Supporting Voluntary Action
[Training] [Partnerships] [Funding, Support & Development and Community Outreach] [Communications] [Administration] [Finance]
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Sandra Meadows Sandra is Voscur’s Chief Executive. She is a committed advocate for both the sector and the city which has been her home for the past 28 years. Her background covers a variety of roles within the Bristol Corporate, Private and VCSE sectors including Marketing, HR, Business Development and Senior Management. In addition, Sandra is a member of the Bristol Mayoral Commission for Women, Bristol Race Equality Commission and has also served as a Voluntary Sector Advocate for Voscur, Chief Executive of PEYTU, a Governor within both Secondary and Further Education and has worked extensively in partnership with Bristol City Council. A member of The Chartered Institute of Management and an Associate with the Centre for Mentoring and Coaching, Sandra also previously ran her own consultancy covering business and leadership coaching in the VCSE sector. |
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David Whittaker David joined Voscur in 2012. In this role, David works to ensure that the many contracts Voscur holds are delivered on time, efficiently and to the highest standards. He keeps tabs on Voscur's performance and provides appropriate, timely information and data to our board, funders and stakeholders. David’s worked in the public, private and voluntary sectors, and was Chair of Trustees at Brigstowe in Bristol for three years. His key areas of expertise are business planning, impact measurement and communications. Before joining Voscur, David worked as a consultant and project manager in the software industry, and first got involved in social enterprise in the mountains of Papua New Guinea. |
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Mark Hubbard Mark joined Voscur in 2010. He leads Voscur’s strategic engagement, business development, and programme delivery. His work with commissioners to help processes include community organisations so that they can win and deliver public service contracts. He also leads Voscur’s collaboration support to help VCSE organisations work together in partnerships and consortia. This includes advice and facilitated sessions, and responding to opportunities. Mark has worked in the public and voluntary sectors for 25 years, as an employee, trustee, volunteer and consultant. Areas of expertise are commissioning/procurement, partnership development and strategic planning. Before joining Voscur, Mark worked in homelessness at Bristol City Council and as a consultant to the VCSE sector. |
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Esther Passingham Esther leads Voscur's support and development for VCSE organisations, making them more capable and sustainable. She helps them comply with relevant charity and social enterprise regulations, whether they are new to the sector or fully established, and shows them how to fulfil their mission. As the lead in the Development Team, she also coordinates their work with other areas of Voscur. Esther has previously worked for a range of charities and social enterprises in the South West and in Worcestershire. In her spare time, Esther upcycles furniture and is involved in property DIY projects. |
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Jenny Wildblood Jenny supports Bristol organisations with their income generation and development by providing one-to-one help, training and events on fundraising strategy, skills and information. She’s also a professional fundraiser, consultant and trainer, working with a wide variety of clients to raise funds and increase their capacity to fundraise. In a previous life, Jenny managed grant funds for several local and national Trusts, so she’s experienced the grant funding world from both sides. She’s Treasurer of two small charities, and a volunteer book seller at a local Social Enterprise, Clevedon Community Bookshop, a role that combines several of her favourite things: reading, writing and chatting to interesting people. |
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Janine Starr Janine is Voscur’s Support and Development Lead for volunteering and health. She has spent over 12 years working in Adult and Community Learning for Essex, North Somerset and Bristol City Councils followed by 10 years in the VCSE sector managing volunteering for several different community organisations. She is currently a volunteer Director at Weston Artspace CIC, helping to develop a new community art and cultural space in Weston-super-Mare. Outside of work, Janine enjoys strength training at the gym, creating her own digital art and travelling around the UK in her campervan. |
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Clare Daley Clare is Voscur’s Community Outreach Coordinator - her role is to engage with small, new and neighbourhood-based organisations in Bristol and to develop their sustainability, linking them with each other and with Voscur. She has worked in and for the VCSE sector for over 15 years, in the West Midlands and Queensland, Australia. Clare is particularly interested in refugee and migrant issues, and she has recently volunteered for local refugee charities, schools and playgroups in Bristol. Outside of work, Clare plays in a local orchestra. |
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Debra Newrick |
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Rosa Watkin Rosa coordinates the events and training programme at Voscur. She has worked in the charity sector since 2011, building up experience in project management and managing events and training programmes. She has also volunteered for organisations in the UK and in South America. She has a degree in English Literature and History, and in her spare time she can often be found reading. Rosa also enjoys her allotment and going on walking holidays. |
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Spencer Blackwell Spencer coordinates the events and training programme at Voscur. He has previously worked for two NHS Trusts in Bristol, and currently also volunteers as the Chair of Trans Pride South West, a local community-based pride festival. Spencer has a degree in Music and in his spare time he enjoys singing and learning instruments. He also has a rapidly growing collection of house plants to care for. |
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Tom Burnett Tom's current projects include: research with the University of Bristol that is looking at the impact of the pandemic on the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector; measuring diversity and equalities in Bristol's largest VCSE sector organisations; and working with Bristol City Council and sector colleagues towards a democratic VCSE body for Bristol. Tom has worked in media, publishing and research for the past 20 years. Before joining Voscur in late 2020, he was a communications manager at the University of Bristol. Outside work, Tom enjoys outdoor pursuits including running, camping and snowboarding, and recently completed a master’s degree in International Relations. |
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Fi Gillard Fi joined Voscur in November 2019 as Finance Manager, with responsibilities around reporting, budget monitoring and forecasting, and payroll. |
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Namiko Taguchi Namiko joined Voscur in December 2020. Namiko has volunteered and worked in the charity sector for a few years as treasurer, finance administrator and account support. Namiko enjoys working in the allotment on weekends especially weeding and watering. Namiko also likes going anywhere she can see nice views. |
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Tom Dewey Tom joined Voscur in late 2020, and provides administrative support to the organisation. Manning the phones and email accounts, he is your point of contact for general enquiries. Outside of work, Tom is a playwright and poet who has had his work featured on BBC iPlayer and delivered a TEDx Talk on Mental Health. He is an Open Sessions Writer at Bristol Old Vic and a Community Reporter for Bristol 24/7. Tom is represented in his creative practice by Rising Arts Agency. He also plays guitar, trains MMA and adores dogs. |
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Tom Rosenbloom Tom started working with Voscur in April 2019. He is responsible for the smooth running and maintenance of Voscur’s data and ICT systems, and helping the Voscur team with technical, admin and development support around technology and business systems. |
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