A natural people person, Rachel loves a good chat and brings energy, creativity, and warmth to everything she does.

Emma Swarbrick - Funding Officer

Emma works to secure the funding that keeps Feeding Families running day to day. Through thoughtful applications and strong relationships with funders, she helps ensure the charity can continue reaching families in crisis. Emma is driven by the knowledge that every successful bid makes a real difference.

Ruth Bufton - Volunteer & Partner Coordinator

Ruth supports the incredible network of volunteers and partners who make Feeding Families possible. She ensures everyone feels welcomed, valued, and equipped to help. Passionate about people, Ruth loves seeing individuals and organisations come together to make a meaningful difference in their communities

Craig Carr - Warehouse Operative

Craig plays a hands-on role in the warehouse, preparing and organising food parcels while operating the forklift and managing stock. He helps keep everything running smoothly, supporting the team to respond quickly and efficiently. Reliable and dedicated, Craig plays a key role in ensuring families receive the essential support they need.

Nicole Moreland - Warehouse Operative

Nicole plays a vital role in the operations team, supporting logistics, stock management, and vehicle upkeep to keep everything running smoothly. She helps coordinate warehouse activity and regional deliveries, ensuring support reaches families efficiently. Dedicated and reliable, Nicole is an important part of delivering timely, practical help across the region.

OUR TRUSTEE BOARD

Emma Jarvis – Chair of Trustees

Emma is a senior leader in the housing sector, bringing extensive experience in governance, strategy, and customer-focused services. As Chair, she leads the Board with clarity and care, working closely with the leadership team to ensure strong stewardship and long-term sustainability. Emma is passionate about supporting communities and ensuring families are met with dignity and compassion.

Tony Gillham - Treasurer

Tony is an Audit Partner and Responsible Individual at CT LLP, bringing extensive expertise in financial oversight, governance, and compliance. As Treasurer, he helps ensure Feeding Families remains financially robust, sustainable, and accountable. His experience and careful stewardship help make sure every pound is used effectively to support families in need.

Anthony Byrne - Trustee

Tony has been a Trustee for a number of years and brings valuable insight and experience to the Board, following a long career in the NHS as a senior manager and Associate Lecturer with the Open University. He is committed to supporting the strategic direction of Feeding Families and ensuring the charity continues to grow its impact while staying true to its mission of supporting families with dignity and care.

Gemma Darville - Trustee

Gemma is Director of Safety, Risk and Assurance at Gentoo, bringing specialist expertise in health and safety, compliance, and risk management. She plays a key role in ensuring Feeding Families remains safe, robust, and forward-thinking, helping identify and manage risk as the charity grows. Gemma combines professional rigour with genuine care for the communities we serve.

Carol Meredith - Trustee

Carol brings a fundraising background and has been involved with the charity in different ways over the years. She believes helping when you’re in a position to do so is so important, and is passionate about connecting people to the cause so the charity continues to reach families in crisis.

Tim Rutter - Trustee

Tim is a senior leader at Northumbrian Water, bringing extensive experience in strategy, operations, and organisational leadership. He offers thoughtful oversight and a strong strategic perspective to the Board, supporting Feeding Families’ long-term development. Tim is committed to ensuring the charity continues to deliver meaningful, practical help to families across the region.