CFFC - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- CEO of Halifax Opportunities Trust
Alison is CEO of Halifax Opportunities Trust (HOT) and has worked within the voluntary and community sector in Yorkshire since 1999. She was Regional Director of the Scarman Trust for eight years, then Deputy Director of Involve Yorkshire & Humber. Following this role Alison became Business Development Manager, then Chief Executive, of Nova Wakefield District.
In 2016 she became CEO of HOT, a large community anchor delivering a wide range of regeneration and community economic development services across Calderdale.
Originally trained as a fashion designer, Alison set up and ran her own retail and design business after graduating and then spent 6 years living and working in Lesotho and South Africa. During this time, she taught in vocational colleges, whilst developing her understanding and passion for politics and social justice. This led her to an MA in International Development and her current career in the not-for-profit sector in the UK.
Andrew trained at a well-known theatre arts school in Leeds and initially seemed set to embark on a career in film and television but now has 35 years' experience working in the construction industry/built-environment - the last 15 years of which have focused specifically on energy and energy efficiency.
He has a group of businesses based in Brighouse that deliver national contracts focusing on energy and energy efficiency, contracting, consultancy and accounting services.
Andrew has a passion for motor racing and golf.
He took on the role of Chair of Finance in 2023.
Job Titles:
- Principal and Founder of Blackwood Communications
Brenda Hodgson is Principal and founder of Blackwood Communications which she established in 1991.
After gaining an OND in Business Studies Brenda started her career with the BBC in London, where she worked in the Publicity Department and as programme assistant on a variety of programmes including Spanish and French for South America and Canada, Features & Drama, and Pop & Light Music.
She has also trained in hairdressing and beauty therapy, setting up her own business, and has worked as a sales associate for Hambro Life, and in full-service advertising/marketing agencies as an account manager and PR manager. As well as experience across a broad spectrum of industrial, business-to-business and consumer sectors, Brenda has a good knowledge and understanding of the public and third sectors through positions she has held on a range of boards, committees and partnerships, including the Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, Calderdale Forward, the West Yorkshire Rural Partnership, the Holme & Calder Association of the National Trust, and The Actors' Workshop Youth Theatre.
Brenda is the Chair of the Grants Committee.
Having studied business at Manchester Metropolitan University, Heidi has gone onto gain valuable experience and knowledge in businesses and organisations of all sizes. From founding a local nursery, The Ark, to her days at global giants HP and Xerox, Heidi combines corporate level strategy with a fair bit of graft ensuring she has a positive and meaningful impact.
On a day to day basis, Heidi is closely involved in the operations of The Craggs Business Parks, managing multiple locations, supporting its clients and developing new properties for its portfolio.
With close connections to key organisations in the Cragg Vale community, Heidi has a way of matching all kinds of businesses in mutually beneficial partnerships.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Marketing
Neil is a former company executive who was born and bred in Calderdale. Following a very successful career as an entrepreneur in Information Technology he is now an Angel Investor who also provides consultancy and advice to start-ups, scale-ups, and local charities to support their growth and development.
Neil is Chair of the Marketing and Development Committee and involved nationally with UKCF helping with the roll out of the new network CRM.
Job Titles:
- Company Secretary
- Ex Officio
Nick is a Partner and the Head of Regulatory and Litigation at Chadwick Lawrence LLP, based in Halifax, Leeds, and Huddersfield.
He is also the firm's Compliance Officer and registered with the Information Commissioner as the firm's Data Protection Officer. He provides guidance and advice to businesses on data protection, conducing audits, drafting policies and procedures, assisting with security breaches, data access requests and dealing with the ICO as well as other regulatory compliance.
Nick is the company secretary for the Community Foundation for Calderdale, director of ASBCI (Association of Suppliers to the British Clothing Industry) and Halifax 900 Trust for Halifax Minster. He is also the founder and chair of the Business for Calderdale networking organisation.
Married with 3 children and a follower of Liverpool FC, he regularly makes the trip to Anfield, enjoys walking and gardening.
Nigel is an experienced multi-channel marketer with over thirty years of experience in combining the best of marketing with the best of technology to drive improved personal brand and business performance.
As a result of using LinkedIn successfully to build engagement and generate new business for many clients, Nigel formed Value Exchange Ltd, a business specifically to train others how to repeat the same success. He is a regular trainer, entertaining speaker and engaging presenter on the subject of LinkedIn.
A start-up specialist himself, having established over 25 businesses, Nigel has worked with a wide variety of international clients, including one-man businesses through to FTSE 100 companies, universities, charities and the UK central government.
Preet is a mixture of being an academic and someone who gets things done to be able to help people living with disabilities in our community.
Preet followed her Master's in philosophy in English Literature at the University of Delhi by lecturing at the University for 4 years. She moved with her Husband to England and has worked in the Not-for-Profit sector for over 21 years. She received a Learning Disabilities Management Qualification at the University of Lancashire and York and recently a PG Diploma in Applied Behaviour Analysis and Challenging Behaviour from Cardiff University.
When Preet worked with communities breaking misconceptions to increase uptake of disability services in the local Asian community, she was a key member of the Inclusion Service and the trust in the relationships she built helped her to form an Asian Carers group and she also pioneered a day service for women, both breakthrough achievements.
Since 2012, Preet has proudly been the CEO of The Next Step Trust which supports adults with profound learning disabilities and complex health needs. She has led the way developing the daytime support service over four sites, enhanced provision of adapted and sensory equipment harnessing new technology, set up a respite provision, and following a successful fundraising campaign built a hydrotherapy pool in Kings Cross.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director of PiB ( Insurance ) Group
A proud Yorkshireman, Richard is the Managing Director of PiB (Insurance) Group in the North Eastern Region, having always worked in insurance and risk management. Richard has been a Trustee since 2019 and as a Philanthropist, he strongly believes in putting back into the community and supporting people who live in Calderdale. Richard brings a level head ensuring risk analysis and encourages commercial acumen within the organisation. He is also passionate about businesses, growing our economy and employment market making Calderdale a nicer place to live.
To relax, Richard enjoys a game of golf and is also a keen cyclist.
Roger and his wife have lived in Cragg Vale Calderdale since 1989. His background was in biomedical science and materials engineering, and he originally worked as a university lecturer and then as a regulator of the medical device industry.
He became a Senior Civil Servant in the Department of Health and retired as Chief Executive of the NHS Appointments Commission in 2007 for which he was awarded the OBE.
Since then he has worked in a voluntary capacity in the third sector and has been a Trustee of the Community Foundation for Calderdale since 2009 and (apart from 2018) its chair since 2013. Roger stood down as Chair in 2023 and Zohrah Zancudi succeeded him.
Roger may be seen cycling around Calderdale, sometimes on one of his vintage racing bikes, and says that he owes his renewed enthusiasm for cycling to the Land's End to John O'Groats challenge which he completed with the CFFC team in 2013.
Sabir has lived in Park ward for over 50 years. He is currently a self-employed tutor delivering private science and maths tuition (KS2 to KS5) to predominantly BME children. He has extensive experience in the public sector: as a non-executive board member of Calderdale NHS PCT; Leeds Tribunal Service; Senior Organisational Development Consultant at Kirklees council; Chair of the Corporate Kirklees Black and Minority Ethnic Employees Network.
Before becoming a full-time tutor, he was the OD and Performance Manager for Manningham Housing Association - a registered social landlord with circa 1500 homes within predominantly BME communities in Bradford and Keighley.
Born in Huddersfield, Simon has lived in Calderdale for nearly 40 years, but the nearest he came to working here was at David Brown Tractors. A qualified Management Accountant he has worked in Engineering for all his career, following Tractors with Plumbing Fittings and finally, Newspaper Printing Presses for 25 years at an International Company based in Preston.
A competitive sportsman, he has played in the local leagues in both squash and tennis for many years, as well as enjoying taking part in many other sports.
Since finishing paid employment, he has become more involved with the voluntary sector in Calderdale. Before joining CFFC, he has had plenty of contact with the organisation through his involvement with St. Augustine's Centre, Calderdale MS Group, Rotary Club of Halifax, and The Old Library at Stainland.
Simon has taken on the role of CFFC Treasurer.