Responding to community needs
We look for and invite ideas for improving the community from local residents, organisations and other community groups.
Working with others
We collaborate with local community groups and organisations to deliver improvements. These include, but are not limited to: Jesmond Library / Jesmond Pool / End ASB in Jesmond / Jesmond Methodist Church / Jesmond Community Forum / Friends Of Jesmond Dene / The Armstrong Project / West Jesmond Allotments Association / North Highbury Allotments / Northumberland Tennis club / Jesmond Dene Real Tennis Club / local councillors / Jesmond Residents Assocation / United Reformed Church / St Georges Church / Local businesses / Universities / Jesmond Community Orchard.
Who are we?
Peter Breakey, Director
Peter Breakey is a solicitor (non-practising) and an Assistant Professor in the School of Law at Northumbria University. He has worked at the School of Law since 1990, teaching a variety of subjects; his main area of interest is company law.
Peter has been closely involved in a number of Jesmond projects. In 1991, he became the first Chairman and founder member the charitable company that operates Jesmond Swimming Pool. https://jesmondpool.online/. From 2008- 2016 he was a member of Newcastle City Council, representing North Jesmond. In 2012 he became the first Chair and founding member of the Friends of Jesmond Library, the charitable company which operates Jesmond Library. He was re-appointed as Chair of the Library in 2024. https://jesmondlibrary.org/. More recently, Peter has become a Trustee of The Armstrong Project, a CIO which is trying to restore the Banqueting Hall in Jesmond Dene. https://www.williamarmstrong.info/.
Julian Hargreaves, Director
Julian is a retired GP, Trustee of Friends of Jesmond Library and Treasurer of Keep Jesmond Clean, and does other voluntary work as Membership Secretary of West Jesmond Allotments and with City Parks and the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust (formerly Sustrans).
Phil Spencer, Director
Phil has been a resident of Jesmond since 1986 when he moved to West Jesmond as a 20-year-old. He has been employed in a wide range of jobs, most of the time in public service roles with the Police and Mental Health Social Services. He also worked for a few years as a social worker in the charitable sector. Phil is a member of Keep Jesmond Clean and an allotment holder.
Silas Aarvold, Director
Silas lives in Jesmond Vale and was born and brought up in Newcastle. He taught at a pupil referral unit in West Denton for over 10 years before moving to be a manager at an escape rooms business in the city centre. He now runs his own escape room business on Gosforth High Street. He describes himself as “a dad, an enthusiastic cyclist, a joke teller, and very keen to help motivate others to learn, be curious, and solve problems”.
Sarah Mercer, Director
Having practised as a solicitor in London for ten years, Sarah moved north to teach law at what was then Newcastle Polytechnic. Now retired, she has lived in Jesmond for almost forty years, is a trustee of Jesmond Library and involved with the Community Orchard, the Repair Cafe and the Friends of St George’s.