Our team

Vicky Burston-Yates

Chairperson

I have lived in Chepstow for nearly 15 years and I wholeheartedly believe it is a beautiful town for my daughters to grow up in. With its beautiful surroundings and community heart it is easy to fall in love with living in Chepstow and I am proud to call it my home.

I have always been a people focused person, wanting to make a difference to others. Professionally I achieved this by becoming a primary school teacher and then, whilst at home with my daughters, I set up CHIP Chepstow as an online family community aiming to connect people and families to the wonderful groups and services that Chepstow has to offer. Now I am a Business Engagement Advisor for Careers Wales, enabling secondary school students to prepare for the world of work after education.

As a child I was lucky enough to be surrounded by the Malvern Hills and I loved nothing more than long family dog walks with my brother and sisters. We would always come up with a new adventure to play as we climbed trees and collected treasures that my Mum would find in her pockets for days after. It would be my absolute dream to combine that sort of imaginative play with our town park. To bring our community together! And in light of the pandemic I now truly value the gift of time with our children, our families and our friends.

Clare Lawrence

Vice Chair

I’m mostly known for my work as a wedding photographer, photographing many Chepstow families for well over a decade, I’ve photographed weddings all over the UK and abroad.

In the last two years I have moved into television as both photographer and senior production coordinator where I manage budgets, logistics, schedules, hire crew and make the impossible possible! My recent credits include; ‘Remarkable Places to Eat’ on BBC 2, China’s Greatest Treasures for BBC World News and currently I am working on EarthSound, a 12-part series for Apple TV+.

My passion is telling stories and making stories happen which is also why I am committed to the project for FDPC. I want to be part of a legacy in Chepstow and enable families to create happy memories in the park. It’s sad seeing it so unused and the space so under-utilised! Lets change that!

My favourite childhood park memory is the monkey bars! It's a distant memory being so supple but I remember hanging for hours upside down!

Karen Chadwick

I have been a member of FDPC since 2016. I am a single mum of four boys, all growing up fast aged from 14 to 21 years old. My background is in social work, and I have worked with the children with disabilities team and children's services for many years. I currently work with the Pobl housing group, providing housing and welfare benefits advice and support.

I have always been keen to get involved in community work and have previously been a trustee for Homestart in Monmouthshire, and set up a playing out day in my local street. I am also a bit of a musical theatre nut, and enjoy singing with Chepstow Musical Show Choir.

I grew up in Stoke on Trent and our local park was very similar to the park we have currently at the Dell (like me it is showing its age!). I spent nearly every day 'down the swings'. It wasn't only the playground equipment which provided hours of fun, bumps and grazes but endless hours of making dens, whittling sticks and crossing the water pipe across the brook without falling in the nettles!

Happy childhood memories is what it's all about, and I would love to help FDPC shape those memories for our young people and future generations.

Suzanne Moore Osley

I’m a mum, graphic designer, a founding member of the Friends of The Dell Park Chepstow and have lived in the area since childhood. We came back to the area when I was 10 to be close to my family who were mainly based in Sedbury and Chepstow.

I love spending time with my family, exploring the area and showing my child the things we enjoy about this beautiful place we call home.

I am a member of the Chepstow Singing club and it’s safe to say that music is a big past-time for me. Singing in two choirs and with a group of soloists - all who sing mainly to raise money for many local charities and for fun.

I remember how fab the Dell Park used to be when I was growing up in the 70s and 80s and I became sad to see how it needs some TLC again. It’s about time Chepstow had a good central park to go to again. A meeting place. A place to let imagination flow. I would love to see an inclusive space developed where people can meet, picnic, play, be together whatever their generation.

Rebecca Balloch

Having moved to Chepstow a year or so ago I was really taken aback by the quality of the park and the limited play equipment for toddlers.

My professional background is in communications and engagement, having worked in both the private and public sector over the past 13 years. My current role is within the NHS working on projects spanning multiple health and care organisations across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

I look forward to contributing to this worthy local cause so my two little ones and all the other local children can grow up with a brilliant park on their doorstep.

As a child I liked nothing more than roller-skating for hours on end or playing tag or 'mob mob' with all the children that lived near my grandparents (pandemonium!).