The Association for Real Change Ltd (ARC) is a UK wide organisation, registered with the Charity Commission for England (285575), Scotland (SC039129) and is a Company Limited by Guarantee (01658354).  We are awaiting the Northern Ireland Charity Commission to call us forward for registration.

Our Trustees ensure the charity is run well and stays true to its purpose. Trustees must make sure the charity follows the law, uses its money properly, and helps the people or cause it’s meant to support. They also help guide the charity’s direction and check how well it’s achieving its goals.

Our Trustees:

  • bring different points of view to a discussion
  • give insight into the needs and experiences of people who use services and people who provide services
  • make contacts in the community
  • think of new ways of doing things
  • and hold the Strategic Leadership Team to account.

Trustees meet four times a year along with members of the Strategic Leadership Team (SLT).  SLT, which is made up of the Country Directors and the Finance Director, collectively lead the organisation.

Meet the Board of Trustees

Chair: David Sargent

David is passionate about values driven leadership. He believes that charitable organisations should achieve meaningful social impact through economically viable business models, but always with people at the centre. Having spent over 8 years successfully leading and growing Real Life Options Group, a national charity supporting people with learning disabilities, autistic individuals and people with age related conditions, he is now undertaking portfolio assignments helping organisations to achieve their goals through values driven leadership.

David is committed to supporting vulnerable people to live their lives in communities with dignity and choice. David’s extensive leadership experience is within social care, performance management, quality assurance, youth work and social entrepreneurship, working within national, regional, and local contexts. Previously David worked for the YMCA, Connexions, MHA Care Group, RV estates and Rand Water. David has over 35 years of leadership experience including 20 years in four CEO roles.

As a qualified researcher his doctoral research focussed on the application of organisational values within contemporary inclusive environments. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership and Management, holds a first degree, a master’s degree in management and a national diploma in commercial horticulture. He is experienced in developing innovative models of service delivery, utilising the strength of collaboration.

Treasurer: Andrew Sleigh

Having had a successful career as a finance and strategic director in private companies, Plc’s and Not for profit environments, in more recent years Andrew has been the Chief Financial Officer for a leading national social care charity and more latterly moved into a portfolio career, supporting a wide range of clients adding real value from his financial and management experience.
Appointed as Trustee in 2020, we are pleased that Andrew will bring not just a strength in finance and compliance but a passion for our purpose and delivery of our objectives.

Lynnette Linton

I joined the Board of ARC as a Trustee in December 2020 and this has helped other Trustees to think about ways to make things better for people with additional support needs on the Board.

I have been involved with ARC for over 15 years in a number of different ways including being the Chair for the National Involvement Network for ARC Scotland for four years. I have given presentations and delivered training to organisations about the Charter for Involvement.

I am an Associate Trainer for ARC Scotland and am a Lived Experience Advisory Panel Member on the Learning Disability, Autism and Neurodiversity Bill for the Scottish Government.

I have additional support to live my life the way I want it, and have the confidence to speak up and help others to have their voice heard which is very important to do.

Fiona McCabe

Fiona is Chief Executive of Threshold, a charity supporting people with severe mental illness. Prior to this she worked at Director or Chief Executive level in both local and UK wide pan disability charities. Fiona is a board member of a local social enterprise supporting development of leaders in the civic sector and is an IOD Certified Director. She is passionate about social inclusion, equality and the power of the community and voluntary sector to enable positive change.

Marcus Isherwood

Marcus was appointed as a Trustee on the ARC Board in September 2023. He is the Managing Director of Creative Media, a marketing agency based in Northern Ireland, which he founded in 2000. Marcus has been a Board member of Omagh Enterprise Centre since 2017, and was appointed their Chair in 2020. He was previously President of Omagh Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 2007/08.

Marcus is husband to Sandra and is dad to Scott and Emma. He is a keen runner and food enthusiast.

Angie Ferguson, Perth Autism Support

Angie is the founder and Chief Executive of Perth Autism Support, a charity based in Tayside and supporting children, young people and their families across Perth & Kinross and Dundee City, supporting over 1200 families.

Involved in a wide range of local Third Sector activities, Angie is also a Board Member for a local employability charity, supporting individuals from a range of backgrounds in to employment.

Angie is passionate about equity, inclusion and providing spaces and opportunities for individuals to be able to fulfil their life potential.  As the parent of an autistic young adult, Angie works both locally and nationally to influence education, social care, policy and businesses to make change as an ally of the autistic community.

Stephen Cox

I retired in 2023, after over 40 years working in Social Care, in both the statutory and voluntary sector. I was CEO at two large learning disability support providers and also held other senior positions in organisations working in the social care sector. I have worked on Advisory groups working with Welsh government on policy development and have been a Trustee for a number of 3rd sector organisations. As well as extensive experience of delivering support to vulnerable people I bring skills in financial management, policy and administration, governance and strategic planning.

Hope Lightowler

I am someone with lived experience of Autism, ADHD, mental health conditions, chronic illnesses and living in Adult Social Care.
I also work in the adult social care sector. I have been a personal assistant, I work at PSS and am the co-chair for the working group of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Adult Social Care. I have worked with and continue to work with several other adult social care organisations including ARC England and Shared Lives Plus.
It is so important to make sure that people with lived experience are at the centre of all decision making so adult social care works for the people it needs to. Which is why I am honoured to become a trustee at ARC.