Who We Are - Rotherham MCVC

MCVC Executive Group
MCVC Trustees

Jim Oakes

Jim retired from South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue in 2016 after 30 years service, for the last 10 years of his career he was an Operational Station Commander serving at most stations throughout South Yorkshire. Following his retirement he took a period of time away from work until an opportunity presented itself to deliver a project on behalf of Rotherham MCVC, supporting veterans who were in HMP Doncaster.

He is married with two children, his wife is a Specialist Nurse Practioner at Doncaster Royal Infirmary, his son has recently completed 10 years service with the 1^stBattalion Scots Guards and his daughter is a Support Officer at HMP Doncaster.

Hobbies he enjoys are playing the bagpipes with the City of Sheffield Pipe band, researching his ancestors history, playing the occasional game of golf and walking breaks to Scotland in particular.

Mark Granger

In July 1980 Mark followed in his fathers’ footsteps and joined the REME. In 1990 he transferred to the RAOC before being rebadged again in 1992 into the RLC.

Mark left the Army in 1994 after serving 14 years in BAOR and the UK.

After leaving the Army Mark took on many roles including fire extinguisher servicing, fire safety trainer and fire risk assessor, before getting behind the wheel and becoming an HGV driver, spending time driving around Europe and the UK. In 2017 he suffered a work-related injury which caused him to finish HGV driving. Since then Mark has been volunteering in the Samaritans Charity shop in Sheffield, which he still does today.

He has been involved with the MCVC since 2013, where he can be seen attending various shows and events with the Outreach Trailer and Gazebo looking after a team of volunteers. Mark also attends the Friday drop in and can be regularly seen with his camera, photographing the events and special occasions for the MCVC.

In 2015 he helped to start the MCVC Breakfast Club, which, along with his enthusiasm is going from strength to strength.

In his spare time Mark enjoys spending time with his partner Sharon Lee, photography, visiting classic vehicle shows and building 1/24^thscale model vehicles.

Michael Goodyear

My name is Michael Goodyear, I was born in 1948 in a little village outside Rotherham called Greasbrough where the family lived for two years until my Father who was in the army was posted to Egypt. Two years later we were posted to Germany where we remained until I was fourteen years old, thereafter returning to Rotherham.

I left school in 1962 and worked as an apprentice joiner until 1967, where upon completion of my apprenticeship I decided to join the army, the Royal Artillery, where after basic training I was posted to Germany, working in the command post, then as an OP Ack.

Upon returning to the UK I took up post at the Royal Artillery Training Depot in Woolwich, spending three years as a Physical Trainer before returning to my unit at Bulford Camp in Wiltshire as head of the Headquarters Signals Store.

I decided to leave the Army after serving 12 years with the Colours and eventually took up employment with ‘Anchor Trust’ as a Manager responsible for eleven Retirement Schemes across Rotherham, Sheffield and Huddersfield, a position I held for eleven years before taking retirement.

Ronald William Moffett MBE

Ron was born in a small town in County Durham, where after leaving school he served an apprenticeship becoming a Master Butcher.

At the age of twenty, he decided to leave his home town and join the Army. He served 22 years in the Military reaching the rank of Warrant Officer Class 1. Ronald’s final Appointment was that of Conductor (at the time the highest appointment for a non-commissioned officer) and at the time was running the MOD Petroleum Depot, with a mixed workforce of 100 civilian / military personnel and an annual turnover of £12 million.

For his contribution to the logistical support of Operation Granby, Ron was awarded the MBE.

After leaving the Army, Ron along with his wife Sally started their own Employment Agency in Dorset, which inside 3 years had an annual turnover of a £1 million. They ran the business for the next 12 years eventually selling up and settling in Rotherham.

With an analytical mind, he is able to see straight to the heart of a problem and arrive at practical workable solutions, along with his personal ethos of hard work, Ronald is driven to succeed in any situation.

Ron is keen gardener and genealogist, as well as an active member of the RBL (Poppy Appeal), he also works for the charity CGL Rotherham.

Sharon Lee – Welfare Officer

Sharon has 32 years of experience working as a Registered Nurse within the NHS (Sheffield) for seventeen years prior to moving into the Private sector. Sharon currently works as an Occupational Health Advisor for AXA PPP Healthcare, where she works full time.

For the last two and a half years, Sharon has become an active member of the MCVC, after meeting her Partner who is Ex REME. Sharon is regularly seen volunteering with the Outreach Trailer and the Gazebo.

Sharon attends and helps run a successful Breakfast Club with her Partner Mark Granger.

In the last eighteen months, Sharon has raised £1,500 for the MCVC in various events including a Skydive from 13,000 feet, caving, abseiling and micro-light flying.

Sharon has recently accepted the position of Welfare Officer for the MCVC. Initially her role will be to support both Veterans and their Families within the South Yorkshire area but also working with other Military Associations and Forces Charities.

Lt Col “Mac” McPherson MBE

Mac retired from the army after 44 years’ service in 2014. Latterly responsible for handing over the Army recruiting organisation in the North East to Capita. Before that Deputy Garrison Commander of Larkhill Garrison, responsible for moving the ‘home’ of The Royal Artillery from Woolwich after 300 years, Mac has significant operational experience in various challenging environments. Mac joined the board of Margaret Carey Foundation in 2012, is a director of the Royal Artillery Charitable Fund and a director and trustee of the RFEA.

Living at home and supporting his family after many years of separation provides Mac with huge enjoyment. In addition, he is a keen but inelegant skier, a disgraceful but honest golf novice and likes reading and gardening. Mac is making reasonable efforts to become a civilian but progress is slow! He was awarded an MBE in 2009 birthday honours list.

Lt Col J Dawson MBE

After a 40 plus years in the army reaching the highest rank attainable I have in recent years been working in Sheffield in a more stable environment which has been testing if different ways to the army.

Over 20 years experience in logistic and facilities management providing support to wide a range of sites 10 – 50 acres incorporating technical, warehousing, welfare, catering and residential accommodations. Managed direct reports up to 450 personnel and managed fleets up to 280 prime movers.

Well versed in budget setting and control up to £13.5m. Can provide strategic planning for range of SHE and sustainable development plus business continuity.

Specialties: Managing hard and soft services plus operational logistics in harsh and testing environments.

Chief Inspector Russ Hughes

Russ Hughes has spent the last ten years as a police officer employed in various roles both within the county of South Yorkshire and nationally supporting events such as the Olympics. Before this he served in the King’s Regiment from 1999 to 2006 finishing his service as a Captain employed as the Operations Officer of the 1st Battalion.

He enjoys all sport, fitness and military history. Above all he enjoys spending time with his wife and two young children.

John Foden

The couple’s affection for the town ignores the fact that both John and Kath actually hail from over the border in Sheffield. Born in the Park district, where Park Hill flats are now, I went to the local junior school and later to Norfolk secondary School in the Arbourthorne area.

“My father was a plumber by trade,” he said “As a youngster I watched him repair any a burst lead pipe and also replaced panes of glass – some of which, I might ad, I had broken. This gave me an insight into the building trade and when I left school I had decided that I wanted to be a carpenter and joiner. By chance I managed to obtain a joinery apprenticeship at Shardlows Engineering, where some 2100 were employed urging and machining crankshafts.

My working career at Shardlows lasted for 40 years until the company finally went into receivership. For a short time I worked as a Regional Development Officer for UCATT – the Union of Construction, Allied trades and Technicians – before securing a part time and then full time position as lecturer in carpentry and joinery at the Sheffield college.

My working life at shardlows was coloured by my trade union work – I was secretary to Rotherham Trades Union Council – and so it was a natural progression to me to become a Rotherham Councillor. The boundary changes gave me a break in service but I returned in 2006 to stand as a candidate in what is now the Rotherham West Ward up to the present time. As a councillor I am currently a member of the authority’s Improving places Select Commission as well as being a member of the Licensing Board. I have also been a long-term governor at the Old Hall, now Winterhill, school.

Tony Clabby

Experienced Chief Executive Officer with a demonstrated history of working in the non-profit organization management industry. Skilled in Nonprofit Organizations, Social Enterprise, Corporate Social Responsibility, Business Planning, and Entrepreneurship. Strong business development professional graduated from St Columb’s Derry, St Anselm‘s Birkenhead.

Tony is a Vice President of Rotherham Titans Rugby Team and derives much pleasure from supporting the team home and away.

ZANIB RASOOL MBE

Zanib Rasool is the partnership and development manager at Rotherham United Community Sports Trust and has worked in the voluntary and community sector for 30 years. She is an experienced bid writer and has developed a number of project around community cohesion and integration, education, health and wellbeing.

Zanib is vice chair of local primary school in Rotherham which she attended, she is chair of Rotherham central and park view children centre, she is a member of the Nexus multi -academy trust and is passionate about supporting young people. She also chairs Rotherham independent hate crime scrutiny panel.

She has been community researcher for the University of Sheffield for last 5 years and is currently a doctoral student with the University of Sheffield school of education. She has written book chapters and academic journals.

Andrew Ball

Having grown up in Portsmouth it seemed inevitable that I would my father and join the Navy, however, the Army provided a stronger draw. In Mar 1980 I travelled to Sutton Coldfield for the first stage of my 15 years military service. Having spent over 10years in various locations in BAOR with units belonging to Household Division, Logistics, Medical, RA and Divisional HQ and the remainder around the UK, I always sought tropical postings but sadly the Manning Office thought otherwise. I left in 1995 and settled with a ‘local’ girl in South Yorkshire.

I spent the first few years testing ‘civi-street’ and finding my place in it before getting into IT and extending this into Project Management. Being a ‘people’ person programming held little excitement for me so falling back on 15years in the RAPC/AGC I focussed on the Control aspects of projects, Governance, Planning and Risks, helping Project Managers deliver key programmes around the UK. I now work as an Interim Business Consultant, sharing my view and persuading others of a better way of doing things.

I live in Bramley with Ann my wife, a retired Police Officer and now Criminal Analyst with South Yorkshire Police and have 20 years old Twins. My son is working in the local economy and striving to find his place in the world and my daughter is 2/3 of her way through her Sports Business and Management course at Winchester University and looking to take on the International world of Cycling.

Maj “Adie” Hunt REME

Adie has a full regular service career taking retirement 1998. After a period of 2 years re-enlisted in to the Territorial Army now the Army Reserve. This was to be a short term commitment some 15 years later still serving. Currently serving with 102 Bn REME as the Operations Officer and Officer Commanding 124 Recovery Company.

Actively involved with the Veterans Community in Rotherham. Involved with a number of charities, SSAFA South Yorkshire and Yorkshire Water Community Trust.

Spare time reading, gardening and walking the hills with his trusted companion Mia (Black Labrador.)

Christine Bradley

Chris has 32 years of experience working in local government which has allowed her to work in a variety of subjects including, education, planning, economic development, community regeneration, policy and international links. Chris’ current role is as a Scrutiny Officer and the lead for work under the Armed Forces Community Covenant.

Chris doesn’t really have much spare time as work, looking after family members and volunteering takes up the majority of her time. When she does get time off for “good behaviour” she enjoys spending time at home, catching up with friends, travelling to new places both in the UK/abroad and trying different food and drink from around the world.