The Oswin Project supports people with criminal records, helping them access employment and training. We provide volunteering opportunities, paid work experience, as well as CV and disclosure support. Our team benefits from a diverse array of talents, experiences and perspectives, including staff and volunteers with criminal records.

Gay Penn
Patron
Gay was born in Newcastle Upon Tyne and has lived near Morpeth for 47 years. Gay is married with 2 children, 2 step children and 8 grandchildren. In 1966 she joined the family business working in all departments then became a director of the company and finally was responsible for personnel and training. In 1978 she and her husband started a saddlery business in Morpeth taking early retirement 18 years later. For the past 10 years to date she has been a director/partner of an award-winning food hall, gift shop and cafe situated just outside Ingleton in North Yorkshire. She believes that everyone should have a second chance which is the very ethos of The Oswin Project.

Pam Walker MBE
Chairman
Pam worked in Juvenile Justice for 15 years, developing and providing alternatives to custody for young offenders. Latterly she worked in the voluntary sector with disadvantaged minorities, running and developing projects providing advocacy and access to services. She is a past member of the Northumbria Probation Board and of the Northumberland Safeguarding Advisory Board. She has BA’s from Leicester and Durham Universities and an MA from the University of Northumbria. She is an Associate Lay Minister in the Church of England.

Fiona Sample MBE
Founder & CEO
Fiona is our CEO. She has lived on a farm in Northumberland for most of her adult life. Before moving to the Northeast, she worked in Germany as a welfare officer for the Red Cross. On returning she became a teacher. As High Sheriff of Northumberland, Fiona realised a bridge of opportunity needed to be built between prison and outside to reduce re-offending, so she founded the Oswin Project. Fiona studied at Durham University and is ordained.
Our Core Staff Team

Caroline Chrisp
Mentor Manager

James Stoddart
Project Co-Ordinator

Emma Turnbull
Office Manager

Niamh Allan
Assistant Mentor Manager
Cafe 16

Lauren Patterson
Manager Cafe 16
HMP Northumberland

Honor Purcell
Cook
HMP Northumberland

Sarah Ord
Baker
HMP Northumberland

Clare Guiney
Manager
Cafe 16 in the Cathedral

Sarah
Assistant Manager
Cafe 16 in the Cathedral
Inside & Out

John Stubbins
Manager of Inside & Out

Mike
Assistant Manager
Our Trustees

Harry Chrisp

Eric Conner

Harry Humble

Peter Taylor OBE
Our Volunteers

Lucy Browne-Swinburne

Nathan Coundon

Jonathan Parr

Sophie Reynolds

Matilda Sample

Jamie Steane

Val Windle
Our Ambassadors

Lieutenant General Robin Brims
CB CBE DSO DL

Mark Copsey

Tom Fairfax

Roderick James

Claire McAlpine

Rachel Swinburne