The Gap News Team
31 Oct 2024
Thank you Dave for your service to young people
After 14 years of working for the Gap, David West-Mullen is standing down as a Trustee of the charity. David, who was initially brought in to be a Mentor for the Charity’s volunteers, took over the reins back in 2011.
By January 2012 the Trustees invited David to be Project Manager and a member of the Board of Trustees. David set about evaluating the current work being undertaken by the Charity in the Venue drop-in in Sutton Coldfield town centre and the work being carried out in schools. David was responsible for reviving communication with the Gap’s supporters and prayer warriors, local churches and funders as well as volunteers. He set about visiting all the local churches around the Sutton area, doing presentations about the work the Gap does and encouraging people to become volunteers. He used his extensive networking skills to get the right people on board and connect to the groups and committees that were going to be helpful for the Charity. One such meeting resulted in three volunteers coming on board.
David realised that being the only part-time paid worker was being hindered somewhat by not having another youth worker (a female preferably) and by 2013 Hannah Hughes was recruited. Hannah was responsible for establishing HeadSpace, the Gap’s school mentoring support project.
David’s passion for seeing young people be heard and helped continued to grow as volunteers and visitors increased. HeadSpace grew and staff and trained volunteers were now busy seeing young people on a weekly term-time basis in three schools.
David has always desired to have the Gap seen as a significant and integral part of the local community, cementing relationships with Police, shop owners, security operators, other youth work providers, social enterprises and the churches. ”People would often ask what Gap stood for and I would tell them it wasn’t chosen as an acronym but rather it was symbolic of choosing to get alongside local young people who fell between the cracks of the school system, home and/or society – the marginalised and the hard-to-reach”.
The Gap has weathered many a crisis including the Covid Pandemic, a significant fall in financial support resulting in having to let go of staff and offices, the ever-growing need in schools for mentoring amongst the young people as well the ever-shrinking funding availability and, if anything, all of this has only gone on to strengthen the Charity’s resolve.
“I believe the current staff and Trustees are the strongest and most forward-focused Board the Gap has had in its history and they are well placed to continue the legacy left by Steve and Charlie, (who began the project back in 2008) and myself. The Gap has come to be recognised as a dedicated organisation in the work of reaching the young people who would otherwise be left to their own devices”
David continues “I believe this was a God-given role as I was most certainly untrained for it and completely out of my comfort zone when I first undertook the role. On reflection I am really pleased how it has grown along the way (through the tough times and the miraculously amazing moments that clearly marked its journey thus far), and how much I have learned along the way but as for me now, it’s a new season ahead and I am very excited to see what God has in store”.
Reuben Pearse was appointed Chair of Trustee from 1st November 2024. Reuben has been a trustee since 2015 and also volunteers at The Venue when he has the time.
Reuben, Chair of Trustees comments:
“On behalf of the trustees, workers and volunteers I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to David for everything he has done for The Gap over the last 14 years, both as a Project Manager and a Trustee. His commitment, guidance and inspiring leadership will be greatly missed. We have all learnt so much from him.
Following David’s comments, I believe we have an experienced and dedicated group of trustees, workers, and volunteers whose hearts are set on continuing the good work of reaching out to and supporting young people.
We would appreciate your prayers as we enter this transition period and continue to take The Gap forward into the next chapter. We are particularly thankful that David will be continuing to volunteer for HeadSpace as a mentor for young people.
During this time I am reminded of the verse in Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Reuben Pearse (Chair of Trustees)
