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Alice Wade

Head of VCFSE Organisation Development

Alice Wade

Head of VCFSE Organisation Development

I am an experienced Administrator, Manager and Fundraiser – passionate about supporting communities to improve their lives. With a background in performing arts, I started my career at Arts Council England working within administration, finance, and grant management roles. I joined DanceEast in 2014, as their Development Manager – developing fundraising strategies and securing vital funds for the charity. I feel privileged to now work at Community Action Suffolk the ‘go to’ organisation for the voluntary sector in Suffolk. I joined in late August 2022, to develop my leadership skills and to continue supporting communities through heading up the VCFSE Organisation Development Team – helping to support a diverse VCFSE sector to build capacity, efficiency, and sustainability.

Alison Hall

Volunteering Services Officer (Employer Supported Volunteering and Outreach)

Alison Hall

Volunteering Services Officer (Employer Supported Volunteering and Outreach)

Andy Cooke

Financial Sustainability Officer

Andy Cooke

Financial Sustainability Officer

Andy joined us in 2023 as our new Financial Sustainability Officer.

Andy previously worked in Banking for 32 years in various finance and banking roles before joining the Office for National Statistics where he helped gather data for the Government to help them better understand the challenges facing the population and how to allocate their resources accordingly.

As a Financial Sustainability Officer, Andy aims to help local organisations to understand how they can apply successfully for funding and grants, how organisations can better diversify their income streams, as well as helping with finance essentials to make Suffolk’s Voluntary, Community, Faith, and Social Enterprise sector the best it can be.

Belinda Couldridge

EA to Chief Executive and Executive Team

Belinda Couldridge

EA to Chief Executive and Executive Team

Belinda has worked in the VCFSE sector for some years, previously gaining valuable experience in the statutory sector and before that starting her career in banking with Barclays in Bury St Edmunds.
Belinda provides support to the Chief Executive, Executive Team and Trustees ensuring good governance and smooth running of meetings. She also supports the VCFSE Health & Wellbeing Network and the VCFSE Sector Leaders Group.

Over the summer months she leads the preparation for the Suffolk Community Awards on behalf of Community Action Suffolk, which culminates in a celebration evening in September, a showcase for the great work being done in the voluntary sector.
Suffolk born and bred, she enjoys travelling the world but always calls Suffolk home.

Caroline Keep

Finance Admin Assistant

Caroline Keep

Finance Admin Assistant

After a successful career in the City Caroline took a career break to raise her family during which time she became involved in various Suffolk and national charities as a Trustee, volunteer and, more latterly, an employee when she set up the finance and administration operation for a children’s wrap-around care provision in Nayland.
In 2016 Caroline fulfilled a long held desire to formalise her accounting knowledge and became a full time student completing her AAT Professional Diploma in 2018. Caroline joined the finance team at CAS in early 2019 and is really enjoying the opportunity to utilise her accounting qualifications and experience working in the VCSE sector.

Clare Lamb

Community Development Officer – Youth Focus Suffolk

Clare Lamb

Community Development Officer – Youth Focus Suffolk

Having been a dancer and dance teacher for over 20 years, Clare has worked closely alongside children and young adults from all walks of life. During this time Clare also worked in the school environment as a LSA and TA. She is people focused, energised, engaged and personable individual who has proven her ability to take on any challenge and turn it into a success. Her bubbly personality helps her to engage with others and form professional relationships to enable her to work collaboratively with others. Having recently moved back from Adelaide, South Australia where Clare and her family had been living for the past 18 months, she is thrilled to be working at Community Action Suffolk.

Danny Austin

Danny Austin

IT Support & Development Officer

Danny Austin

IT Support & Development Officer

Danny is the IT Support & Development Officer at CAS. Previous to CAS Danny worked in a variety of roles across the private sector including BT, where he provided a first line IT Support role for systems and internal staff.

At CAS, Danny’s role is to provide a support and development resource for CAS’s IT requirements including day to day IT support of its internal systems. Danny is also a massive part of IT Services at CAS Ltd, where he supports the IT manager in delivering it’s suite of IT products, including being the primary website developer, and developing all of it’s websites. Danny has a real passion towards developing new web systems that can assist in an organisation meeting it’s objectives.

Elizabeth Evans

Community Food Partnership Officer

Elizabeth Evans

Community Food Partnership Officer

Liz joined Community Action Suffolk in 2017 having previously gained 13 years’ experience teaching Music in secondary schools.

Liz started at CAS by working on reception for 3 years and so has a good understanding of CAS’ different services. She has gone on to work as a Community Restart Officer and Ukraine Community Development Co-ordinator, as well as co-ordinating the ABCD network, and has gained a range of experience in community development.

Outside of work Liz is the Chair of Trustees for her son’s scout group and is involved in their fundraising project for a new scout hut.

ABCD Network Co-Ordinator: Liz co-ordinates the ABCD network, ensuring that members have access to resources and training through our website, and regularly organises network meetings and events.

Support Services Assistant: Liz looks after the admin for our training department, uploading courses and events to our website and dealing with training queries. She undertakes various other project and admin tasks such as working with suppliers to support local food banks with their stock levels.

Outside of work Liz is the Chair of her son’s scout group committee and is involved in their fundraising project for a new scout hut.

Emily Orford

Community Food Partnership Manager

Emily Orford

Community Food Partnership Manager

“Emily joined CAS in March 2023 and has a background in HR, training and development and fitness instructing. Her role is to plan, create and deliver an effective training and learning program for volunteer leaders and co-ordinators across the county and to work alongside volunteers and volunteer leaders to help improve the volunteer experience across Suffolk. Emily runs local fitness classes in her local community and in her spare time, volunteers as a ride leader for British Cycling. Emily also volunteers her time to marshal at local sporting events throughout the year and organised the first Women on Wheels event in Eye in 2022. She is also a trustee for a leisure provider in East Suffolk. “

Ginni Ashken

Community Development Officer – Emergency Food Provision Officer

Ginni Ashken

Community Development Officer – Emergency Food Provision Officer

Hannah Reid

Chief Executive

Hannah Reid

Chief Executive

Hannah is the Chief Executive of Community Action Suffolk with a professional background in Private, Public and VCSE sectors specifically in business management and development.
Hannah has managed and run various businesses including a private training company and a social enterprise supporting young people. Immediately before joining CAS, Hannah was a trouble shooting pub manager working for breweries to problem solve in their Public Houses across East Anglia and the South East.

Hannah Sanford

Insurance Officer

Hannah Sanford

Insurance Officer

Hannah has joined CAS as an Insurance Officer, operating insurance schemes for Parish Councils and Village Halls. She has 9 years of experience within the travel insurance industry. She began her career as a call handler and also handled the complaints for a well-known insurance provider. In her own time, Hannah enjoys spending time with her husband and two children

Helen Cullup

Community Development Worker – Haverhill South Peoples Forum

Helen Cullup

Community Development Worker – Haverhill South Peoples Forum

Helen joined Community Action Suffolk in November 2018 as a Community Development Officer in Haverhill on the Local Conversation Project funded by the People’s Health Trust with funds raised through Health Lottery East. Helen has worked in the local community for over 25 years both in the statutory and voluntary sector. Her roles have included coordinating play schemes, youth worker, homeless prevention officer, housing options team manager, and leaving care young persons adviser.

Helen is passionate about raising the aspirations of individuals and communities.

Horia Azizi

Community Development Officer – Ukraine Support

Horia Azizi

Community Development Officer – Ukraine Support

Horia Azizi comes to Community Action Suffolk with a rich and diverse background, spanning legal expertise, sales skills, and community service. She holds a Master’s degree in International Trade and Commercial Law from Nottingham Trent University, making her well-suited for roles that demand legal understanding and ethical diligence. Before joining our team, Horia honed her multitasking and organizational skills in various settings. She has provided critical language services, demonstrating a commitment to ethical standards like accuracy and confidentiality. Her experience in sales has given her a strong grounding in client relationship management and negotiation. In the community service realm, Horia has supported refugees and managed client inquiries, showcasing her versatility and commitment to social issues.

Ian Grutchfield

Volunteering Services Officer – Marketing and Campaigns

Ian Grutchfield

Volunteering Services Officer – Marketing and Campaigns

I am an experienced marketeer with responsibility for promoting volunteering to the people and organisations of Suffolk. I have organised recruitment fairs for community groups and regularly give my time as a volunteer at a gallery and a church. Please contact me with your volunteering news – vacancies, events, training and special campaigns – I can share on the Volunteering Suffolk website and our social media channels.

Jacqui Wilkinson

Training, Quality Standards and Safeguarding Development Officer

Jacqui Wilkinson

Training, Quality Standards and Safeguarding Development Officer

Jacqui is the Training, Quality Standards and Safeguarding Development Officer at Community Action Suffolk. Jacqui has spent over thirty years in the public and VCSE sectors and has had a varied career ranging from organising national conferences for the judiciary to Training manager to hostel housing manager and volunteer youth worker. Her commitment to the most vulnerable in society has resulted in the recurring themes in her career of: safeguarding, policy development, management, youth work and training. Jacqui has previously set up a voluntary group that supported adults who had mental health support needs. Jacqui is a qualified trainer and youth worker and since moving to Suffolk has spent the last fourteen years supporting the VCSE with safeguarding policies and procedures, training and quality standards.

Jacqui delivers the Equipped to Lead Safeguarding in the VCSE course as well as safeguarding courses and can develop bespoke courses on a range of topics including management and safeguarding.

Jacqui also offers 1 to 1 safeguarding surgeries for VCSE organisations to discuss and develop their own safeguarding policy and procedures.

Janet Perry

Senior Manager Volunteering Development

Janet Perry

Senior Manager Volunteering Development

Janet has been with Community Action Suffolk since July 2017. Janet created the pioneering Young Leadership Project across East Anglia, creating a pathway for young people to become Young Trustees. Alongside this role Janet is a Volunteering Services Officer. Janet is responsible for starting Suffolk Action Week and organising the annual Suffolk Volunteering Conferences. Prior to this Janet was a Volunteering and Community Assistant Consultant with the National Trust for the East of England region. She has extensive experience working with young people across VCSE’s sector with Young Suffolk, Careers and Connexion’s service. Open to ideas, approachable and creative; Janet has spent time volunteering with local charities for many years.

Jay Mills

Community Development Worker – Local Conversation in Haverhill South

Jay Mills

Community Development Worker – Local Conversation in Haverhill South

Jay has been with Community Action Suffolk since November 2019 when he joined as a Community Development Worker in Haverhill South as part of the Local Conversation funded by the People’s Health Trust. Jay is working closely with the Haverhill South People’s Forum, acting on residents priorities in regards to health and wellbeing.

Jay has been involved with community projects from a grass roots level for over twenty years including work with the Bury St Edmunds Skatepark Experience to help facilitate one of the best free at the point of use alternative sports parks in the UK. Jay is currently involved with the local experimental music scene and promotes events to give established and up and coming artists a platform.

Previously Jay ran his own specialist sports store which worked closely with the local community promoting events, competitions and everything linked with urban sports.

Jay is excited to be working with the residents of Haverhill South in further strengthening their community, building on their assets and embarking on future projects.

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Joanne Whight

Finance Officer

Joanne Whight

Finance Officer

Jo is the Finance Officer at Community Action Suffolk.
Jo has worked for CAS since 2015 and her role includes day to day financial tasks and assisting with the production of management accounts.

Kareena Chapman

Buildings Manager

Kareena Chapman

Buildings Manager

Kareena Chapman is the manager of the Kirkley Centre. She started working for Waveney Community Forum as the finance administrator in 2009 just before they took over the management of the Kirkley Centre in 2010 (Waveney Community Forum was one of the charities that merged to become Community Action Suffolk in 2013). Once WCF took over the Kirkley Centre, Kareena extended her role to cover centre bookings and administration. She took over as manager of the centre in 2014.

There is a small team at The Kirkley Centre and Kareena covers all aspects of the running of the centre from taking bookings and reception duties to arranging lease and maintenance contracts for the centre. Kareena attends local networking events and works in partnership with other groups to bring community events to The Kirkley Centre.

Keith Shiels

Community Development Officer – Men’s Sheds Advisor

Keith Shiels

Community Development Officer – Men’s Sheds Advisor

Keith joined CAS in November 2022 taking on the role of Men’s Sheds Development Officer. He works part time two days a week sharing the role with James Fletcher. Keith mainly works with the Sheds located in the East of Suffolk. Keith’s previous career was in the Education Sector. He started out as a Geography and History Teacher at Benjamin Britten High School in 1985 and finally left the sector as Principal of the Lowestoft Sixth Form College in Summer 2022.

Kelly Jarrett

Kelly Jarrett

Head of Finance

Kelly Jarrett

Head of Finance

Kelly is responsible for the Finance function at Community Action Suffolk including the line management of the Finance team, production of the management accounts, budgets, VAT, lead on the annual audit and company secretarial duties.

Kelly has 15 years’ experience in Finance, largely within managerial and supervisory roles looking after finance teams, production of management accounts and budgets. This includes 7 years in the Insurance industry and 6.5 years within not for profit in practice and for two Housing Associations. Kelly is AAT qualified and a CIMA finalist. Kelly is passionate about maximising the use of finance systems to deliver timely and high-quality management information to aid strategic decisions to be made as well as supporting budget holders operationally across an organisation.

In her own time, Kelly enjoys spending time with her family and friends and horse-riding, competing in Dressage. Always up for a challenge, one for 2022 is running a half marathon!

Kevin Burke

Kirkley Centre Administrator

Kevin Burke

Kirkley Centre Administrator

Kevin Burke is the Kirkley Centre administrator, he joined us in 2015. Kevin takes bookings and customer enquiries both on the reception desk and over the telephone. He also helps with room set ups and general centre business.

Louise Bradshaw

Louise Bradshaw

Head of HR

Louise Bradshaw

Head of HR

Louise has over 14 years experience in working for the voluntary and community sector across a range of areas including business support, marketing, finance and administration. Louise is now the HR manager and data officer for Community Action Suffolk and also manages the DBS at CAS service.

Louise is a member of the CIPD and is responsible for all aspects of HR from recruitment, selection and induction through to employee casework and maintaining and development of policies and procedures. She also oversees the DBS at CAS service and is the lead countersignatory. She responsible for the compliance of the service and advises customers on complex eligibility queries as well as deal with new customers.

Louise has a degree in business which has led to a particular interest in business and organisation development, and enjoys creating and developing systems and procedures to better the organisation.

Matthew Grafton

Community Development Worker – Local Conversation in Kirkley

Matthew Grafton

Community Development Worker – Local Conversation in Kirkley

Matt has been with Community Action Suffolk since 2015 where he volunteered with the Kirkley Centre team. In 2017 he started the role of Community Development Worker to support the Kirkley People’s Forum delivering the Local Conversation Programme in the Kirkley ward funded by the People’s Health Trust.

Previously he was employed by a local charity which provided support to young people with Autistic Spectrum Disorder and other learning difficulties teaching skills to overcome the obstacles they experience to gain employment.

Matt is passionate about helping people to improve their lives and meeting their full potential either as an individual, in the workplace or in the community.

Matthew Morling

Matthew Morling

ICT Manager

Matthew Morling

ICT Manager

Matthew is the IT Manager at CAS and has over 18 years experience in the IT industry – 15 of which has been at CAS.

Previous to CAS Matthew worked in a variety of roles in private business focussing on IT Support and website development.

At CAS, Matthew’s role is to provide leadership and management of all of CAS’s internal IT systems, providing day to day IT Support of these but also to head up its subsidiary company IT Services at CAS Ltd, which provides a suite of IT products for the voluntary and community sector. IT Services at CAS Ltd is an income generator for the organisation and this plays it’s part in helping CAS become more self sustainable. Matthew has a real passion for how digital technologies can help all types of organisations become more efficient.

Natalie Lomas

Resources Officer

Natalie Lomas

Resources Officer

Natalie has been with Community Action Suffolk and Suffolk ACRE previously, since 1998. Throughout her time she has worked on various projects and services across the organisation. Currently working in the role of Resources Officer, Natalie is involved with research and mapping for CAS and the VCSE sector, CAS network development, CRM reporting and impact measurement along with supervision of building maintenance for our Brightspace site in Ipswich.

Nellie Kuma

Project Officer (Talking About Cancer Together)

Nellie Kuma

Project Officer (Talking About Cancer Together)

Nellie has joined Community Action Suffolk as part of the VCFSE team to help increase awareness of support and services available, both locally and nationally, to those affected by cancer. Her role will be to facilitate connections, conditions and a setup which allows our communities to talk about cancer together.
She has a varied background and most recently has worked as a primary school teacher. She enjoys spending time with family, going for walks in the countryside, cooking and has recently started playing table tennis in her local community.

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Ros Collings

Insurance Officer

Ros Collings

Insurance Officer

Ros is part of the Insurance Team operating insurance schemes for Parish Councils and Village Halls. Ros has worked for CAS for 5 years to provide an essential revenue stream for the charity.

Ros has a background in Personal Lines Household and Motor Insurance working for a large insurance company for 22 years as a senior household underwriter.

Sarah Lungley

Director of Operations

Sarah Lungley

Director of Operations

Hello, I’m Sarah and I have just joined CAS as their Director of Operations. I am thrilled to be joining at such an exciting time and in a new role for both myself and CAS.

My role will support the senior management team with Community and Voluntary Action, VCSFE Organisation Development alongside our VCSFE Engagement Lead and Climate Change Officer. I’ll be working closely with our CEO, Hannah, and the Executive Leadership Team to drive forward with our aims and developing services.

In my spare time I love to read, explore the countryside with our little dog Colin, or start a new DIY project. I very much enjoy being creative and working together to create change and positive impact.

In my working life so far I have been lucky enough to work with a variety of communities, organisations and projects or services in the VCSFE sector, and have a passion for mental health and wellbeing in particular. I believe Suffolk has an incredible amount to offer and I look forward to continuing to getting to know you all across the sector.

Sarah Mortimer

Sarah Mortimer

Senior Manager Community Engagement

Sarah Mortimer

Senior Manager Community Engagement

Sarah leads on Community Action Suffolk’s community development projects and currently oversees the Local Conversations projects in Haverhill South and Kirkley as well as Rural Housing and community engagement/consultation. Sarah has 15 years experience of working in the Voluntary and Community sector across many areas including grassroots community development, building capacity within communities and empowering them to make positive changes. Other areas of experience include rural issues, rural and community transport and grant management.

Through her professional work, Sarah has been inspired to use her wide range of skills to volunteer in her own community as well as being a school governor.

Sarah Pink

Community Development Officer – Parent and Child Groups

Sarah Pink

Community Development Officer – Parent and Child Groups

Sarah has joined Community Action Suffolk as a Community Development Officer for Parent and Child Groups following. Sarah will be working throughout Suffolk to support Parent and Child Groups and support communities with their efforts to provide provision across the county.
Sarah has worked within Early Years and Childcare for over 15 years in different capacities including education, health and social care. Sarah has a passion for helping others and ensuring every child has opportunities to thrive and every family can be supported throughout their journey together.
Sarah brings experience of managing childcare settings, specialist SEND care for children and young people, primary teaching and supporting families through crisis.
Sarah is also a Volunteer Fundraiser for The Bus Shelter and enjoys running events and helping the local community.

Simon Doling

Community Development Officer -Youth Focus Suffolk Coordinator

Simon Doling

Community Development Officer -Youth Focus Suffolk Coordinator

Simon has over twenty years’ experience of working with young people in both formal and informal settings. He was the officer for a two year county-wide youth music project, has worked offering IAG at Suffolk New College and more recently worked as youth employment coach with Inspire. Prior to that, he worked in a variety of roles in and around the music industry, as an artist manager, tour manager and sound engineer. He also still works as a musical accompanist for contemporary dance, plays in a band and organises the occasional gig too. Simon is committed, driven and equally passionate about assisting young people in achieving their ambitions and discovering their strengths, as he is about music. He comes into the role of Youth Focus Coordinator, hoping to make a significant impact in the development and support of youth work within the county.

Trevor Smith

Head of Voluntary and Community Action

Trevor Smith

Head of Voluntary and Community Action

An experienced executive who has held roles at director level in both the corporate and private sector for over 25 years. I am target driven individual who has the drive, enthusiasm, experience and expertise to take on any role, a team player and leader with a positive approach to any challenge placed in my path. Following a career in engineering with both British Gas and British Telecom, I retired to become Chairman of a National League Football Club, and then moved into local politics becoming a Parish Councillor and a board member of the Suffolk Association of Local Councils. I joined CAS in August 2022 as the Good Neighbour Network Development Officer before becoming the Head of V&CA in March 2023.

Trudie Harkin

Project Lead – Voluntary Sector Engagement

Trudie Harkin

Project Lead – Voluntary Sector Engagement