saswtrust staff:
Tabz
‘Tabz’ (more formally known as David Taberner) has been our lead Schools Worker for almost a decade. He started pioneering youth work at just 18 years old, responding to a local need, filled with a passion he received through the 24-7 Prayer Movement as a relatively new Christian. Alongside this, Tabz actually studied civil engineering and project management to masters level, but through a growing passion for young people and God’s work, he found a calling to our ministry in late 2013 and made the brave step of a career change. Tabz is also particularly involved in Christ Church and the Southport Methodist Circuit as a preacher as well as other inter-church projects. He’s a semi-pro musician (in his limited spare time!), loves techie design projects, and has a slightly characteristic hairstyle!
Simon
Simon is a part time Schools Worker, working here alongside a role at Canning Road Church. He started doing youth work at 19 years old and has been working in the Christian world ever since, working for both local churches and for charities. He moved to Southport after working for the Bible Society where he spent time helping reach a new younger digital based audience with God’s word. He felt God calling him back to front line ministry work and over the course of a couple months God led him here. He moved to Southport with his pregnant wife and toddler, ready to make Southport their home, and has now welcomed their second child into the world! When not working, he likes being in nature. Having originally trained in Countryside Management, he goes for long walks and often has a camera with him just in case there is something worth taking a snap of.
Time in schools has also helped Church relationships develop faster as he is 50-50 between SASWT and Canning Road Church. It has helped him develop relationships quickly with a group of young people that go to both Safe Space and Church, which has resulted in them being more open to what is shared he shares at youth.
Phoebe
Phoebe joined the team in 2025 as the admin assistant.
She has joined the team at SASW Trust because she believes that God is doing something amazing in Southport and she wants to be part of whatever that is. She loves being able to release those in active ministry to do what they are passionate about by taking care of the other details.
When not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband and 2 young children whether going on walks, playing in the garden, or watching a movie together. She also enjoys experimenting with various crafting hobbies like knitting, sewing, and needle felting.
Volunteers+partners
We couldn’t do any of the work we do without the support of a diverse bunch of volunteers. In fact, it would be counter to our ethos to even try without them! Engaging and equipping local church communities to be the change they want to see, making a lasting difference to children and young people is a central part of every project we run.
Sometimes we’re all hands on deck for projects like Mission Impossible. Other times there’s just a few of us, specifically trained in different areas, eg. pastoral conversation, mental health first aid, drama & communication.
We have several churches who don’t just partner with us in sourcing volunteers, but also with the involvement of their staff – not just invaluable youth workers, but also pastors, vicars, ministers, and outreach workers, to name a few! They never come with an ‘agenda’, other than simply to serve. Yet, so often we hear amazing stories of children, young people, and even families, beginning to engage with church events in the most beautifully organic way because of the way they have encountered our volunteers & partners.
We work closely with Scripture Union’s ‘Revealing Jesus Framework’ and provide training for volunteers through the likes of our ‘Youthscape Essentials’ course. Although, there’s plenty of jobs to do, just a quick induction could be all it takes for you to join us in making a difference – how about it?
trustees
We are blessed with a board of trustees to share the load of ensuring all is managed well behind the scenes, working together to strategise and discern our vision, keeping our staff to account, whilst raising the necessary funds to continue and extend the projects we run. They are an eclectic mix of clergy and school staff, to software developers and grandparents -each member invaluably gifted.
You!
We believe you have a place in our mission! Whoever you are, whatever your background, stage of life, range of skills, or experience – the children and young people we work with NEED you! There’s plenty of behind the scenes jobs that you might never have thought of, as well as the face-to-face work.
Like the old proverb says, “it takes a village to raise a child”. So if you know children, through family or otherwise, you’re in the perfect place to continue the conversation, supporting them in their exploration beyond school. If not, always remember our “Make A Difference” stages on Page 3: Keep reading, Spread the word, Support us & Pray!
