YADA COLLECTIVE - Key Persons
A University of Derby graduate, Craig first began his work serving those enjoying life after dark while leading the UoD's Christian Union. Through giving out water outside the Student Union bar and blessing those who needed support towards the end of the night, Craig learnt there was a whole new side to ‘going out'. From that point on, Craig decided there must be an alternative. A way for people to still get out and socialise once the sun had gone down, but without the pressures of the alcohol ruling the scene. And so, YADA was born. Craig's experience running social media accounts has seen him reach millions of people online for some of the UK's top brands. He's also the face behind YADA's socials, so why not jump over to our Instagram and say hi! In his spare time, he has a passion for woodwork, getting creative, and he has a love of the great outdoors. If he's not behind the bar, you can be sure to find him in the woodshed or up a mountain.
Despite growing up and attending university in London, Mark never really understood the appeal of the breadth of clubs and bars on his doorstep. Whilst the social aspect was appealing, the alcohol and drug-fuelled pressures and activities that are associated with the typical nightlife scene definitely weren't. Wanting to combine his Christian faith and the desire to serve the local community with his wish to revolutionise the night-time economy, he teamed up with Craig and Rhondell to create YADA. Having trained as a chartered accountant, Mark has worked with a wide range of companies from tiny owner-managed businesses to large, multi-million-pound, international organisations. He now looks after everything financial at YADA. With a (rather unhealthy!) obsession with both motorsport and music, when not at YADA Mark can usually be found either with a guitar in hand, watching some cars drive quickly, or both.