Meet the team
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Alison Marino
Executive Director
Alison Marino, Executive Director
I’m responsible for managing the overall operations and resources of Sussex Nightstop. I work closely with the Board of Trustees in the development of our strategic plan and it’s then my role to manage and develop our organisation to deliver the objectives we’ve set.
My role includes working with local partners, fundraising, the development of policy and procedures and the management of our staff team to create a service that is safe, inclusive and has the maximum benefit for those who need it and our volunteers who provide it.
My previous experience led me to join Sussex Nightstop with a clear knowledge of the power of volunteers to be a force for good; bring about social change; crucially to support, help and reach out to their neighbours with kindness.
It is my privilege to be working with our volunteers and for a service which has such a clear and tangible positive outcome for those people we support.
Siân Sidgwick
Service Coordinator
Siân Sidgwick, Service Coordinator
I assess and place young people aged 16-25 years who are at risk of rough sleeping, in the homes of our volunteer hosts. Working with referral agencies I arrange placements based on the needs of the young people ensuring they are receiving the emotional and practical support and advocacy they need.
The other half of my role is to support and coordinate our amazing community of volunteer hosts, who offer young people a safe space from which to resolve their housing problems. Supporting both young people and volunteer hosts to ensure a safe, clear and consistent intervention is a real privilege.
I’ve always worked with young people, which I find both rewarding and inspiring – their resilience can be surprising. But the best thing about my job is seeing the difference kindness can make to someone in crisis!
H Brassil
Service Coordinator
H Brassil, Service Coordinator
I take referrals from our partner agencies and assess and place our clients with suitable and available hosts as needed. Our hosts are incredible and we appreciate them no end.
I’m also Nightstop’s LGBTQ+ Champion. We estimate that a quarter of the young people in Brighton & Hove that are homeless are from the LGBT+ community and it’s really important that they feel our service is for them.
I joined Nightstop as I believe it is an amazing service that brings the community together. Hearing feedback from guests is the best part of my job. They are so overwhelmed with people’s kindness and having Nightstop as an option means so much to them in their time of need. It restores their faith in their community during a time when often, everyone else has let them down.
Liz Wakefield
Communications & Engagement Lead
Liz Wakefield, Communications & Engagement Lead
My role is to ensure that the local community knows about Sussex Nightstop, so they can support us in whatever way they feel is for them. We’re always on the lookout for new volunteer hosts donors and business supporters.
I was inspired to join Sussex Nightstop by the collaborative nature of what we do. It makes so much sense for us to work together to prevent homelessness in Brighton & Hove and the people involved are all passionate about doing their bit.
If you’d like to get involved in any way, big or small, please call or email me.
Trustees
Our Board of Trustees shape our priorities, ensure a professional and responsible operation of the charity and support our small team with experience, knowledge and enthusiasm.
Ceri Davies-Tyrie
Trustee
Ceri Davies-Tyrie, Trustee
I have a background in research and social action as well as previous experience of boards, having been a trustee and then Chair of Brighton & Hove Community Works over a period of seven years. In my day job I’m a Research Director at NatCen.
I had known about Nightstop for a few years before applying to join their board – and always been impressed by the impact and necessity of such a simple idea – expertly supported and executed and built on the spirit, understanding and commitment of people willing to open their homes to a person in need, one night at a time.
It’s my privilege to make a contribution to this work and I am a proud advocate of Nightstop. I’m passionate about building our activities sustainably into the future and making sure we keep meeting the needs of those who volunteer for and those who use our service. I am, as my fellow board members will tell you, equally passionate about good governance – making sure we have the resources, information and leadership we need to support Nightstop’s vital and important contribution to tackling homelessness.
Chris Storey
Trustee
Chris Storey, Trustee
After working locally in social care and housing I joined Sussex Nightstop in 2017 as a volunteer community fundraiser and the board of trustees a year later. I was impressed by the community spirit the organisation reflected; local people using their own resources “to just do something”.
I love the cleverness of Nightstop’s homestay offer and how the kindness of strangers can be so profoundly helpful to someone in temporary crisis. Since joining the board I’ve been privileged to see the depth of values being practiced daily by volunteers and our small staff team alike. It’s uplifting to be part of something so effective and to share in meeting the challenges of its growth and development.
Jenny Moore
Trustee
Jenny Moore, Trustee
I joined Nightstop as a Trustee because I wanted to use my 30 years experience of community development practice and youth work to support a charity that works to reduce homelessness.
Early on in my career I worked with homeless and insecurely housed young people. I was able to see first-hand the difference being securely housed made to their lives. They were then able to take advantage of new opportunities that enabled them to reach their own potential and move onto the next, more positive stage of their life.
Brighton and Hove are great places to be when you are young, but perhaps because of this, it is a competitive and expensive place to live – good affordable accommodation is hard to find. Many young people born here are unable to secure deposits or on going rent in order to live here. Family pressures, often financial too, also mean that many young people “sofa surf” and because of increasingly harsh benefits criteria and reduced access to be able to claim, young people become even more vulnerable. I look forward to working with my fellow Trustees to improve this situation for young people, young adults and our city as a whole.
Ann Hickey
Trustee
Ann Hickey, Trustee
I am the CEO of East Sussex Credit Union with previous management and general credit union experience gained over the last 20 years. As a trustee of Community Works, I was chair of the Personnel and Equalities Sub Committee, and chair of the Volunteering Champions group.
I have experience of HR ,setting and presenting the strategic path for the credit union, reviewing the vision, mission , values and the business plan, budget setting ,reviewing environmental factors and bringing the staff team as well as the board along with changes.
John O’Sullivan
Treasurer
John O’Sullivan, Treasurer
I have been a trustee since 2012 and have hopefully brought my experience as a NHS finance director to strengthen the finances of Sussex Nightstop. The growth we have seen over the last ten years unfortunately shows how necessary we are in providing a safe place for people to sleep and we couldn’t do this without hosts who are able to offer up their spare rooms.
When I hear people’s stories it makes me realise how quickly their circumstances can change and how much they value a safe place to sleep when they need it.
Corrina Collins
Trustee
Corrina Collins, Trustee
I have worked in the Corporate Travel Industry for 15 years, focusing on partners, new business and revenue generation. Prior to that I was a marketing and loyalty consultant. During my career I have worked abroad both in Europe and globally and I learned new cultures, ways of working and business priorities.
As a first time Trustee I hope to bring this experience to Sussex Nightstop and support and guide around collaboration between external companies, boosting awareness and sponsorship.
Tim Williamson
Chair of Trustees
Tim Williamson, Chair of Trustees
I work for an ethical travel company called Responsible Travel in Brighton which I own with the other two directors. My career has been in travel, working for large companies and airlines where I have sat on the board of directors and managed large teams. I have hopefully picked up some skills along the way which will be useful to Sussex Nightstop. I have also just finished my four-year term as Chair of Governors for Cardinal Newman Catholic School in Hove. Helping the 6th largest school in the UK through the strategic challenges facing education at the moment has hopefully helped me understand some of the elements of the role of a trustee.
For the last 18 months we have also been a host family for Sussex Nightstop and experienced first-hand the incredible service on offer and met the people who we help. Wanting to do more inspired me to apply to become a trustee when the opportunity came up. I hope I can continue to make a difference to the lives of those on the verge of homelessness as a host and now as Chair of Sussex Nightstop.