Tim Barlow appointed as chair to support Nightsafe

Nightsafe has welcomed a new chair to the charity’s board of trustees – Tim Barlow.

Tim, who works for the NHS Counter Fraud Authority, as well as being a director at 3B Risk Group Limited, plans to draw on his skills set by bringing a structured approach in supporting the excellent work the charity does across Blackburn and Darwen.

He also plans to encourage the staff employed at Nightsafe to tap into the excellent skill sets the board of trustees offer.

He said: “Nightsafe has grown as a business, and expanded the vital services the charity offers to those young people in need of support, often at a time of crisis in their lives.

“Nightsafe is run by a caring and professional team supported by the fantastic supporters and volunteers. I see the role of the trustees as one of support and expertise.

“Charities have to be run as a successful business and our board of trustees bring wide experience in business which will support Nightsafe in its future. The trustees give their time for free, and their support cements the foundations of the charity’s future, I can’t thank them enough for their time and support.

“I don’t want to see any big changes to how Nightsafe operates, but what I would like to see are broader support mechanisms and forward planning, which should allow our fantastic staff to focus on the reason Nightsafe exists – our clients.”

Tim, from Darwen, got in touch with Nightsafe after becoming semi-retired. He said the board of trustees work tirelessly in the background, but he’d like to see the number of trustees expanded, bringing additional skill sets to the charity – particularly in hospitality and fundraising.
“I got in touch because I’m semi-retired and thought, right, I’ve got some time now. I thought I might be making brews or doing some odd jobs at Nightsafe – but I’ve ended up chair! It’s a real honour for me.

“I’ve been really fortunate that I’ve never been homeless, and never been in danger of being homeless. Homelessness as an adult must be horrendous – but to see a young adult who is homeless makes you query why they’re having these life experiences in one of the richest countries in the world
“When you see the services Nightsafe provide, you realise that without them there’d be an awful lot of people in a really difficult place. Sadly, I think if they were four times the size they are, they could probably still fill every bed.

“A lot of people have heard of Nightsafe and know they look after young homeless people. They don’t know the length and breadth of the services the charity offers. It’s not just putting the roof over someone’s head for the night, it’s also about them realising that they’re not a lost cause. Telling them that they’ve got opportunities – whether that’s helping them get them back into education or into work or developing their skill set. I don’t think people probably realise that they do all that. I certainly didn’t.”

Tim said one of the key focuses of his role must be helping to generate more cash for the charity.

He added: “The focus is always the same – money. Money is really tight – but money is tight everywhere. The service offered will always be the priority. We also desperately need funds from patrons and individual donors.

“Just before Christmas, the charity put a shout out for turkeys and vegetables for Christmas dinner. I saw a young girl who used our services outside the day centre, and she was so excited. I asked her why and she said she’s excited about being safe for Christmas. She told me that she’d never had a Christmas dinner – and she was 18. That’s why I do what I do.”

To find out how you can support Nightsafe email chair@nightsafe.org