COMMUNITIES FIRST WESSEX - Key Persons


Andy Yates

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Senior Leadership Team
  • Wheels to Work

B. Phil

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board
  • Education
I qualified as a teacher and youth worker and initially worked for 12 years in Rutland and Leicestershire as a youth and community tutor/teacher based at a Community College. In 1985, I moved to Andover, Hampshire, and worked for a further 26 years as a Community Education Manager based at a Community School to manage locally based adult learning, youth work, extended services and community education. For the 10 years before retirement, in 2010, I also managed the community based Andover Adult and Family Learning provision which was initially funded through a sizeable European Social Fund grant. The provision made a significant contribution to engage "hard to reach" families and adults in learning whether to improve their literacy and numeracy skills and/or to take steps to return to learning to gain new qualifications. A dedicated Information and Advice Service was externally funded to support many of the learners to return to work. The provision was an excellent example of inter-agency collaboration and partnership working both with the voluntary and statutory sectors. I am a keen mountain/hill walker and still enjoy an airy rock scramble on a sunny day.

Beverley Morgan Jones - Chairman

Job Titles:
  • Chairman of the Board
Beverley Morgan Jones has been a resident of East Hampshire (Alton) for the last 36 years. Lived and worked in Hampshire since leaving college in Winchester. Trained as a teacher and taught in several schools in the county. Became a full-time youth and community worker and was the county officer for a large voluntary youth organisation covering Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Developed and managed the first community school in the county. Eventually moved into the world of adult learning and training. Retired early as a vice principal of a large further and higher education college in north Hampshire and then helped develop the adult and training services of Hampshire County Council over a nine-year period.

Beverley Palmer

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Senior Leadership Team
  • Positive Pathways Assistant

Bruce White

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Senior Leadership Team
  • Winchester & Fareham

Clive Graham

Job Titles:
  • Director
  • Member of the Board

Dave Doyle

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Senior Leadership Team
  • Health & Safety

David Eley

Job Titles:
  • Director
  • Member of the Board

Denis Gibson

Job Titles:
  • Director
  • Member of the Board

Dr John Evans

Job Titles:
  • Director
  • Member of the Board
John is an experienced non-executive chairman, director and board advisor, with a focus on strategy, performance, effectiveness, governance, and Merger Acquisition integration. Previously a senior executive and consultant with major global businesses in the pharmaceutical, health services, technology, software, security, media and consumer product sectors. His current business interests include workplace wellbeing, international culture & diversity, learning and a telemedicine partnership providing innovative health solutions in a wide range of applications and settings. He was a Trustee and Chair with Hart Voluntary Action for 10 years and Chair of the Well Being Centre in Frimley. Additionally John served as a stakeholder Governor at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust.

East Hampshire

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Senior Leadership Team

Ethan Kear-Davies

Job Titles:
  • Marketing Officer
  • Member of the Senior Leadership Team

Gary Davis

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Senior Leadership Team
  • East Hampshire

Gavin Rowe

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Senior Leadership Team
  • Head of Transport Services ( South )

Gill Drake

Job Titles:
  • Finance Officer
  • Member of the Senior Leadership Team

Helena O'Shea

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Senior Leadership Team
  • Timebank Manager

Hywel Small

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Senior Leadership Team
  • Performance & Operations Director
Hywel's 10 years of experience in the sector builds upon his strong business and performance management background in publishing and consultancy. His firm belief is that sustainability and development of services needs business rigour and enterprising innovation.

Ina Allum

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Senior Leadership Team
  • Programme Manager

Jackie Hartless

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Senior Leadership Team
  • Home Services and Health

Jagat Singh

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Senior Leadership Team
  • Volunteering Service Coordinator

Jan Lefley

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board
  • Director / YMCA

Jayne Smith

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Senior Leadership Team
  • Home Services

Jean Field

Job Titles:
  • Finance Officer
  • Member of the Senior Leadership Team

Jenny Owens

Job Titles:
  • Director
  • Member of the Board
I did my degree in Spanish and French, but then decided to train in Social Work - first of all in Leeds and then at the London School of Economics. My first job was in Hertfordshire as a member of a small team working across the County on the prevention of homelessness and the rehabilitation of homeless families. Our small department was subsequently absorbed into the Childrens' dept, and I worked in Watford, mainly on a huge overspill LCC Housing estate. I then moved to South Wales to manage the Children's services in the Bridgend area, and was later to Port Talbot. After 10 years in S Wales I moved to Havant, where I was Area Manager for Social Services for 13 years, and came to know Leigh Park, Warrren Park, and Wecock Farm and their problems quite well! I left that post when the department was reorganised, and joined the Shaw Trust, a voluntary organisation, placing people with disabilities in work and supporting them in their employment. Since retiring I have maintained my interests in both housing and people with special needs, as I am a trustee of both Havant Housing Association, which provides supported housing for a wide range of people with special needs, and of MIND in Havant and East Hants.

Liz Moore

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Senior Leadership Team
  • Head of Learning Services

Liza Smith

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Senior Leadership Team
  • New Forest

Lynne Peters

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Senior Leadership Team
  • Head of Transport Services ( North )
  • Transport Services

Mandy Harris

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Senior Leadership Team
  • Community Development Director
Mandy joined Community First in 2008, and has 25 years experience working in the sector. With a strong belief in the value of partnership working, is committed to leading the community & volunteer teams to enable a vibrant and effective voluntary sector across Hampshire.

Marie Shotbolt

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Senior Leadership Team
  • Young Carers

Natasha Glover

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Senior Leadership Team
  • Clanfield Centre Manager

Paul Kirkland

Job Titles:
  • Director
  • Member of the Board
During my career I progressed from Management Trainee to Personnel Director in Engineering, Electronics, Computing/IT and Banking. I have considerable in depth experience of HR line management, employee relations, strategy development and implementation.

Rachel Dowbakin

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Senior Leadership Team
  • Heart of the Park Centre Manager

Sayonara Anderson

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Senior Leadership Team
  • Fareham, Gosport & Havant

Scott Curtis

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Senior Leadership Team
  • Fareham, Gosport & Havant

Steve Witheyman

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Senior Leadership Team
  • Service Manager

Sue Musselwhite

Job Titles:
  • Finance Officer
  • Member of the Senior Leadership Team

Sue Ward

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Senior Leadership Team
  • Wheels to Work

Tanya Dowthwaite - CFO

Job Titles:
  • Chartered Accountant
  • Finance Director
  • Member of the Senior Leadership Team
Tanya, a Chartered Accountant with over 35 years experience, both in professional practice and in the charity sector, is committed to ensuring that Community First's success is maintained by strong financial management and planning for the future.

Terry Mack

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Senior Leadership Team
  • Basingstoke & East Hants

Tim Houghton - CEO

Job Titles:
  • Chief Executive Officer
  • Member of the Senior Leadership Team

Tori Perry

Job Titles:
  • Coordinator
  • Member of the Senior Leadership Team

Trevor Lewis

Job Titles:
  • Vice Chair of the Board
Trevor has a BA in Economics and History. His career has involved developing and implementing large-scale IT systems solutions across a wide range of industries. Company director for thirty years, including roles as MD, CEO and Chair. His wide range of experience and skills include General Management, Change Management, Sales and Marketing, Tendering for Contracts, Product and Service Development, Finance, HR, Consultancy, Project Management, Mergers and Acquisitions. He has worked in the voluntary sector for seven years, including being Chair of a CVS, Winchester Area Community Action, now part of Community First. He is used to working at senior level with local authorities. Trevor's other interests include being Vice-Chair of Home-Start Winchester and District. He enjoys hill walking, theatre, literature, art, watching rugby and cricket. He says: "I believe that with austerity budgets and funding cuts to many services, charities, local authorities and individuals must join together to mobilise resources to mitigate the impact of these cuts on those in most need in our society. I am very pleased to be a part of Community First which, as the CVS for around 40% of Hampshire, is locally at the forefront of this activity."

Vanessa Kitt

Job Titles:
  • HR Officer
  • Member of the Senior Leadership Team

Young Volunteer

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Senior Leadership Team
  • Young Volunteer Development Workers