The charity making life better by water
Making life better by water
The main purpose of our regional advisory board is to connect people and communities with the local canals and rivers here in the Yorkshire and North East region.
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Find out about opportunities to join the Yorkshire and North East advisory board.
Alison grew up in the North of England, and relocated to Yorkshire in 2005 after six years working in San Francisco, where she discovered her love of the outdoors and physical and mental health benefits it brings. A major reason for choosing Yorkshire was the green space and waterways prevalent both within its cities and in the beautiful surrounding countryside.
Over a 30 year career, she has worked in corporate communications and, more recently, stakeholder engagement and sustainability consultancy, for large regional organisations including the NHS, Yorkshire Water, Northern Powergrid and Yorkshire Bank. Alison is Chair of a Leeds based charity, Behind Closed Doors, which provides support to people experiencing domestic abuse and is also an Advisory Board member for Leeds University Business School.
Having trained as a public sector accountant and worked for two innovative local authorities, Adrian took the opportunity to join Groundwork - the national environmental and social regeneration charity - in 1996. Adrian has worked with many hundreds of committed and passionate colleagues, organisations and partners in the public and private sector. Groundwork has always worked in areas of greatest deprivation in the country.
He has lived and worked in West Yorkshire for most of his life and lives within walking distance of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal. He has witnessed how part of his local route has been transformed over the past few years for waterway users and local communities and is keen to contribute to the future of the region and the nations waterways.
Nick started working life as an Apprentice Engineer at David Brown Gear Industries in Huddersfield in the 1970's. He moved into Sales and ended up as a Managing Director of a German subsidiary, Flender. Nick's last role was as Managing Director of chemical company Christeyns based in Bradford. A very strong advocate of “Process thinking” and what might be described as an “Empowered Culture”. Nick is currently retired and loves to spend his spare time walking in the Dales and Lakes, as well as being a volunteer lock keeper at Bank Newton.
Jon is currently a volunteer lock keeper on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal. Jon's experience covers a wide range on charity roles, which have resulted in the the development of a new Day Care Centre at Wheatfields Hospice and opening of new NSPCC Child Care Centres in Barnsley & Doncaster as well as the purchase of Flying Scotsman Locomotive at the National Railway Museum. Jon has also organised the RailFest 2004 to celebrate 200 years of rail locomotion and has been involved in the safe passage of boats through Newlay and Forge locks.
Gillian works as a Business Development Manager for Kier Infrastructure who are a major contracting partner to the Canal and River Trust maintaining their canals, locks, and towpaths. Gillian's career within Civil Engineering and experience in the infrastructure sector brings an excellent network of contacts within local authorities, contractors and consultants.
Gillian developed a love for exploring the outdoors from a young age and enjoys cycling along York's' river paths, taking in the beauty of the natural world and staying active.
Christina brings more than fifteen years of experience working with diverse, vibrant communities of students and partners within the Higher Education Sector. Christina champions the positive wellbeing effects of connecting with nature, with communities and with learning, and is inspired by collaboration and co-creation.
Christina and her family have been enjoying the canals and rivers of the UK since she was little. Now, her husband also shares her love of the waterways, keeping an element of the rich canal heritage alive as a professional decorative painter in the Roses & Castles style. Together, they have been narrowboat owners for many years.
Last Edited: 26 March 2026
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