Who We Are

Bex Wilson, Founder & Co-Chair of Trustees

Bex is a dedicated educator and the founder of Zarach. She is a Deputy Headteacher in Leeds, which is where Bex witnessed first-hand how poverty affected children’s ability to learn and thrive at school. In 2017, after a pupil told her he didn’t have a bed to sleep in, she felt compelled to act.

Determined to make a difference, Bex launched Zarach to provide beds and essential resources to children living in poverty, ensuring they get the rest they need to succeed. Passionate about education and social justice, Bex continues to drive Zarach forward, raising awareness and working with schools, businesses, and communities to end child bed poverty.

Sarah Beevers, Co-Chair of Trustees

With a 23 year career, beginning in the charity sector and now in banking, I have built a broad skill set in strategic leadership, team development and operational transformation. I’m currently a Co-Chief of Staff in the financial services industry; a dynamic role that sees me working closely with the senior team to drive business priorities and improve organisational effectiveness.

Beyond my professional life, I am a wife and a mum to three boys. I come from a family of teachers and witnessed first hand the positive impact of education and opportunities can have. This fuels my passion for Zarach’s mission to end child bed poverty and support children and families; being a trustee is a huge privilege and I am committed to supporting strategic growth to ensure every child has the foundation to thrive.

Gavin Green, Trustee

Hi, I’m Gavin and I’ve been a trustee at Zarach since 2017, after Bex asked me to help her give out ‘a few beds’ to children in Leeds who didn’t have them – 8 years later and I’m so incredibly proud of the thousands of children we’ve supported.  I have 23 years of experience in the rail industry, across station operations, performance and customer service as well as serving within my local community for the last 5 years as a coach, Club Development Officer and occasional grounds person at my local grassroots football club. Being the father to two children is what reminds me of the importance of a goods night sleep and provides me with the motivation to end child bed poverty.

Martin Barkley, Trustee

I retired in September 2021 after working for the NHS for 49 years in healthcare management.  During the last 27 years of my career I served five NHS Trusts as their Chief Executive. A key focus of my work has been service modernisation, organisational development , governance and leadership.  After my retirement I applied to volunteer at Zarach, believing in the crucial importance of giving children the best possible start in life, and having a bed of your own is so important to this, and after a year of volunteering I was appointed as a Trustee. In addition to this role I am also a Trustee of Yorkshire Cancer Research, a Governor of Leeds Beckett University and Chair of York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Siobhan Hammond, Trustee

I joined Zarach as a trustee in May 2025 after working in the Education sector for more than 18 years, during which time my passion for ensuring our children get the best education possible has only strengthened. I am currently Director of Operations at FusionHR, focussed on supporting schools throughout England, ensuring the right people are in front of our pupils and undertaking their duties correctly. I’m proud to support Zarach with my skills and experience in HR and safeguarding.

Rob Hall, Trustee

I’m a senior finance professional with over a decade of experience in multinational organisations including Bupa, Burberry, and most recently SharkNinja. I bring strong expertise in financial control, reporting, and governance to the Zarach Board. I first heard about Zarach in 2021 at a charity golf day and was immediately struck by the importance of its mission to ensure every child has a safe, comfortable bed. Motivated to support meaningful, lasting change, I am committed to helping strengthen Zarach’s financial oversight, enhance long-term sustainability, and guide the charity’s growth so more children are lifted out of bed poverty.

Zarach Leadership Team

Andy Peers, Chief Executive

Andy has spent 25 years in charity leadership, working with organisations such as The Big Issue and the British Red Cross. Passionate about tackling child poverty, he joined Zarach to lead its mission to ensure every child has a bed of their own. Andy’s career has focused on helping charities grow, improve impact, and drive meaningful change. He is committed to developing partnerships, expanding Zarach’s reach, and ensuring as many children as possible can sleep safely in a warm, comfortable bed. Based in Halifax with his family, Andy is deeply connected to the community Zarach serves. 

Jess Sandy, Head of Family Engagement and National Development

Jess spent over a decade working as a midwife within the NHS before transitioning to the charity sector in 2018. After gaining experience at another charity, she became Zarach’s first paid staff member in April 2019.

As a mother of two and having witnessed the impact of poverty on children and families during her time as a midwife, Zarach’s mission to end child bed poverty resonates deeply with Jess. In her role as Head of Family Engagement and National Development, Jess is passionate about continuing to expand Zarach’s reach across the country to help lift even more children out of bed poverty.

Mark Cohen, Head of Supply Chain and Logistics

Having had a long career in logistics and planning, a change of direction saw Mark begin a position in social care for vulnerable teens, lasting ten years. In 2017, when his daughter, Bex, asked for help in supporting families experiencing bed poverty, he was pleased to be able to combine the skills he’d acquired over the years, and help to establish Zarach. 

Mark’s role as Head of Supply Chain and Logistics sees him develop relationships with manufacturers and suppliers in the bed industry, ensuring great quality products can be delivered to children and can instantly make a change to their lives. Mark is always keen to discuss supply opportunities, as we endeavour to reduce our costs and reach more children, so please reach out. 

Amy Green, Head of Communications

Joining Zarach in 2022, Amy has overseen a number of projects, including the launch of Bed Poverty Free Leeds, fundraising and volunteer events, as well as Zarach’s first media-led Christmas campaign with The Independent in 2023.

Amy is passionate about raising awareness for our mission far and wide, and is determined to create change which will have long lasting effects on the children and families we serve.

Ellie McGrath, Head of Fundraising

Ellie spent much of her early career in alternative education, growing a deep understanding of the challenges young people in poverty face. She then worked for a larger children’s charity developing extensive experience in fundraising, supporter care, and communications.

Having followed Zarach’s story since its beginning and feeling closely aligned with its mission and values, Ellie joined the team in 2024 with the excitement and ambition to see Zarach’s reach grow and more children’s lives impacted.