Giving time and expertise to Go Underhill
Mumbles Community Association Trustees
All of our Trustees are volunteers, some of whom have been working on Go Underhill for many years. They are:
Martin Rodwell
Interim Chair & Lead for Fundraising; Mumbles Rugby representative
As the lead in attracting sponsors for Mumbles Rugby Club Martin brings his experience to MCA and the challenge to raise significant funds for the Go Underhill project.
Martin was Chairman of the rugby club for 6 years and currently holds the post of Vice Chairman of the club as well as a Trustee of MCA.
Mike Podbielski
Secretary & Lead for Park operational management
The Secretary of Mumbles Rangers Football Club from 2002 to 2021, Mike was a founding member of Underhill 2000, which eventually became Mumbles Community Association. His passion for football and support for the community have led to public recognition, as a finalist in 2013 Grassroots Sports Coach of the Year in the South Wales Evening Post Pride Awards, and in being awarded ‘The Honour of Mumbles’ by Mumbles Community Council in 2016.
Originally from Wiltshire, Mike has lived in Newton with his wife June since 1987. Being from a a sporting family herself, June has not only supported Mike to give time to both the club and MCA, but also helped out with Mumbles Rangers for 20+ years. Their two children and six grandchildren have all enjoyed the delights of Underhill Park.
Alex Deeks
Lead for MCA Youth Group; Friends of Mumbles Parks representative
Alex has been a trustee of MCA since 2020 and is a founding member of Friends of Mumbles Parks who, in 2019 oversaw the redevelopment of the playground at Underhill Park. She is a passionate advocate for access for all to outdoor spaces and in providing opportunities for all children to be able to play safely outdoors.
Alex has three children, some who attend the local primary school, and are all near permanent fixtures of the local playgrounds and beaches. In her spare time, she enjoys swimming at the local beaches such as Langland.
Fiona Rees
Lead for Communications & Marketing
An experienced communications and marketing professional with her own small business, Fiona uses her expertise to help MCA keep everyone informed by getting relevant messages out in a timely way. She manages the website and also provides the magic pen that takes information and presents it so that it’s right for the audience – whether that’s the community, stakeholders, or grant funding bodies.
Whilst Fiona’s sport is tennis, having been brought up in the area, and knowing the important role Underhill Park has in Mumbles, she has happily given her time to MCA since summer 2019.
Chris Parkin MBE
Mumbles Rangers representative
Having actively been involved with Mumbles Rangers Football Club since the early 1980’s, Chris has a long held commitment to seeing improved facilities in Underhill Park. He was one of the founder members of Underhill 2000 and has been with MCA since it was formed. Chris is passionate about delivering facilities which will give current and future generations the opportunities to enable them to achieve the best they can.
Starting out at Mumbles Rangers as coach for the under 6’s, Chris has held many different roles over the years, including Club Chairman, which he has been able to do due to the considerable support given by his wife Judy. Chris derives great pleasure from his family – which includes six grandchildren – football, and sport in general, and is delighted that three of his four grandsons are currently playing for Mumbles Rangers.
Clive Davies
Interim Treasurer & Mumbles Rugby representative
Born and raised in Mumbles, Clive was an accountant who formed a property development and construction company in 1988 with his two business partners before retiring to help look after his six grandchildren.
He captained Mumbles Youth in the 1971/72 season and went on to play for the rugby club for 21 years. Clive has been on the committee at the Club for 30 years and has been either Treasurer or Secretary for the last 20 years. He was appointed President of the Club in 2023. He has been involved with MCA since the outset.
Dennis Cann
Lead for Hub café
Dennis has been in catering business since 2006 and formerly owned Café TwoCann in the SA1 development. He has also run a successful outside catering company and initially assisted Go Underhill with the layout and costings for the grant bid for the Community Hub and Café. Having recently retired from the catering business, Dennis has kindly offered to continue to advise us on the project.
Prior to entering the hospitality world, Dennis spent 38 years working for global IT services organisation EDS, and initially came to Swansea heading up the team supporting the DVLA IT services. He lives with his wife Catherine in Mumbles and enjoys walking the dog, dining out and the occasional glass of wine!
Mark Wade
Mumbles Rangers representative
Underhill has been a part of Mark’s life since an early age. He remembers playing football, rugby and cricket there from age 6/7 and has been a part of Mumbles Rangers since then. Mark’s father was also a big part of Rangers, having started the club’s junior section to accommodate Mark and his brother who became some of the first members of junior teams. And Mark’s sons have followed the family path, having started playing from age 5, they are now playing for the club’s senior teams.
Mark has lived in Mumbles all his life and is well known in the village. He is using his knowledge, passion and connections to continue the work at Underhill and ensure what is delivered is in line with the needs of the sporting community.
Mark Child
New Trustee summer 2024
Having always lived in the area, Mark has been fully aware of the need to update the facilities at Underhill for many years. With the brilliant new facilities now in place, and being retired, Mark has joined the Board so he can play a part in ensuring their use is maximised and that they are sustainable. He imagines Underhill becoming a shared home for many sporting activities, a place for health, fitness and wellbeing for all our community, where enjoyment is had, friends made, and memories forged.
Mark is also a member of Mumbles Yacht Club, enjoys running, swimming, cycling, walking, live music, and good beer.
Michael Cann
New Trustee summer 2024
A former professional Glamorgan cricketer who is actively involved in Welsh Cricket, Michael is still playing for Wales O50s, and is passionate about what sport can do for young people and communities.
Having graduated in Biochemistry from Swansea University, Michael had a corporate career at executive and board level, having gained an MBA from Warick Business School, and more recently becoming a Chartered Director and Fellow of the Institute of Directors (IoD). He has strategic and commercial business management skills which should help the development of the Park.
Married to Caroline who was also at Swansea University, Michael came back to Wales to live in Mumbles a couple of years ago.
Mark Williams
New Trustee summer 2024
Mark has been involved with Underhill Park since moving to Mumbles in 1994; as a place to play with his children, walk the dog and to watch local football and rugby. A junior league and youth coach with Mumbles Rangers for twenty years, he has spent many evenings and weekends in the park, usually carrying bags full of cones, bibs & footballs! Nowadays, Mark is more likely to be refereeing than coaching but Underhill remains an important part of his life.
With a 30-year banking career behind him, including six years managing the Community Equipment Service for Swansea Council, Mark is hoping to use his knowledge and experience to help Mumbles Community Association progress and build on the tremendous improvements that have already been made to the park.
Meirion Howells
Special Adviser for construction
Meirion has been working with the team at MCA since 2018, assisting with matters relating to the design, costing and tendering of the new facilities. His skills and development expertise have been invaluable in helping MCA progress the plans for the Park.
A local who is passionate about his family, rugby, work, and the community, Meirion was formally appointed as a Special Adviser following the awarding of the construction contract in early 2022.