John Fitzgerald

Co-Founder and Chairperson

John is the Chair of The Fix It Group 23 and brings decades of experience in both management and community service. A resident of Mountsorrel for over 37 years, he spent 20 years working for Royal Mail in various roles including Postman, Manager, Supervisor, and Health and Safety Officer, followed by five years in the pharmaceutical industry as a Facilities and Health and Safety Manager. After taking semi-retirement, he continued serving the local area by working part-time for Mountsorrel Parish Council, where he was responsible for maintaining the parks and inspecting play equipment as an RPII-certified inspector. He fully retired in 2022 and now also volunteers as a Health and Safety Governor at Long Whatton Primary School. Outside of his leadership role with The Fix It Group 23, John enjoys woodworking, badminton, spending time in Cumbria and with his family, and living life to the full.

Sangeeta Hathi

Secretary

Sangeeta is the Secretary of The Fix It Group 23 and brings strong organisational skills and a thoughtful, people‑focused approach to her role. She currently works in an administrative position within the Ministry of Justice, where she has developed extensive experience in coordination, communication, and supporting complex processes. Sangeeta joined the group through her connection with Chair John Fitzgerald and was drawn to the organisation’s strong community values and practical impact. Now joining as a trustee, she is keen to support the group’s continued development and help ensure it remains inclusive, welcoming, and well run. Outside of work, Sangeeta enjoys gardening—though she says she’s still finding her green fingers—and has a real passion for interior design. She is excited to be part of a community‑focused organisation that makes a real difference at a local level.

Tony Mellor

Treasurer

Tony is the Treasurer of The Fix it Group 23. He spent all his working life designing and maintaining electronic equipment for a wide range of industries, pharmaceutical, medical, nuclear and food to name but a few. His first designs used valves, were quite large and ran hot. He remembers when transistors first became available but were quite electrically delicate and expensive so would obviously never catch on. Tony is part of the Telecoms team for Great Central Railways and enjoys refurbishing and repairing the original telephone equipment in the Birstall to Ruddington network as well as looking after the CCTV and other modern stuff a public service system needs. A particular love is repairing equipment which the manufacturer has welded or glued together and assumes will just be thrown away when it expires. The Fix It Group 23 works hard to give these products a new lease of life and keep them out of the “Small Electrical” skip.

Chris Waghorn

Health and Safety Officer

Chris is a semi-retired chartered gas and electrical engineer with a lifelong passion for making and mending. His professional background includes designing and maintaining complex systems across sectors, as well as mentoring others through leadership and vocational training. Chris began DIY repairs during his apprenticeship in the 1970s—just like fellow volunteer Paul Worth, he started out modifying his Scalextric set with lighting and custom speed controls. Since then, he’s tackled everything from toys and tools to vintage computers and household appliances. Now a trustee of The Fix It Group 23, Chris is responsible for both general and electrical safety at our events. He continues to volunteer as an electrical fixer, bringing curiosity, experience, and a love of problem-solving to every session. Chris was especially pleased to reconnect with the group’s co-founder John Fitzgerald after nearly 50 years and is proud to be part of a team making a difference in the local community.