Local health and wellbeing charity Rise has strengthened its team with three key appointments.  

From its base in North Shields, Rise uses physical activity to tackle health, social and economic inequalities to improve the quality of life for disadvantaged communities and hard to reach groups across Northumberland and Tyne & Wear. 

The charity, which is part of a network of 42 Active Partnerships across the country, has appointed Helen Tong, Lindsay Peach and Tracy Saunders. 

Helen joins Rise as business development director, a newly created role to develop and implement the charity’s income diversification and sustainability strategy.  

She has a wealth of experience in marketing and brand communications with senior roles as group head of marketing and communications at Keepmoat Homes and strategic marketing consultant at Avant Homes.  

Lindsay joins Rise as trusts and foundations manager to diversify its income streams. She has worked in the charity sector for 15 years with a range of roles at regional and national charities, including the Alzheimer’s Society, Changing Lives, Centrepoint and North East Autism Society.  

Tracy has joined Rise as an administration officer. She brings more than 17 years expertise working in customer services within the mortgage industry and will be primarily focused on supporting the leadership team.  

The appointments support the charity’s ‘Rise Together Strategy,’ a ten-year vision to reduce inequalities and improve the quality of life for the communities that need it the most in Northumberland and Tyne & Wear, through sport and physical activity. 

Chief Executive of Rise Clare Morley said: “Helen, Lindsay and Tracy are experienced in their fields and add to an already talented and dedicated team.  

“They join us at an exciting time. We have made a huge amount of progress securing more funding and increasing the charity’s profile in the last 18 months as we work to build back fairer following the pandemic. 

“Their skills and passion will help us to be even more actively involved in helping communities and businesses to stay physically and mentally well by reducing barriers to physical activity. This includes sourcing more funding and supporting many more community-based projects specifically aimed at improving quality of life and people’s physical and mental wellbeing in our Active Partnership area.”