About us

Peter Lewis – Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Lead Director for Operations and Sales, and Company Secretary

Following a long career in the Royal Navy, Peter joined Horizon as a Trustee because he believes in the positive impact Horizon has on the health and wellbeing of the local community.

From junior sailor to helicopter aircrew to captain of warships, Peter’s varied life in the military has provided him with a broad range of skills and experience that I he translates to the role of Trustee.

Peter believes that it is the people in any successful organisation that matter most of all and takes pleasure in getting to know and working with the excellent team at Horizon.

Phil Jones OBE, Co-Vice Chair & Lead Director for People & Culture

Phil joined the Board of Trustees in 2006. He left government service with the Ministry of Defence in 2018 and is a semi-retired consultant. Phil and his extended family have a long-standing connection with Horizon, and enjoy the wide range of great facilities on offer.

Phil is passionate about the importance of promoting the benefits of an active lifestyle and enhancing Horizon’s already strong reputation for what and how it delivers in the communities it serves.”

Horizon has a clear vision of the future and is committed to building on the successes it has already achieved. Phil’s experience in planning, leading and implementing change in a varied career is being ‘fully employed’ to support Horizon’s exciting journey!

Sara Gohl – Co-Vice Chair and Lead Director for Business and Community Development 

Sara joined Horizon as a Trustee in 2021. Sara’s background is in housing and property and is a Compliance specialist. Sara is a Company Director for a local business as well as running her own Consultancy Company. Her skills are diverse and compliment the already strong Board.

Sara has been a member of Horizon for 13 years and is passionate about health, wellbeing and fitness, having been on her own personal rehabilitation and wellbeing journey within that time. She is a charity advocate, campaigner and fundraiser and when she gets the time she loves to travel and go on adventures.

Sara finds the role of Trustee rewarding and is committed to making Horizon Leisure the best health and wellbeing provider for the community, championing that wellbeing is for everyone, and health and location should not discriminate. To Sara there is nothing more rewarding than taking an active role within the community and making a real difference.

Gill Foster – Trustee

Gill has been a Trustee since June 2023. Following her retirement Gill wanted to do something to give back to the community. Having been a member of Horizon it made sense for her to get involved and be part of the Charity which works tirelessly to give opportunities to the community and improve peoples wellbeing.

Gills background is in Business Administration following jobs over the years for Local Council, Banks and Schools, working within the community and dealing with the public at the forefront. Gill has joined the board of Trustees at a time of great change within Horizon as it prepares for future growth. Giving both members and the community something great to look forward to.

Gill is committed to supporting Horizon to be the best health and wellbeing provider in the local community.

Jason Crouch – Lead Director for IT & Chair of the Trading Company

Jason joined the board of Trustees in 2012. Initially an Engineer but with a long career and broad experience extending to Project Management and Business Change/Transformation consultancy in Information Systems and Service Integration, In/Outsourcing and Managed IT, Telecoms & Network Services, Business & Supplier Management.

Jason and his family have been using the Horizon facilities for over 40 years since moving to the area. He is an evangelist for continuous improvement and innovation and keen to extend Horizon’s reputation for service and its relationship with the community it serves.

Peter Mellor – Lead Director for Finance

Peter joined the Horizon board in 2020 as a Trustee and has lead director responsibilities for Finance, having retired from his full-time role as a Director of Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust. He has been a magistrate for 38 years, sitting in both Havant and Portsmouth.

Serving and giving back to the community has always been important to Peter and he is delighted to be able to play a small part in helping Horizon to provide first class leisure, health and wellbeing services to local residents, at an affordable price.

Horizon is a charity, and an important part of a Trustee’s role is to ensure that the organisation meets its charitable obligations by reinvesting any surplus that it makes, back into the organisation, for the benefit of its members.

In his spare time, he will most likely be found on a golf course, a tennis court, a bowls green or a riverbank.

Bob Hedley- Lead Director for Business Expansion and Projects

Bob has been a Trustee since January 2023. Recently retired he found himself with some time on his hands and a feeling that he had experience that could still put to good use. The Trustee role at Horizon Leisure Trust, whose objective is to promote health and wellbeing within the community, provides me with that opportunity.

Bob enjoyed a wide and varied career in engineering design and management and later in project management, including living and working abroad. He has also run his own small company involved in building development and refurbishment and also residential lettings. Bob enjoys an active lifestyle with interests in travel, enjoying new cultures and cuisines, languages, hiking and motorcycling. Often all combined into the latest adventure.

Horizon have ambitions to grow and develop new services and facilities to broaden their reach into the local communities that we serve. This gives Bob the opportunity to support the Horizons management team with his project management experience in helping them to shape and deliver the projects that will deliver our new horizons.

Barry Roach – Trustee

Barry has been a Horizon member for over 20 years and has seen the positive impact the organisation has on people’s health and wellbeing. Since retiring two years ago, Horizon has become an important part of his routine, helping him stay active through gym sessions, spinning, and HIIT classes, while providing a welcoming space to connect with others.

With a successful career in manufacturing operations, Barry has led teams and overseen the production of major products such as Microsoft Xbox consoles and IBM disk drives, gaining strong skills in leadership, strategic thinking, and operational improvement. He brings this experience to the Horizon Board of Trustees, which he joined in September 2025.

Having benefited greatly from Horizon’s services, Barry is passionate about giving back and helping guide the organisation’s future. As a trustee, he aims to support Horizon in remaining accessible, inclusive, and sustainable, ensuring it continues to promote physical and mental wellbeing across the community.

Barry lives in Horndean with his wife Claire and is a lifelong Portsmouth FC supporter, holding a season ticket in the North Stand at Fratton Park.