Our Team
Meet the Golddigger Trust team.
Click on the tabs below the pictures to find out more about each team member.
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Back in 2005, Amanda had a dream to support young people around issues of self esteem and so, alongside co-founders Rachel and Claire, began Golddigger Trust.
Having worked in youth work for a number of years in Sheffield, Birmingham, Kent and Norfolk before founding the Trust, Amanda was hugely aware of the need for honesty and the need to face up to the 'real issues', so drew on her experience and skills to devise the 'I'm The Girl I Want To Be' course and music project, Golddigger.
Amanda is passionate about working creatively with young people and creating excellent resources and projects that are effective and relevant.
Alongside forming the 'Senior Leadership Team' with Beth, Amanda oversees the creative elements of Golddigger Trust, developing our current resources and forming new projects.
Amanda juggles all this with raising 4 children and enjoys party planning, long muddy walks, decorating, and making everything look pretty!
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Beth joined Golddigger Trust in January 2009 and following 4 years as Co-Director alongside Amanda, became Chief Executive in 2013. Prior to joining the Trust, Beth worked for a variety of youth work charities and faith based organisations, specialising in strategy, event management and hands-on youth work in urban and deprived areas.
Beth is a popular communicator and commentator at conferences and within national media. Beth oversees the strategic and operational development of Golddigger Trust, helping us to help more young people, and is a natural visionary and leader.
Beth has a Masters degree in Charity Resource Management, and holds the Insititute of Fundraising Diploma in Fundraising (MInstFDip), ACIE Certificate in Charitable Accounting and the ICEAW Diploma in Charitable Accounting (DChA)... and a B in GCSE maths!
Beth loves cooking food with her husband, going on adventures with her two little girls, and is a huge West Wing fan
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Gareth joined the Golddigger Trust staff team in September 2021 to follow his passion of supporting young people’s mental health and wellbeing; helping them to discover who they were made to be. After growing up in Reading, Gareth moved to Blackpool to be with his now wife and raise their three girls, until 2019 when they all moved to the right side of the Pennines! With a background in acting, sports, and a number of years running NCS programmes, Gareth has always been one for being active and creative in a variety of ways, and is keen to support young people’s wellbeing through these activities. In his spare time, Gareth loves keeping fit, watching as much sport as possible, grabbing a good cup of coffee and spending time with his family (not necessarily in that order!)
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Ella Joined the Golddigger Trust Team in December 2023.
After qualifying as a learning disability nurse and social worker, Ella has experienced working in both community and inpatient mental health organisations over the last few years.
Ella loves working with young people to promote their mental health and wellbeing and is so excited to be given the opportunity to do this in such a creative and innovative way! Having lived in Sheffield all her life, Ella actually watched Golddigger Trust and took part in a school course when she was younger!
A lover a good sing and dance, she and will often be heard telling the worst jokes (self-confessed). She also has a passion for all things food and will most definitely be interested in what everyone is having for tea!
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Hannah joined the Golddigger Trust staff team (originally as a Girls Project Worker) in September 2017 and is super excited to be in her dream job, helping young people to discover their true potential.
Originally from Dudley, Hannah came to Sheffield to study Education, Psychology and Counselling at Sheffield Hallam University, and is a qualified Integrative Counsellor, with a Professional Diploma in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy. She's also half way through studying for a Masters in Young People's Mental Health... busy busy!
Hannah has previous experience supporting women and girls involved in sex work in Thailand, and in colleges and on the Sheffield Rape Crisis helpline, using her counselling skills and amazing approachability to help people understand their value.
Hannah loves to be active and previously ran the London Marathon, and also enjoys hanging out with her friends and cooking up lovely food!
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Richard joined Golddigger Trust in August 2021 as part of the Development Team, with a focus on operations and finance. Having been a youth worker for a number of years, more recently he has shifted his focus to more administrative roles. He loves the opportunity to work to support the Golddigger Trust team in the amazing work we do with young people all over Sheffield. After moving around a lot and living all over the place, Richard moved to Sheffield in 2017 and has found it to be a wonderful place to call home. In his spare time, he loves to explore Sheffield's green spaces with his family and collect second hand books.
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Ellen joined Golddigger Trust in January 2022 to follow her love of working with young people and shouting about the importance of looking after our wellbeing! A native scouser, Ellen's moved across the Pennines with a stop off up in Lancaster - all the way working with young people in lots of different guises, including a stint as a high school science lab technician. Not bad for a girl with an English Literature degree, huh!
In her spare time you'd probably find Ellen curled up reading with her cats or cooking up a brand new recipe for her ever encouraging partner.
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David joined the Golddigger Trust staff team in January 2023 to pursue his passion to work with and support young people across all different walks of life.
After growing up near Wycombe, studying Sports Science in Bath, and working with young people in Canada, David moved to Sheffield with his wife in 2022 and they are loving settling in to Yorkshire life.
David enjoys spending time playing sports and being outdoors - recognising how it boosts his wellbeing - and also loves being around people, watching great movies and playing fun games with his friends and family.
After working with young people across summer camps, local youth groups and work placement support, David is excited to support the young people of Sheffield as part of the Golddigger Trust Team!
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Pippa joined the team in September 2023.
Originally from the Sussex coast, she moved to London to study Sociology at university and then spent the next ten years in youth work, in various parts of London and even a few years ‘up north’ in Hull.
After a few years expressing her creativity by working in fashion visual merchandising and styling, she missed fulfilling her purpose and passion in supporting young people to flourish so switched from dressing mannequins to working in a South London secondary school with students who had SEN, Literacy and Wellbeing needs.
A self-confessed coffee snob, Pippa moved to Sheffield in 2019 to continue working to empower and equip young people and loves running in the lush parks and woodland, as well as mooching the vintage shops and art galleries with friends.
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Adam joined Golddigger Trust in November 2023 to continue his passion for supporting young people as a youth worker, a job he began in Birmingham back in 2013.
He has lived abroad in Tenerife for a number of years before moving to Sheffield to join our Wellbeing Team, bringing with him various experiences working in youth work based projects.
In his spare time he enjoys gaming, collecting old games consoles and spending time with his wife walking in the peak district.
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Latifah joined the team in January 2023. Born in South Africa, she moved to Leeds when she was 10 years old (which was a slight culture shock, why is it so cold here!?).
After studying Psychology at the University of Chester, she began her youth work career training on the Isle of Man for a year before moving to Sheffield in 2016.
Her passion for working with young people followed her across the Irish Sea as she has been a youth worker for various organisations across Sheffield and some time working with young people in Argentina.
Latifah loves to learn new things and as a result has a silly amount of hobbies and pastimes including puzzles, chess, collecting odd socks and practising her Spanish.
One of her biggest passions is music (of which she has released some of her own), so if you ever need to find her in a building, follow the noise.
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Alice has been part of Golddigger Trust since September 2017 and is passionate about working with and supporting those deemed most vulnerable and on the fringes of society. Having previously worked here as a Girls Project Worker and Girls Team Coordinator, she now focuses on ensuring every young person who asks for help is able to access support!
She has previously worked in a residential setting and a college supporting people with autism, learning disabilities and additional needs, and worked for 2 years supporting young offenders in the North East. With a background in drama having studied Theatre and Performance in Newcastle, Alice met her husband while she was working for Riding Lights Theatre Company and they now have three young children who help keep their dreams alive!
Alice enjoys a good coffee and a chat, preferably accompanied by cake and is trying to find the best place to do this where the kids can play instead of stealing the froth off her cappuccino!
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Marie joined the Golddigger team in August 2024. Having previously worked at a training college for young people with special educational needs, she enjoys working with youth and being a supportive person that they can turn to when they need help.
Marie has an LLB Law degree, and a master’s in International Criminology. During her time at university, she developed a particular interest in youth justice, and completed a dissertation project looking into the impact of sports clubs on youth crime. She has a soft spot for the young people of Sheffield, and is excited to empower them to make positive choices and improve their wellbeing.
A Yorkshire girl through and through, Marie has a passion for Sheffield, and loves to celebrate the beauty of this city. In particular, she loves (and sometimes hates) to watch the greatest football team on earth, Sheffield United, and goes to every home game with her dad and brothers. Most days, you will find Marie drinking a big mug of Yorkshire Tea, with her cat Harry on her knee.
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Rebekah has been part of Golddigger Trust since September 2024.
After completing her degree in Primary Education at Durham University, Rebekah moved back to Sheffield and taught in a Sheffield school for fifteen years, specialising in Teaching & Learning, English and Reading for Pleasure. She worked with pupils across schools in the region as an English SLE. Rebekah has always been passionate about working with and supporting young people to discover their potential which is why she is excited to join the team at Golddigger Trust.
Rebekah has always lived in Sheffield, other than living in Sri Lanka for a brief period whilst completing a charity project at University. In her spare time, Rebekah enjoys keeping active whether that's running around after her young family and puppy or a good hike in the Peak District with friends; travel and anything creative and crafty!
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Rachel joined the Golddigger Team in October 2024. Originally from Leeds, she moved to Sheffield in 2018 to study Social Work at Sheffield Hallam University. After four years of study, Rachel qualified as a social worker in 2022. Before joining us Rachel worked as a children’s social worker for two years in children’s safeguarding. She has also worked as a personal care assistant and for MENCAP working with children with learning disabilities and difficulties. Rachel is looking forward to continuing working with young people in Sheffield as part of the team at Golddigger. She is excited about having the opportunity to focus on young people’s mental health and wellbeing.
Rachel is a huge of Taylor Swift and will hear no slander! You will often find Rachel in a cafe or a bookshop as she loves a cuppa and a great book. She loves wild swimming and often goes for chilly dips in the Peak District.