Our team

Scaramouche - red swoosh

Trustees

Alex Jacobs (Chair)

Alex brings 25 years experience of working in charities at all levels and is currently the Director of the Joffe Trust. He is also a life long dinghy sailor and a member of Yarmouth Sailing Club on the Isle of Wight.

Damilola Ajagbonna

Damilola attended Greig City Academy as a pupil and then worked with Jon Holt as Assistant to the Head of Sixth Form and Outdoor Education. He is now a Deputy Headteacher of a CofE Academy in Islington. Damilola has seen first-hand the power of sailing and outdoor education to bend the arcs of children’s lives towards success. To the trust he brings an awareness of how schools and education work, a passion for the project and a view from the chalk-face. 

Allie Smith

Allie has raced around the world and is a commercially endorsed RYA Yachtmaster Offshore. She has a BA Sports degree and majored in Sports Management and Outdoor Education. Allie currently works for Oyster Yachts as Head of Events, organising their regattas and World Rally. She has been part of the Scaramouche journey since the beginning, starting with getting the yacht MCA compliant as well as supporting the first Fastnet Race in 2017.

Jon Holt

Jon Holt is Head of Sixth Form and Outdoor Education Lead at Greig City Academy, founded the the school sailing programme in 2014. He has a passion for sailing and the life lessons it can offer students. Jon is never far away from Greig City Academy, Cowes or boats. Jon is the driving force behind the project. He was YJA MS Amlin International Sailor of the Decade 2020.

Elspeth McBain

Elspeth is CEO of Lighthouse, Poole, the UK’s largest regional Arts Centre.

Elspeth’s career has been primarily within nationally important landmark arts venues, including English National Opera, the Royal Festival Hall, and the Southbank Centre. She began her career however in community arts in the London Borough of Lambeth, ensuring that diverse communities were able to access a wide range of arts activities. She is passionate about ensuring that young people have access to cultural activities. She is now an enthusiastic sailor, having taken up the sport when moving to Poole and turning 50.

James Evans

James has practised as a barrister specialising in commercial law since 1993 and has been based in Buckler’s Hard for over 30 years. He is an enthusiastic sailor, particularly of classic yachts. James is currently a Cowes Harbour Commissioner and a governor of the Christopher Hatton Primary School

Support to GCA Sailing

  • Media representative: Lou Johnson
  • Regular Skippers: Nick Hopwood, Amanda Mochrie, Cressida Robson
  • Regular RIB Support: Anthony Osborne, Gaye Andrews
  • Coaches: Matt Reid, Henry Blowers, Montel Fagan-Jordan