CAP | Meet the board

Derek Lewis

CAP Chair

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Derek Lewis brings a wealth of experience and knowledge having held executive and non-executive positions across the health, criminal justice, education, training and employability sectors, including the chairmanship of Drinkaware - a role which he held from 2008 to February 2014.

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Derek spent the first half of his career principally in Ford Motor Company and the leisure industries as CFO and then CEO of Granada Group and founder of UK Gold Television. Since then he has been involved extensively in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. He was Director General of the Prison Service in England and Wales in the mid-1970s and has subsequently been chair or non-executive director of a variety of companies, principally in the health, education, training and employability sectors. These roles have been combined with six years as a trustee of the Royal Voluntary Service (formerly WRVS) and ten years on the Council of the University of Essex, latterly as Pro-Chancellor. He is currently chair of Royal Mencap Society, West Highland College, UHI and St Columba’s Drimnin Trust.

Miles Beale

Director – Chief Executive, WSTA

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Miles Beale joined Community Alcohol Partnerships in June 2012.

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Miles is the Chief Executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association. Before this he was the Deputy Director for EU and international agriculture policy at the Department Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Miles was previously deputy director for European and global issues at the Cabinet Office and spent much of his early career at the Department of Communities and Local Government.

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Miles has worked across a broad range of public policy, including urban regeneration, drugs policy and social exclusion, and has been involved in significant negotiations at national and European level. He has also worked closely with senior Ministers in successive governments.

Neil Eccles

Director – Senior Licensing Manager (SME), Asda Stores Ltd.

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Neil Eccles is Senior Licensing Manager (SME) at Asda Stores Ltd. He has been at Asda for nearly 30 years, 16 years of those in stores working in a number of retail management roles including General Store Manager and working on Regional teams. He has carried out various Head Office roles including Head of Retail Service, responsible for Customer Service in stores, Senior Compliance Manager, looking after Compliance Operations, Privacy and Licensing & Permitting, including being the business owner for the Challenge 25 Policy and implementation / measurement and most recently Senior Licensing Manager.

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Neil is also a member of the Retail Alcohol Standards Group and the Community Alcohol Partnership national liaison for Asda.

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In his spare time Neil is involved in Scouting, playing an active role in his local Beaver, Cub and Scout groups, he is also a school Governor and a member of the Institute of Licensing’s North West Regional team . He is looking forward to bringing his operational experience and understanding of young people to the CAP role.

Elizabeth Fairhurst

Director – Chief Executive, Northern Ambitions Academies Trust

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Liz Fairhurst joined the board of Community Alcohol Partnerships in January 2019 and holds the position of Chief Executive of Northern Ambition Academies Trust, based in Castleford, West Yorkshire, comprising of 4 schools. Liz has worked within Wakefield schools for over 15 years and prior to that held a position within Barnsley LA. She was appointed as Principal of Airedale Academy and Chief Executive of Airedale Academies Trust as it was then, in September 2016. Prior to this, Liz worked as Associate Principal at Minsthorpe Community College, Wakefield.

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Liz has worked all of her career to date in schools serving some of the most disadvantaged areas in the country and feels a huge amount of satisfaction and pride in making a difference to the lives of young people and their communities in some very challenging circumstances.

Matthew Golledge

Director – Public Protection Manager, Reading Borough Council

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Matthew is the Public Protection Manager at Reading Borough Council where he is responsible for a number of services including: Trading Standards, Licensing, Environmental Health, Planning Enforcement and the Berkshire Coroners Service. Matthew is a Director of Trading Standards South East Limited for which he was Chair from 2021-2023 and served as a member on the National Trading Standards Board during this period.

Matthew has been a supporter of Community Alcohol Partnerships since setting up a pilot scheme in Reading in 2009 and now operates a borough-wide CAP+. He set up and leads on a multi-agency service to provide a late night, alcohol medical treatment and refuge centre in Reading Town Centre.

Andrew Leaper

Director – Retail Health & Safety Manager, Co-operative Group

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Andrew Leaper has 39 years retail experience with the Co-operative Group.

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For the last 22 years Andrew has held various roles within risk management including loss prevention, health & safety and trading law. Currently he is the lead SME responsible for national strategy for licensing and age restricted sales. Andrew is also a board member of Citizencard.

James Lowman

Director – Chief Executive, Association of Convenience Stores

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James was appointed ACS Chief Executive in November 2006. He has led ACS on political and policy representation, driven a unique research programme that informs ACS’ policy work, launched an industry-leading assured advice scheme in partnership with Surrey County Council, and created a new and unique events programme.

James is a member of ministerial advisory groups including the National Retail Crime Steering Group and the Retail Sector Council. He also sits on the boards the Proof of Age Standards Scheme and the London Food Board, and is a sector leader representative to the High Streets Task Force.

Andy Morrice

Director – Inspector, Lincolnshire Constabulary (Observer status)

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Andy has been a police officer for 30 years, most of this served within Neighbourhood Policing tackling day-to-day community issues, working with partner agencies to resolve the matters that really impact people's lives.

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He established the very first Community Alcohol Partnership in Lincolnshire, winning a national award for the work undertaken. He was also responsible for the first Mini Police project in Lincolnshire, with both these programmes aimed at providing young people with a positive experience of policing, developing their skills and confidence, and help them understand social justice, moral responsibility and enabling them to make better life choices.

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Andy has worked in the national arena, being seconded to what is now DLUHC to help with homelessness, as well as being the Silver Commander for Lincolnshire’s response to Covid.

Hardish Purewal

Director – Licensing Manager, Tesco Stores Ltd.

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Hardish has a wealth of retail experience and has worked in a number of areas over 30 years with Tesco.

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In the last 18 years, within Group Legal, she has been responsible for Tesco’s alcohol licence as Senior Licensing Manager. This involves all aspects of alcohol retailing from training for the 300,000 UK staff to compliance and working with the Government Affairs team. Hardish is the Chair of the Retail of Alcohol Standards Group, works closely with enforcement authorities and has built excellent relationships through partnership working.