Our People

Mark has over 30 year’s management experience within the leisure sector, starting on the ground floor as a lifeguard and fitness coach. He has significant leadership expertise having managed leisure and community centres, sports grounds and sports development teams; and has been involved in strategic level management since 1996 and has previously worked in Operations and Business Development Director roles. 

Appointed as Chief Executive of Circadian Trust in 2006, he has overseen the development of the company from fledgling independent Charity to successful Social Enterprise. In 2016 he was selected as the Institute of Directors 3rd Sector Director of the Year (South West). 

Mark is a passionate advocate of the power of sport and physical activity and the positive influence and effects it can have on individuals and communities. He is also a Trustee of South Gloucestershire Councils for voluntary Services, a former regional Chair and Executive Board member of the Sports and Recreation Trusts Association (Sporta) and former Chair of the National Skills Academy Regional Operations Group.

Craig has been working in the leisure industry for over 30 years, climbing his way up the ladder from work experience to Operations Director. This includes various roles at Yate, Kingswood and Bradley Stoke.   

Craig manages and coordinates the operation of all company facilities, taking the lead role in delivering continual improvements to service delivery and financial performance.  He is a keen sportsman and one of the country’s rare QPR fans.

Ian has an Industrial background from the Steel Industry whilst working part-time in leisure.  He has worked full time in leisure since 1981 and whilst working for several Authorities he quickly moved up the ranks through various promotions.  At the age of 36 Ian went to university to study Energy Management.  

At Circadian Trust Ian now manages the Facilities Management support section. This is a varied role but key areas are managing building services, energy and environmental management, health and safety, ground maintenance and capital refurbishments for Circadian Trust buildings.

Ben has been working in the leisure and hospitality sector for over 25 years. After studying Sport and Recreation Management at the University of Birmingham, his career began as a health development specialist. He spent a number of years working for the Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Trust, and as an examiner for the American College of Sports Medicine, before moving into the private sector in a number of senior management roles.  

Ben was part of the team who set up the country’s first Healthy Living Centre in South London and has worked on many new business tenders including those for large multi-national corporates. Following his employment by another Trust as Group Brand Manager, Ben joined Circadian Trust in his current role of Director of Commercial Development. 

Joanna joined Circadian Trust (then South Gloucestershire Council) in 2002 and became Head of Sphere Leisure when the trading company was formed in 2005. Joanna has over 25 years of hospitality and catering management experience, managing food and beverage operations within many sectors, from contract catering and school meals to pubs and bistros.  

 At Circadian Trust Joanna is directly responsible for the management of all the Soho Coffee Co. franchises based within Active Centres as well as the overall financial performance of Sphere Leisure Ltd. Over the past ten years she has lead major capital investment projects to develop our own food and beverage outlets within Active Centres. When not working She can usually be found dog walking in wellies!

Fiona studied at the University of Canterbury (where she also successfully captained the ladies rugby team).  Before joining Circadian, she acquired marketing and business experience with a number of companies, including Unigate, Chapel House marketing and publishing, Autonumis engineering and Cotswold Intumescent. 

In 2005, Fiona landed her ideal job combining her passion for health and fitness with her passion for marketing.  She has now been with Circadian Trust for 13 years having progressed from Marketing Manager to Sales and Marketing Manager and is currently employed as Head of Marketing. 

Fiona is a very strong advocate of the positive physical and mental benefits of regular exercise.  Outside of work she has a keen interest in many types of physical activities including running, cycling, water sports, ball sports, and the gym.  Her other talents lie in creative art; mainly in the form of graphic design, painting, drawing and a spot of sculpting.

Jim started his career in Health and Fitness in 1999 as a Fitness Instructor at Thornbury Leisure Centre. He soon progressed, moving into the role as Fitness Manager, managing both Thornbury and Bradley Stoke before joining the GP Referral Scheme run by South Gloucestershire Public Health and Wellbeing division.

Jim spent 12 years working in various roles on the GP Referral Scheme and formed part of the team which went onto win the prestigious APSE Award (Association of Public Service Excellence).

During 2017, Jim was appointed as Healthy Lifestyle Manager at Circadian trust to develop the “Healthy Lifestyle on Referral Scheme”.  The scheme is aimed at Health Professionals enabling them to refer patients who are inactive, with a medical condition, to manage or prevent their condition through a tailored, supervised and structure physical activity programme.

Jim is also a former professional footballer playing for Walsall, Cardiff City and Forest Green Rovers; he is currently the Assistant Manager at Bath City where he made 483 appearances as a player.

Since leaving University with an HND in Leisure Management, Sonja has worked in the Leisure Industry for 22 years in both the private and public sector (not including her time as a casual lifeguard).  Starting out as a Lifestyle Consultant and qualifying as an Advanced Gym Instructor she then progressed into Management.  Sonja had various management roles in private health club companies until 2003, also gaining the NEBOSH qualification. Shortly afterwards she joined South Gloucestershire Leisure Trust.   

Sonja has always had a passion for water and health & safety – which comes from many years of swimming and surf lifesaving competitively. 

Dave has been working in the leisure industry for over 30 years, starting as a Casual Lifeguard at Thornbury in the early eighties. After spells as a Leisure Assistant and Duty Manager, Dave moved into the private sector where he held various Health Club Manager positions. He returned to South Gloucestershire in 1996 as Fitness Manager at Yate where he started the highly successful circuit class (which still runs today with over 100 people attending each session). Dave then progressed to senior Fitness Manager before moving into his current role.  

At Circadian Trust, Dave is directly responsible for the management of fitness activities across the Active Fitness brand; developing and delivering quality of service for our customers and developing strategies to ensure continual improvement. 

Anyone who knows Dave will be aware that he is a season ticket holder at Chelsea, and was a keen rugby player having now retired.  He is also a frustrated travel agent, spending many an evening planning his annual holidays too far away destinations. 

Martyn has worked in the leisure industry for 23 years in both public leisure centres and private health clubs.  He has held many roles including Lifeguard, Group Exercise Instructor and various management positions, and has been a trained Tai Chi Instructor for over 14 years.    

Martyn is committed to improving health and is a regular blood donor with over 115 units of blood given. He enjoys what he does, and has a real passion to help people become more active.  Martyn is a big believer in improving the centres he works in, so if you have any comments, suggestions or improvements he is happy to hear them.

With over 25 years’ experience in the health and fitness sector, Rob started out as a Fitness Instructor and Group Exercise Instructor. Having managed his first gym at the age of 19 he progressed through multiple management roles with multiple providers within the private health club sector.   

Rob has worked for Circadian Trust for over three years Managing Kingswood and currently Bradley Stoke. Rob believes that exercise is the miracle cure and can make a huge difference to a person’s physical and mental wellbeing.

Centre Manager for Thornbury and Yate Active Lifestyle Centres.

Leisure professional in the charity sector and enthusiastic triathlete.

I have been working in Leisure for over 20 years. I started as a casual lifeguard, swimming teacher and Lifeguard trainer assessor, progressing to Centre Manager.  I have worked as  Centre Manager at Longwell Green, Yate and Thornbury and am also Head of Aquatics for the organisation.

In my spare time I enjoy mountain biking, hash running, skiing and swimming.  I am passionate about inspiring people to lead an active lifestyle and helping them to make a difference.