After six years as Chair of our Board of Trustees, we’re sorry to see Simon Gordon stepping down. At this week’s board meeting he’ll pass the reins to our new chair, Mark Tweedie.
Since joining the board in 2020, Simon steered Rise through major changes, including the transfer of County Durham Sport into Rise; the launch of new strategies for our organisation and for Sport England, our key funder; the impact of the introduction of a single combined authority for the North East; as well as the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Six years has flown by and it’s amazing to look back and see how many events there were of huge significance,” said Simon Gordon. “Over that time the landscape has changed massively, not just for Rise, but for the wider world. I’m proud of the way the board, the senior leadership and the staff responded to each challenge – whether global or everyday – and worked to refocus on the needs of the people in our region.
“I wish everyone at Rise the best of luck for the future and look forward to watching their continued success.”
Clare Morley, our CEO, also reflected on the changes in those six years.
“Simon’s guidance has seen Rise grow significantly to better meet the needs of the people and communities we’re here to support,” she said. “Our staff group and budget are both bigger, which means we’re able to make more of a difference in transforming lives across the North East.
“That growth brings greater responsibilities and I’m grateful to Simon for always being a critical friend and providing a strong sense of direction. He’s handing over responsibilities to Mark with Rise in a great position, firmly focused on our strategy and where we have most impact.”
Our new chair brings a wealth of practitioner and leadership experience from the physical activity sector. Mark Tweedie began his career as a PE lecturer before moving into sports development, initially for the 2002 Commonwealth Games. During the last 15 years Mark has led several leisure organisations in Chief Executive positions, including Community Leisure UK. Mark now runs a leadership development consultancy specialising in optimising organisational performance through leadership and cultural development.
“Rise is a well-run and respected organisation positioned at the heart of enabling a more active North East, so it’s a genuine privilege to undertake this role,” said Mark Tweedie. “I know from my experience the importance of the partnerships and purposeful collaborations that Rise and its people create, and I’m excited to become part of this and do my best to add value.
“Movement through physical activity and sport have made a positive difference to my life so I’m a huge advocate for movement to be as accessible as possible to everyone. This has never been more important than now because we know that being active improve lives, and that an active society brings far-reaching benefits for public health and the wider economy. So, I’m looking forward to working with the board and senior leadership team to ensure Rise can overcome challenges and seize every opportunity to continue with their mission to transform lives, communities and places through the power of movement.”
A further change sees a new trustee with legal experience, Tom Seed, being welcomed to the board as Matt Cormack steps down after eight years’ service. Tom is a solicitor at local firm Muckle LLP in their sports, education and charities team, where he advises on matters including governance, regulation and commercial agreements.
“We’re delighted to have Tom joining the board as a real specialist in charity law,” added Clare. “I also want to extend significant thanks to Matt for his expert leadership as a voluntary trustee for Rise for such a long period of time.”