Meet the Trustees
We are fortunate that we can draw on the vast experience and knowledge of an excellent Board of Trustees. Our Foundation team are supported by eight Trustees who are made up of industry leaders, who each have an understanding of our community's needs. This brings a diverse range of professional experience e.g. business finance, education and governance
DAVE EDMUNDSON
Chair of Trustees
Dave is currently Chair of the Spring North Consortium and a Trustee of Queen Elizabeth’s GS Academy Trust. He was the Vice Chair of the Yorkshire Cricket Foundation from 2013- 2023, Vice Chair of the Active Lancashire Partnership, 2012-2021 and a member of the QAVS Lancashire Assessment Panel from 2014-2020.
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Before retiring, Dave was the inaugural CEO of the EFL Trust, (2007-2011), CEO of Burnley Football Club,(2003-2007), Director of the Lancashire Cricket Board and Cricket Secretary of Lancs CCC,(1996-2001), and a freelance sports journalist with BBC TV, Radio 5, Granada TV, BBC Radio Lancashire & The Daily Telegraph. He also spent 23 years as a Physical Education teacher from 1973-1996.
MICK THRELFALL
Vice Chair of Trustees
Mick is the owner of Threlfall Transport Ltd based in Freckleton and has lived in Fylde all his life, he has been a Trustee since the Foundation became a registered charity in 2015 and was appointed Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees in 2023. Mick is also Chair of the Foundation’s Finance, Risk and Governance Sub-Committee Group.
Micks’s wealth of knowledge, skills, and experience, along with his strong affiliation with AFC Fylde dating back to when the club was called Kirkham and Wesham FC, all play a vital role in his duties as a Trustee of the Foundation.
RICHARD LANCASTER
Born in Penwortham, Preston in 1956. Richard spent his formative years on his family farm near Wrea Green, attending the local school and later Carr Hill High School in Kirkham.
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In 1982 he took over the family retail dairy business, which he sold in 1989, luckily when milk doorstep delivery businesses was still at a premium.
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Richard’s next venture was a franchise and the forerunner to his current business which has developed into a leading supplier and installer of Window Films, Architectural Wrapping Films, Graphics and Signage.
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He currently lives in Lea Town with his second wife Sylvia and has two sons and a daughter from his first marriage.
LESLEY CALLAND
Born and raised in the local village of Newton, with a wide ranging background of Corporate, Academic and SME experience, Lesley is a fully qualified Business and Leadership Coach operating as a strategic partner for many high growth North West businesses.
Passionate about helping others, she has become the Founder and CEO of a new global tech company, making career coaching more accessible for all.
Proud to be a trustee, this role enables her to use her extensive knowledge and commercial drive to support the team at the Foundation with their ambition to increase the positive impact they have on the people within the local community.
MIKE FITZPATRICK
Although born in Cumbria Mike has lived in Lancashire since 1983, including a number of years in both Kirkham & Wesham. Both his children attended The Willows school in Kirkham and his twin grandsons will also be attending there.
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Mike’s whole working life was spent as a high school teacher in 4 different schools. He was Deputy Head at Our Lady’s in Preston for 19 years until he retired in 2018. His main subject was English and he still loves to read in my spare time.
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He currently lives in Lea Town with my wife Jacqueline who taught for many years at The Willows in Kirkham.
CHRIS BRAMMALL
Chris joined The FA’s Physical Education Team in 2013 and across the North West provides PE Teacher Training in Universities and Schools, supports the Premier League’s Primary Stars programme delivered by Professional Football Clubs and delivers CPD for the PE & School Sport network.
Chris is a UEFA A licence football coach, qualified teacher and is currently completing his doctorate in Physical Education.
Chris lives in the Lake District and enjoys walking the mountain ranges, kayaking on the Lakes and running on the fells. He also volunteers some time to being a Governor at his local village primary school.
GERRIE BYRNE
Gerrie is a television journalist and producer who’s worked at ITV Granada and the BBC in Media City. She can write, film and edit, and she enjoys interviewing people and sharing their stories. Gerrie believes her professional skills in producing interesting content will help support the AFC Fylde Community Foundation and its Media and Communications Officer. We do great work within the community, and the more we can shout about it the better.
As well as being a freelance journalist, Gerrie currently works as a lecturer in sports journalism at the University of Central Lancashire where they teach written, broadcast and digital journalism. She is aiming to use her skills and contacts to develop a closer working relationship between the foundation and UCLan’s students. This could be a partnership that will benefit all.
KATE JACKSON
Kate is a Health and Care Professions council registered Occupational Therapist. Passionate about community health and wellbeing and allied health professional leadership she works nationally as an advisor to the Primary and Community Services Transformation and Improvement Team at NHS England.
She brings experience and skills in working with networks, people & communities to transform & improve quality of care and service to the community.
Her role as a trustee allows for her experience in national health policy, local health care provision, commissioning and strategy to support the team in delivering the Foundation’s aim in improving healthy lives for all within our community, focussed on physical activity and wellbeing.