Patrons

Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson DBE

Baroness Grey-Thompson is a British Paralympian, winning eleven gold medals over five Paralympic Games, and now sitting in the House of Lords as a crossbench peer with specialist interests in sport, disability, health and youth development.  Since retiring from athletics, Baroness Grey-Thompson has been active in speaking out on issues including benefit reform and accessible transport. During heated debates in the House of Lords, she has been instrumental in moving several amendments to the Welfare Reform Bill, making insightful contributions and pushing the Government to make concessions. Baroness Grey-Thompson is the President of NCVO and has a longstanding association with the wider voluntary sector, and was appointed in 2011 as the President of the Leadership 20:20 Commission for developing emerging leaders in civil society. She is a patron of numerous charities including Sportsleaders UK, and is a trustee of vInspired, a charity that helps young people become volunteers. As well as this she is the Patron of the Jane Tomlinson Appeal and is a board member of the Tony Blair Sports Foundation.

John Pienaar

John Pienaar is Times Radio’s drivetime presenter, having previously been Radio 5 live’s Chief Political Correspondent and joint presenter of Weekend News. A well-connected and respected figure at the heart of the Westminster scene for two decades, both on Radio 5 live and BBC television, John combines sublime explanation of the key themes of politics with the authority of a seasoned insider.

Sir Martyn Lewis CBE

During his 32 years as a television journalist Martyn anchored every mainstream television news programme on ITV and BBC. His charitable involvement began with the Hospice movement, and expanded over four decades to include the founding of the UK’s first internet charity YouthNet (now themix.org.uk), and embrace areas as diverse as disadvantaged young people, learning disabilities, dementia, military families, volunteering and leadership. A former Chairman of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, he has chaired the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service since 2010. As a long-time advocate of Constructive Journalism, he is the Patron of the magazine Positive News, and also an adviser to Give-Star, a new fundraising platform for charities.

Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP

Sir Lindsay Hoyle’s world has always revolved around politics. As a babe in arms in 1957, he attended his first Labour Party conference with his father, Doug – now Lord Hoyle – then an aspiring MP. From the age of seven, he was a regular on the campaign trail, delivering leaflets to help his father’s first attempt to stand in Clitheroe. Having his appetite wetted by local politics, Lindsay stood and won the Chorley seat in 1997 – the first Labour MP to represent the constituency for 18 years.

On a pledge to keep MPs, staff and their families safe, to be an impartial chair and improve the image of Parliament, Lindsay was elected as Speaker on 4 November 2019, following the resignation of Speaker John Bercow.

At home, Lindsay is a family man and the proud owner of a menagerie of pets. He is devoted to wife Cath, his daughter and two grandchildren. Outside of politics, he is a fan of rugby league, football, cricket and gardening.