The Gold from the Stone Foundation

The Gold from the Stone Foundation was set up as a registered charity in 2016 to support the Christmas Dinner project. To find out how to receive funding, or to set up your own Christmas Dinner get in touch.

“I am not defined by darkness” Confided the night
”Each dawn I am reminded I am defined by light”

Lemn Sissay

The Trustees and Team

  • Founder & Trustee. Lemn is a BAFTA nominated International prize winning writer. He was awarded an OBE for services to literature by The Queen of England, The Pen Pinter Prize, and in 2018 he was awarded a Points of Light Award from The Prime Minister for his work in establishing The Christmas Dinner project.

    He is an extraordinarily prolific writer of plays, poetry, and articles, and performs and speaks publicly all over the world. His memoir, My Name Is Why, was published by Canongate in 2019. To read more about his work, head over to his website and blog here.

  • Chair of Trustees. Angela works across the Arts and Mental Health, advising and speaking internationally on both subjects.


    She sits on the All Party Parliamentary Group for Suicide and Self-Harm Prevention; presented the BBC BAFTA nominated documentary Life After Suicide and is a member of Tate Liverpool’s Advisory Board. 

    She is Co-author of the NHS70 Parliamentary award-winning Suicide Prevention Zero Suicide Alliance training; Trustee of Hospital Rooms, and has contributed to broadcast media from Channel 4 to Radio 4.

  • Trustee. Parvinder arrived as a refugee from Uganda in 1972 and has dedicated her working life to working with young people and playing an active role as a community activist, storyteller, and Youth Worker, who qualified through Manchester Metropolitan University.

    She has been a member of the first Manchester Christmas Dinner steering group in 2013 to present and now works part time at Manchester Museum. She is a Trustee of Lancashire BME Metropolitan University, More Music, Dhanakdhol and Hyndburn Cultural Services.

  • Trustee. Liz Shaw is a barrister based in Leeds, with over 35 years experience handling some of the most important cases on specialist Family and Public Law. She was ranked Leading Junior in family and children law in the Legal500 awards and is regularly recognised as one of the UK’s leading experts in working with vulnerable clients on life changing work.

    Liz was one of the founder steering group members of the Leeds Christmas Dinner and continues to play an active role in the North East regions development plans.

  • Simon was appointed Chief Executive in 2023.

    He has over thirty years experience leading strategic work in Criminal and Social Justice settings internationally. He is Artistic Director and CEO of TiPP - The Theatre in Prisons & Probation Centre and a Trustee of Clinks, the infrastructure organisation supporting voluntary organisations in the criminal justice system.

    Simon was one of the founding members of the first Christmas Dinner in Manchester in 2013 and has been a member of the Manchester Dinner Steering group every year since. He is an Honorary Research Associate of the University of Manchester.

“The Gold from the Stone Foundation is incredible! It gives grants to communities, who come together to change the lives of care leavers, every Christmas. The goal is to bring joy, and that’s exactly what they are doing!”

Thank you to our Funders & Supporters