Community360 has announced the early retirement due to ill health of its Chief Executive Officer Tracy Rudling, after 31 years of dedicated service to the organisation.

Following much consideration, and with the full support of the Board, Tracy has made the difficult decision to step down from her position to focus on improving her health and wellbeing. Tracy will remain in post until March 2025 to ensure a smooth transition and allow the charity time to appoint a new Chief Executive.

Community360’s leadership team will continue to focus on delivering the charity’s vital services to vulnerable people across Essex, with gratitude to Tracy for her decades of public service.

Under Tracy’s leadership, Community360 has gone from strength to strength, with highlights including providing crucial support to people over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic, recruiting and developing over 1000 volunteers in 1 week, and launching the One Colchester Hub to create a welcoming space for residents to access charitable services, and expanding the organisation’s community transport offering, in order to tackle social isolation. Tracy was inspirational in bringing Social Prescribing to Essex back in 2012 and at the forefront of its development.

Speaking about her decision to take early retirement, Tracy Rudling said:

“After more than three decades at Community360, the decision to take early retirement has not been easy, but this is the right time for me to focus on improving my own health and wellbeing. It has been an absolute honour and privilege to lead this fantastic organisation and work alongside such dedicated colleagues and passionate volunteers who all truly make Community360 what it is today.  When I took over as CEO in March 2010, the Charity was turning over £300K and we had a workforce of 13, last year we finalised our books at £5M and offered paid employment to 115 local people. The growth and support to our most vulnerable people has been my focus for over 31 years”. 

“I look forward to supporting the charity during this transition period and am confident that Community360 will continue to work towards creating sustainable change that makes a difference to people’s lives in Colchester and beyond.”

Stewart Thomson, Chair to the Board of Trustees, said:

“As we begin our search for a new Chief Executive Officer, I would like to thank Tracy for her invaluable and dedicated contribution to the charity over the last 31 years, and wish her all the best for this new chapter. Tracy has led our charity with the utmost care and passion for improving the wellbeing of the people we support, and we will remain forever grateful for her dedication to Community360’s mission.

“We are committed to finding a successor who will guide the charity forward and will build on the strong foundation established by Tracy’s leadership. Our priority will always be to help people to access the resources they need in order to thrive, and we will continue to serve our community by working in close collaboration with our partners to support vulnerable people across Essex.”