THE CHURN PROJECT - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- EMPLOYMENT & SKILLS HUB OUTREACH WORKER
Amanda joined The Churn in 2014 having previously worked in a women's prison, Cirencester College, Stroud District Council, Info Buzz and Festival Arts. Her Employment & Skills role offers intensive support to people looking for work or to improve their employability skills.
Billy recently retired from over two decades in international development focused on urban poverty, acting as Director of Cities Alliance, which was hosted by the World Bank and UN respectively in Washington DC and then Brussels. Previously Billy was a staff member for the African National Congress during the transition from apartheid in his native South Africa. In 1994, he was appointed Director General of Housing in the Government of National Unity, after which he briefly served as Director of Housing in Cape Town. He was recently elected Chair of the Cirencester Community Development Trust (CCDT).
Cathey is a retired Doctor having moved to Cirencester over 35 years ago to work as a GP. She retrained as a Psychiatrist with a special interest in Older people and treatments for dementia and was the lead Consultant for the Memory Assessment Services in Gloucestershire until her retirement. Along the way she also worked as a medical journalist and medico legal adviser. She is passionate about living well into later life and is looking forward to being involved with the Churn and supporting the great work that goes on.
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Founder and CEO of Happiness Lab
David Bellamy is Founder and CEO of Happiness Lab, a business dedicated to helping organisations to unlock the benefits of happiness at work. Happiness Lab's unique technology platform offers companies a totally different lens through which to view the day-to-day experiences of employees - and represents his first venture into the world of technology development and disruption. Prior to Happiness Lab, David spent 18 years as a management consultant working on projects associated with "every conceivable organisational challenge". His first book "Cultivating Organisational Happiness" published in 2018.
Dave retired as a senior education manager in 2014. For the last 23 years of his working life he was the Vice-Principal of Cirencester College, responsible for its academic function. He managed large teams of staff and large budgets, while continuing to teach and to develop the curriculum. Trade-unionism has always been an important part of Dave's professional life and he remains active in the Gloucestershire District of the National Education Union. Personal interests include sport and travel. Dave feels privileged in serving as a Trustee of the Churn Project which makes such an impact for good in our local community.
Erin has worked across the charity sector, from a small local community choir to a large national charity. She works across all areas of fundraising including grant funding applications as well as relationships with corporate and community partners.
Fran is the Visitor Experience Manager at WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre with an interesting background with the National Trust and museums. She volunteered for several years as a Listening Volunteer with the Samaritans and knows first hand the value of volunteering. Fran said "Volunteering for the Samaritans was a hugely rewarding experience. I felt that I was making a real difference to people's lives simply by being there to listen and understand, and saw my own confidence and wellbeing improve as a result'. Fran is a local resident and is looking forward to her new role.
Frankie joined the team in 2022 having previously been our social media volunteer.Frankie has a background in marketing and communications in the travel industry as well as charity work involving fundraising events. She is our first point of contact at The Churn and supports Linda, our Office Manager, and all teams with administrative duties.
Graham runs our Churn Men's & Community Sheds, Pawsitive Strides, Stitch, Knit & Natter and Chat & Connect groups which offer friendship, support and skill sharing. Graham is well known in Cirencester for establishing Signpost, a local charity working alongside homeless people.
Job Titles:
- Ageing Well Project Worker
Jo has been volunteering with the Churn for some time, and joined the team in 2021. Jo supports our Ageing Well groups including the Tuesday afternoon Friendship Café at Ashcroft Church and Sociable Stroll on Wednesday morning from Fentons Community Centre in South Cerney.
Kathryn has had varied roles in finance including bookkeeper for Cheltenham Animal Shelter. Away from work she is busy with her young family and also owns a horse.
Prior to her retirement, Meg Blumsom worked with offenders as both a probation officer and latterly leading national projects on rehabilitation of offenders. Post retirement she has been involved in various community projects, aiming to make Cirencester a better place to live in. As a trustee she is keen to help the Churn maintain its important role in helping to develop and sustain our community.
Job Titles:
- Family SERVICES COORDINATOR
Rachel is our Family Services Coordinator, supporting families through our groups and individually. She is responsible for co-ordinating and running the antenatal and the postnatal groups, and together with the Family Service Team oversees the delivery of the the several weekly toddler play sessions.
Job Titles:
- Secretary
- Treasurer
- TRUSTEE
Robert joined Monahan's in Swindon as an articled clerk. He qualified as a chartered accountant in 1969 and then went to London to work for Deloitte's. In 1971 Robert & his family went to Kenya for 2 years. After a further spell with Deloitte's in the UK and a small accountancy practice in Devon he joined a large manufacturing company in Wiltshire. He held a number of Finance Director's roles in various industries, ending up as Finance Director and Joint Managing Director of a company making push back tractors for aircraft with a turnover of £20M and 125 employees. He and his wife, Janet, have 3 children and 8 grandchildren.
Rosemary recently took voluntary redundancy from Cotswold District Council where she worked for 16 years. Through various roles at CDC she has been involved with The Churn since its inception and has chaired the Supporters' Group since 2007. Becoming a Trustee means she can continue to support the work The Churn does.
Shirley, who is married with 3 grown up children, has been involved with The Churn since its start, as a Town and District Councillor for Beeches ward. She served on the Supporters' group before becoming a Trustee. She is also a Director/Trustee of Cirencester Community Development Trust, The Bingham Library Trust and New Brewery Arts. She is a member of Soroptimist International Cirencester & District, an international women's organisation with General Consultative Status at the United Nations.