Our Team
Our team is made up of individuals who were influenced by Charlie, a group of people who were inspired by his kindness, volunteers who are driven to continue his charitable work.
Victoria Taylor
Trustee • Charlie’s Big Sister
Victoria has spent her full career in the hospitality industry. Carrying out senior positions with multiple venues as well as regional roles, she is a true people person and enjoys connecting with individuals and hearing about what drives them.
Alongside Charlie and Alexandra, Victoria spent her childhood growing up in her father’s hotels and these fond memories inspired her on her career path. Victoria was extremely close to her brother, supporting him through challenging times and encouraging others to do the same.
Alexandra Lancaster
Trustee • Charlie’s Little Sister
Alexandra has worked in the beauty industry for eighteen years having trained in beauty therapy at college when sixteen. She has always enjoyed the relationship she has built with her clients and is proud of the reputation she has built.
In 2017 Charlie encouraged Alexandra to go it alone and shared his knowledge of business to help her get up and running. She has since grown a successful salon, There She Glows.
Gemma Stanham
Charlie’s Partner
Gemma moved to York for her studies and decided to stay, building a life in the city. She thrives on mentoring people and has spent 15 years in retail management applying her well-developed leadership skills.
Following the devastating death of her partner Charlie, Gemma recognises the importance of the vital services provided by mental health charities and is keen raise awareness and promote mental wellbeing.
Oliver Bell-Syer
Treasurer • Charlie’s Friend
Oliver lives in York with his wife Jolyse and son Digby. He is passionate about the community and through his role in a large banking firm in Leeds, supports businesses across Yorkshire to achieve their ambitions.
Oliver is an active member of York Round Table, which he joined with Charlie in an effort to give back to the community through fund raising and volunteering. Together they organised many events raising £10s of thousands of pounds for York based charities and clubs.
Tim Brown
Charlie’s Friend
Tim has been involved in the renewable energy sector for over ten years, most recently working in the explosion protection industry. He has always been an active fundraiser, taking part in many challenges raising money for Cancer Research and Tiny Lives amongst others.
Tim spent a month in Africa, volunteering his engineering experience to help build a composting facility in a small village which helped the school to remain open whilst providing vital resources and a source of income for the community.
Oliver Newby
Charlie’s Friend
Oliver is a partner at a local independent estate agency and director of a property development company. A well-known businessman in the York property sector, Oliver
shared a professional and personal relationship with Charlie.
He is a founding member of the foundation and passionate about raising mental health awareness having experienced hurt and heartbreak with the passing of his dear friend Charlie.
Tom Lalor
Ambassador
“I’m choosing to join the CDLF family as from seeing all the work being done since the passing of a man I can only describe by words from his dear friends, as a loving, caring and a fantastically fun young man. Seeing and hearing all that Charlie's army are doing has lit a fire inside me, one which I thought was only ever going to be a small spark over the years.
To help and support others is free, takes nothing, yet fills one with hope that by helping one person can help change or better still save a life. Then that one person can return the favour to another.
I've been lucky to have had that person ask a simple question, make that call, to stop my train of negative thoughts.
Loosing loved ones close to us is something one can't put into words too easily, so now we have the opportunity to hopefully help other families or friends having to try do so.
Being a part of this family will help me learn more of who Charlie was, his life and to strive forward to try help others save their own lives. Having felt the loss of loved ones in my own past I feel honoured to be invited in, and together hopefully make a difference, a chat, a phone call, a random act of kindness or a simple social media post at a time.
Adam Gledhill
Ambassador
“Charlie wasn’t my oldest friend - we actually only knew each other well for a few years. But he supported me at a time in my life when I needed it the most. And he did that unreservedly, without any judgement and selflessly. For that, I’ll be forever grateful.
I’ve been an avid supporter of CDLF since it’s inception because Charlie’s legacy should always live on, and it lives on the way in which he has galvanised every single supporter of the foundation to continue his work. We share his values, his hopes and his dreams to make people’s lives better”
Tom Henderson
Ambassador
Tom has worked in the Construction Industry from leaving school and now runs his own company.
Tom met Charlie whilst working at Comet back in 2002 and hit it off as really good friends. They ended up buying a house together in York and lived together for 3 great years.
“Charlie was such a great friend which makes it extremely hard knowing that he is no longer with us. Being asked to become an ambassador for this truely amazing foundation is such and honour and a position which gives me such pride.
It’s time to help CDLF continue to a make a difference and get people talking. Let’s get mental health out of the shadows and into the light, embrace it and help each other. That’s what Charlie was all about “