Chair of Trustees: Laura Gill
The Monday Night Club was founded in 2011 by Laura Gill (who has a learning disability and autism herself) so that she could meet her friends and have some fun. She believes that people with learning disabilities should be recognised for their individual talents and given the respect they deserve. She has spoken up for, and on behalf of, people with learning disabilities all her adult life. She chaired Worcestershire People’s Parliament for six years, has been Co-Chair of Worcestershire County Council’s Learning Disabilities Partnership Board and Co-Chair of the Trustees of the self-advocacy charity, Speakeasy NOW.
Laura works as a Quality Checker, interviewing people in supported living about the quality of their support, she is a lived experience expert for the Herefordshire and Worcestershire NHS Integrated Care Board and, in 2024, became a trainer for the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism.
Dr. Max Dean
Max has known The Monday Night Club since it first set up in 2011. Having worked on many projects with The Monday Night Club since its inception, including the first ever world-famous ‘The Monday Night Club’s Got Talent’!
Max finally joined the MNC board in 2018. With over a decade of working in the charitable sector and over a million pounds raised for charitable causes, Max is a Director at award-winning local arts charity C&T.
Rachel Betteridge
Rachel started as a volunteer with The Monday Night Club early in 2020, because she wanted to do what she loved as a volunteer instead of a job. Rachel has worked with young adults and teenagers who have lived in care, or have learning disabilities, for most of her life. She is passionate about building trusting relationships and safe spaces to enable people to try new experiences and just be themselves. The MNC seemed to offer just that, she become a trustee to support the charity as best she can. “I really like that the club is led by its members and hope to be a part of the charity as it continues to grow.”
Rachel enjoys nature and wildlife, cooking, and any type of water sport.
Treasurer: Stephen Gipson
Steve retired recently after a long career in business, working mainly in the retail sector, serving as a Director in ten different companies over the last 30 years. During this time, he gained an expertise in developing strategy and financial management. He uses his skills to assist The Monday Night Club to grow and become even more successful in promoting social inclusion for young people with learning disabilities and autism in Worcestershire.
Steve moved to Worcestershire in 2003 and lives in the lovely village of Leigh with his wife Louise. Here they met Laura Gill, also from Leigh. Steve has two children from his first marriage – Rebecca, who has two daughters of her own, and James. Both work in the City of London.
Ashanti Brazier-Olatunde
After graduating top of his year in Law at the University of Exeter, Ashanti is now completing his training in Commercial Law in London. During the time he was a student, Ashanti worked and volunteered with a number of disability organisations, including MacIntyre, Fort Royal Special School and C&T. As a keen sportsman, and once a committee member of BAME Football and the Weightlifting Society at Exeter, Ashanti brings his passion for sport and commercial legal practice to the board of The Monday Night Club.
Alison Rankin Frost
Alison is an experienced Trustee and non-executive director with experience in sport, education, business and technology. She is a marketing and communications professional and holds CIPR chartered status. Currently she is a Governor at the London School of Economics and on the boards of JDX Consulting, Rungway, British Showjumping and Crocus Fields property. She was, until recently, a Patron of the Royal Shakespeare Company. Professionally she focuses on organisation culture, reputational risk, inclusion, behavioural insights and stakeholder relationships. She helped Helen and Laura to organise the MNC trip to London for the film premier of The Monday Night Club Has Got Talent at the Shaw Theatre.
Samantha Wilkes
Sam first discovered The Monday Night Club as a parent looking for activities for her daughter. Imogen was leaving college and wanted to continue meeting her friends and having fun things to do. Sam and Imogen quickly became members of the MNC family, attending Monday nights, Wednesday Sports Club and our Football Club. Sam became an invaluable volunteer and then in 2023, a Trustee, with a special interest in families and individuals with complex needs. Her familiarity and personal knowledge of our members contributes to our Health & Safety, Confidentiality and Safeguarding responsibilities.
Sam is a team leader in the NHS, specifically the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. She lives in Pershore and is married to Simon. She has two other grown-up children as well as Imogen.