BPT Appoints Local Community Leader Issa Issa as New Chairperson

The Board of Trustees at Black Prince Trust (BPT) are delighted to announce the appointment of Issa Issa as the new Chairperson of the Trust – effective 28 June 2024.  BPT was established in 2011 and manages the BPT Community Hub in Kennington, delivering a range of social impact interventions both directly and also through partners.  BPT has many key stakeholders including Lambeth Council; Nike & Jordan; City Bridge Foundation; London Marathon Foundation; Sport England; London Sport; Vauxhall One; and The Felix Project.

Issa Issa has been an active supporter of BPT since 2016, both through his role as the founder of Brightcentres in Kennington and as a community advocate. For almost a decade, he has been a Wyvern Federation Governor and the Chair of Vauxhall Primary School. He also serves on the Board of Trustees at Southbank Colleges and is currently a Councillor in Oval ward alongside being Post-16 Policy Lead for Lambeth Council. Issa has always championed the Black Prince Trust through his work with young people and will continue to do this as Chair.

Existing Chair Kirk Harrison, who has been in post since May 2022 but was previously CEO of BPT for several years, will remain on the Board of Trustees with a specific responsibility for Risk & Finance. In addition, serving Trustee Louise Thomson will become a Vice Chair alongside existing Vice Chair Lee Martin, to provide Issa with additional support.

Issa Issa said ‘I am thrilled to be accepted as Chairperson of BPT, a charity that has been very close to my heart for over 8 years now, and whom I have always admired.  I have worked with BPT on many occasions over the years and it is an honour to be asked to lead the charity into its next stage of development. The work of the Trust is more important than ever, and I look forward to leading BPT in delivering the far-reaching social impact that the residents of north Lambeth so desperately need in these challenging times’

Kirk Harrison, on behalf of the Trustees of BPT said: ‘the Trustees are unanimously delighted that Issa Issa has agreed to become the new Chairperson at BPT.  We have known Issa for a long time and developed an excellent relationship with him over the years, and as such this was a very natural appointment. The values of BPT run through Issa’s veins and he will bring many attributes the to the Trust, including his passion for the community and his excellent stakeholder relationships in the local area.  After 8 years at BPT, initially stabilising then rebuilding the Trust as CEO, then as Chairperson developing a new Board and hiring a full time CEO, I cannot think of a better candidate to lead BPT forward than Issa’