Meet the Board Member: Jonathan Barnes, National Communications Officer

2 hours ago

5 min read

My Round Table journey is probably a little different from many of my fellow Board members, mainly because I'm still relatively new to Table. I've only been involved for a few years, and unlike some Tablers who grew up around Round Table through family connections or local events, I'd never even heard of it.

In fact, my first introduction to Round Table was after moving to Whitley Bay and taking my daughter to see the Santa Sleigh. Even then, it was some time before I properly understood what Round Table was or what it stood for.

Like many people in their thirties, life was starting to change. My close group of school friends, people I'd spent years seeing regularly, had settled down, moved to different parts of the region and naturally become busier with family life. At the same time, things in my own marriage weren't going particularly well.

I found myself needing to get out of the house more, meet new people and build a new social circle. I was looking for something that was just for me. Somewhere I could make friends, have new experiences and regain a bit of purpose.

After seeing the Santa Sleigh, I later spotted Whitley Bay Round Table at a local town fiesta. They looked busy, so I put off introducing myself.

Looking back, that's one of my biggest regrets. Like many Tablers, I wish I'd discovered Round Table much earlier in life. Having now experienced the friendships, opportunities and international travel that come with membership, I can't help but wonder what adventures I might have had if I'd joined sooner.

More Than Just a Social Club

That said, Round Table arrived at exactly the right time.

I don't need any violins or interventions. By all accounts, I'm fortunate to be going through a relatively smooth and amicable divorce. But divorce is still divorce. It's never what you imagine when you say your vows, and it inevitably comes with challenges.

As my marriage broke down and I began navigating separation and rebuilding my life, Round Table provided something I genuinely needed. It gave me friendship, support, opportunities, distractions and reasons to keep saying "yes" when it would have been easy to retreat into myself.

Most importantly, it surrounded me with good people. The phrase "more than just a social club" gets used a lot in Round Table, but for me it couldn't be more true.

Since joining, I've thrown myself into opportunities I never expected to be part of. I've helped organise and grow some fantastic events at Whitley Bay, including our hugely successful Santa Sleigh and annual Sandcastle Competition. I've met Tablers from all over the country and across the world, attended events I never would have experienced otherwise and built friendships that I know will last a lifetime.

One highlight was attending the Round Table International World Meeting in Italy this summer. Honestly, it was one of the best holidays of my life. Experiencing Table on an international stage opened my eyes to just how special our organisation is. If you've ever considered attending an international event, I'd strongly encourage it. There is support available through our International Relations Officer to help members access these incredible opportunities.

What has surprised me most, however, is just how much difference a motivated group of volunteers can make. Whether it's raising money for local causes, supporting charities, creating events that bring communities together or simply giving another bloke a reason to leave the house and make some new friends, Round Table improves lives in ways we often don't fully appreciate.

Before joining the National Board, I served as Area 20 Chairman. Following the 2025 National Conference in Cardiff, I drove home feeling incredibly inspired by both the potential of Round Table and the impact it can have when clubs work together.

That enthusiasm led me to focus on rebuilding and revitalising the area structure across the North East, something I'm immensely proud of.

We've re-established stronger connections between clubs, reconnected with Durham Round Table, begun the journey towards establishing Ponteland Round Table and created new momentum across the region. Seeing clubs support one another, share ideas and grow together has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my journey so far.

Becoming National Communications Officer

I'd love to say that if someone had told me a few years ago I'd end up serving on the National Board I would have laughed but the truth is slightly different.... I'm a naturally ambitious person and I'm always looking for the next challenge. When the opportunity arose to apply for the role of National Communications Officer, I jumped at it. I'd already been managing much of the social media activity for Whitley Bay Round Table and helping with Area communications, so I thought it seemed like a natural next step.

My logic was simple: "How much harder can it be?". The answer, as it turns out, is considerably harder.

Nobody told me I'd become involved in supporting Membership Growth Workshops around the country. Nobody mentioned I'd be joining the Board of Directors. Nobody explained quite how many hours I'd spend reading, liking, sharing and commenting on social media content.

Despite that, I've genuinely loved every minute of it.

I've learned an enormous amount, met some fantastic people, developed new skills and had the opportunity to contribute to an organisation that has already given so much to me personally.

When I stood for election, I campaigned on four key priorities:

Strengthen and grow the tools we already have
Increase Round Table's national profile
Make communications and social media simpler for local clubs
Reduce WhatsApp burnout

I'd like to think we've made good progress. From the Back to Basics series and Champion Your Story blogs to growing our external media presence and supporting clubs with practical communications guidance, we've taken positive steps forward.

I suspect some of you might (rightly) argue that reducing WhatsApp burnout remains a work in progress, and you'd probably be right, but there's still plenty more I'd like to achieve.

Round Table is only as strong as the members who contribute their ideas, stories and energy, so if you've got suggestions, feedback or would like to get involved in helping tell the Round Table story, I'd love to hear from you.

Round Table has given me friendships, opportunities, experiences and memories that I could never have imagined when I first watched a Santa Sleigh drive through Whitley Bay. It's helped me through challenging periods, introduced me to lifelong friends and given me the chance to make a difference both locally and nationally.

For that, I'll always be grateful.

I joined because I needed a night out.

I stayed because I found a brotherhood.