Like all charitable organisations, the Neighbourhood Network is governed by a group of unpaid volunteers who are our Board of CharityTrustees.
Our current Board of Trustees is made up of 3 people who come from a variety of backgrounds and bring a wide range of skills and experience to the Neighbourhood Network.
Sarah Weichardt
Joint Chief Executive Officer November 2015 - Present
Sarah has over 18 years’ experience working in a variety of roles within the community sector. She began her journey in the Finance team at Preston Road Neighbourhood Development Company (PRNDC) before moving into a more public-facing role as Sales Coordinator at the Freedom Centre. It was here that her longstanding partnership with Lucy first began. Throughout her career, Sarah has consistently developed her skills to improve business outcomes and strengthen community engagement.
A passionate volunteer in her own neighbourhood, Sarah has played a key role in several grassroots initiatives. She helped transform disused land into a vibrant community green space, contributed to the work of a residents’ association, and founded a community Facebook group to bring neighbours together. Her dedication has also extended to governance roles, having served as a School Governor and Chair of Trustees at a local football club, as well as supporting cancer charities close to her heart.
Today, due to increased family commitments, Sarah focuses her spare time on caring for her elderly mother and cherishing moments with friends and loved ones. One of the most valuable lessons she has learned through her years of community work is the power of connection—and how even small acts of kindness and collaboration can lead to lasting impact.
Lucy graduated in 2000 with a BA (Hons) in Tourism Management and then spent time travelling across Australia before beginning a 7-year career at the Ramada Hotel. There, she excelled in sales and event co-ordination, eventually becoming Sales Office Team Leader. In 2008, she transitioned to the voluntary and community sector as Sales Coordinator at the Freedom Centre in Hull, a community facility developed as part of a major regeneration project in East Hull. Over seven years, her role expanded to include designing the event and wedding packages, website design, and marketing across all services.
Between 2012 and 2013, Lucy also worked as a part-time college lecturer, teaching BTEC Travel & Tourism at East Riding College.
In 2009, Sarah joined the Freedom Centre to cover Lucy’s maternity leave, and the two went on to job-share the role until 2015. That same year, they took their partnership further by jointly taking on the management of Neighbourhood Network. Under their co-leadership, the charity has grown beyond its original safer communities focus to support wider health and well-being initiatives. The organisation now employs a team of four and supports many more people through its projects including Menopaus’ull and community centre management.
Outside of work, Lucy enjoys playing netball, long countryside walks and spending quality time with family and friends.
Lucy Carew
Joint Chief Executive Officer November 2015 - present
Katie Winter
Menopaus'ull Coordinator & Charity Operations Lead
May 2018 - present
Katie Winter
Charity Operations Lead & Menopaus'ull Project Coordinator
May 2018 - present
As the Menopaus’ull Lead at the Neighbourhood Network charity, Katie is passionate about empowering women across Hull and the East Riding through support, education, and collaboration. Her role see's her working closely with professionals, services, and local businesses to raise awareness of menopause, provide tailored guidance and training, and supporting the many women who benefit from this amazing project.
Katie brings a background in finance and operations. After spending 14 years in the finance department at Comet, she transitioned to the charity sector in 2013 to the The Freedom Centre, where she supported both the Finance Director and Managing Director and it sparked a passion for community-focused work.
Katie joined Neighbourhood Network in 2018 as a Charity Support Officer, and since then have continued to develop this role, now also overseeing charity operations while proudly leading the Menopaus’ull initiative.
Outside of work, Katie is always kept busy by her three daughters, but when she does get a chance, she enjoys visiting the theatre, especially musicals, and enjoys watching live music and comedy. Katie is also incredibly passionate about spreading the word on all the amazing events happening in Hull and believes in building strong, supportive communities and loves being part of a charity that brings people together.
Tamsyn is a dedicated and passionate individual with a strong background in community engagement, fundraising, and events. As a single mum to two wonderful little girls, she brings empathy, resilience, and a deep understanding of what it means to create supportive and welcoming spaces.
With hands-on experience in both the corporate and charity sectors, she's developed a well-rounded perspective on people, service, and community needs. Her true passion lies in fundraising and events, and to date, has successfully organised five events that have raised over £30,000 for causes close to her heart.
Tamsyn Shields
Community Centre Coordinator
January 2025 - present
Abbie Butler
Community Safety Coordinator
March 2025 - present
Born and bred in Hull, Debbie moved across to the south bank when she joined Humberside Police in 1979 as a police officer. Eighteen years, a husband and two children later she left the Police and began working for North Lincolnshire Council in housing. In 2001 to 2005 she did a part time degree in housing policy at Sheffield Hallam University and continued her work in housing moving across to North East Lincolnshire where she eventually took voluntary redundancy in March 2016 from her job as Head of Strategic Housing with North East Lincolnshire Council.
Her main current interests are researching her family history.
Debbie Fagan
Trustee Since Jan 2018
Colin Havercroft
Trustee Since 2011
Now semi-retired Colin has his own IT consultancy originally in Cambridge and latterly in Hull for many years. An ex-Hull Grammarian he was born in Cottingham and went to Surrey University where he studied Electronics and Computing.
. Colin started a Neighbourhood watch group in Cambridge in the 1980s and joined the Bricknell Avenue Neighbourhood Watch group when he returned to Hull about 12 years ago. He now runs the Wyke Area Residents Neighbourhood Watch group and sends out the weekly bulletin to around 500 residents every week.
Colin is a Police Volunteer and although he now has mobility problems he tries to help the Police whenever he can. His interests include Drama, Amateur Radio and Genealogy. One of the founder members of the Neighbourhood Network Hull since its formation in 2011; he has been the Chairman of the Trustees since 2014.
Devan has worked in the voluntary sector since leaving college back in 2015. He has worked in various roles starting out as the Monitoring and Participation Officer for Humber Learning Consortium (HLC) and the Hull Youth Justice Service (HYJS), and then moving across to continue the work with HYJS under the management of East Riding Voluntary Action Services (ERVAS) Ltd. Devan has continued to work for ERVAS ever since.
Outside of working for ERVAS, Devan is an active volunteer for a number of local and national organisations, including acting as a youth panel member for the IOPC, Humberside Police, Step Up to Serve and a number of other organisations.
Devan Witter
Trustee Since Dec 2020
