The Roost is a registered charity and everyone involved in it is committed to the flourishing of young adults in our beautiful county.
Our team is led by Beth Rookwood, our founding trustee, certified holistic development coach, ordained pioneer minister in the Church of England and experienced youth, schools and young adults worker. Her team, which includes young adults, deliver the work of The Roost.
Barney is our lead on cultivating the outdoor space. He is never happier than when mowing the lawn!
Angela lives in North Northumberland, and loves getting out in the hills & beaches. Often to be found with a cuppa in her hand & a board game on the table, her passion is connecting people & building community with them.
Rachel is born & bred in the North East, raising her family in the village right by the Roost Outdoor Space. A keen gardener with a love for the outdoors, she brings these gifts and her administrative experience to The Roost ops team!
As a group of trustees we are responsible for the overall running of The Roost. Between us we have many years of experience of working in healthcare, business and local authority professions, and in areas of both research and practical engagement with young adults.
Tara and her family finally acted on their dream to move to the North East in the summer of 2021. They have been cultivating some vegetable beds at their new home, and enjoying living on one of the Northern Saint’s Trails. Tara is The Roost’s Chair of Trustees.
Lindsey is our designated safeguarding officer. She loves the great outdoors – especially in the sunshine! Lindsey trained as a careers advisor and has worked in a variety of settings managing projects to support young people into employment, education and training.
Michael is our Treasurer – He lives with his wife Christina and two pugs, Meg & Belle, in Morpeth. They enjoy exploring the outdoors together as a family.
Sarah is our Trustee who helps with funding and research. When she isn’t looking for hidden woodland spots in Newcastle, she loves exploring the beaches of Northumberland.
Having a safe person to talk to can be hugely helpful to people experiencing a tangle of thoughts and emotions. We work with many young adults offering this sort of listening support – over the phone, walking in a forest, sitting in a field. All sessions are confidential and are kind and gentle spaces intended to honour and support what the young adult is going through, and perhaps work with them to identify what their next steps might be. If you would like to arrange a conversation like this please contact Beth.
Being with others and exploring areas young adults frequently face can be a really helpful way of moving forward and growing in understanding. Workshops on subjects such as self-esteem, self-discovery and self-care offer really useful practices that can then be implemented into every day life.
Retreats exploring silence, soul-care and connecting with nature offer opportunities to take a break from usual rhythms to explore new ones. Time away can often mean our time ‘coming home’ is richer and more meaningful.
All of us at The Roost love being outdoors, and we have experienced first hand the healing power of nature. Most of our activities take place outdoors, and, for the first time, we have our own little piece of land that we are cultivating to make it ours. Come along to dig, sow, grow, weed, make fires, cook food and be part of a community who cares about looking after the land well.
As a registered charity we report to the charity commission in areas to do with good working practice. On a more local level, we partner with The Church of England and the Diocese of Newcastle, particularly in the area of safeguarding. Where we work in existing centres such as schools, churches or colleges, we establish partnership agreements which are agreed by all those involved. As The Roost Community we are one of the expressions of contextual Christian community within the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle.
Our designated safeguarding officer is Elodie Hewes. Elodie is responsible for the safer recruitment, safeguarding training and implementation at The Roost.
If you have any questions, queries or concerns, please contact her on elodie@roostcommunity.org or contact Beth Rookwood on 07793 964392.