Meet the Trustees

I’m Chris Englefield. I have a lovely wife and grown up children.

I am a scientist by training and I specialised in radiation protection, which is about risk management. I retired from public service and from running my own consultancy and publishing companies. My work involved me in working with and sometimes in, many large and complex organisations including the UK and other governments, the United Nations and groups like Police and Customs in many different countries. For many years I was also very active in my professional society which is a large charity. I also set up an associated charity to support professionals in need. Finally, I was a visiting teacher at Kings College in London and our own University of Cumbria before I finally retired.

In my career I therefore learned a lot about collaborative working, management, risk management and charities, and I am pleased to bring these contributions of knowledge and experience to Lancaster Men’s Hub as a trustee and as Membership Manager. In addition, nowadays, much of my leisure time is spent playing with boats and things nautical.

Hi, I’m David Mace, author and translator, now retired, and current Chair of Lancaster Men’s Hub.
For almost nine years, pre-Covid, I was a member of Lancaster Footlights, where I helped run the Grand Theatre, worked backstage on Footlights’ own plays and pantomimes and was assistant producer on six studio productions. I served on the Board of Management and, for a short period, as trustee. Since then, I’ve done voluntary work at the Barton Road Centre and have spent the past twelve months as a volunteer at the Eggcup food co-operative.
LMH now takes up all my time. We men seem particularly vulnerable to a loss of confidence when faced with issues such as bereavement, financial trouble, ill-health or any form of mental or physical impairment. We lose our self-esteem and risk a spiral into isolation and worsening health. LMH aims to assist men in re-connecting with their fellows and regaining a belief in their own worth.
I hope that women will also become involved in running and developing LMH. While men often find it difficult to reach out and help one another, women seem better at handling such concerns. We need their help.

In production

My name is Keith. I have been an English teacher for over 30 years working mostly with 11-18 year olds in Cumbria and Lancashire but also with adults on ESO Land TEFL courses.  

I currently volunteer with City of Sanctuary which is a charity supporting local asylum seekers and refugees and I coordinate BoB: Band of Brothers which is a project for male asylum seekers. Aside from work I love riding bicycles, playing ukuleles, reading books and solving puzzles. I also enjoy watching rugby union and football.

I am LMH’s newest Trustee and at present I am supporting walking football and elevenses and trying to develop our presence on Facebook.

As one of the newer members of LMH Mark comes to us from having spent ‘Thirty Nine Years in the Wonderful World of Education’. After starting teaching in primary schools followed by educational management, Mark returned to the classroom to teach Art, Craft and Design Technology in the secondary sector. The latter part of his time in education was spent helping pupils, and parents, with welfare and attendance issues. Mark is interested in train travel and all things to do with railways - he writes articles and makes regular contributions to the ‘Railway Magazine’. As founder member, and President of the Gregson Cricket Club, Mark can still be found on a cricket field – not playing but as umpire keeping the game flowing along. There are those who have likened Mark to Tom Baker from TV’s Dr Who. There are others who say, “There’s something enjoyably theatrical about Mark.” Talk to him and you will see what they mean!

Hi! I’m Nigel.

After 36 years working in education (from secondary school mathematics teacher to university dean), I retired in 2014. I’ve lived in Lancaster most of the time since 1991 and my three children and two stepchildren did most of their growing up here and went to local schools.

I have been involved in voluntary work for almost all my life, first in churches and latterly in education. When I retired, I served as a trustee and Chair of the Board for a Multi-Academy Trust in Cumbria, as well as serving as governor of a primary school. Previously I had served as governor to a secondary school and a family of primary schools in Lincoln.

I got involved with the Lancaster Men’s Hub from the beginning as I was looking for a way to make friends and develop hobbies for myself and for one of my sons - you may have met us at our market stall in Lancaster or at a craft fair. The founding trustees have done a grand job getting LMH off the ground and established, and I am pleased to be able to do my bit now to help it in the next stage of its development.

I am grateful to LMH for what it has already given me. My life has been coloured by periods of depression and anxiety and it is great to be part of an organisation for men where it is okay to have struggles with one’s mental health and it’s okay to talk about it. Being a trustee doesn’t change me. I am pleased to accept the additional responsibility and use what skills I have to help LMH prosper, but I still value my LMH friends and will still join in with activities.

My name is Simon Stewart and I am chaplain at The Cornerstone in Lancaster. I have been working here for almost 5 years and feel very blessed to be in this position.
Formerly, I have worked as a prison chaplain at Lancaster Farms and school chaplain at St. Mary’s Catholic College in Blackpool. Ihave also
worked in adult education, justice and peace work and homelessness. I am very happily married to Helen and have 3 grown-up sons. A lot of my work is concerned with pastoral care, particularly supporting people after bereavement. I am passionate about helping people find a purpose and meaning in life. I have been involved in ‘men’s work’ for about 20 years and I feel as though we, as men, have lost our way a bit and our role has become quite confused. I think men’s work is about helping guys find companionship and a sense of usefulness. It is also about creating an environment where men can talk on a deeper level. I’m really hoping that Lancaster Men’s Hub will provide plenty of varied opportunities for men to get involved with positive activities that will help them with their mental health and self-esteem.