Community360’s Board of Trustees is responsible for our governance and strategic direction. The Board is accountable for everything we do, including setting our strategic direction, scrutinising our performance and supporting and empowering our Leadership Team.
The CEO and Senior Management Team report to our board of trustees. They have an important role in guiding the charity and ensuring that we work in the best possible way.
The Charity’s Trustees are people who share its values and have expertise in areas to the work of our charity.
Annie has served as Chair of Community360 since 2019, which have been eventful years. She is immensely proud of the achievements of the staff, volunteers and Board throughout that very challenging time. The impressive commitment of the whole team has enabled us to take on a wide range of new tasks and responsibilities as the pandemic was at its worst. And those many activities continue to be drivers of change and innovation both internally and with our many partners. She is confident that this resilience and energy will serve C360 well in the years ahead.
Annie served as a Ward Councillor for Colchester Borough Council and as Portfolio Holder for Leisure Services and Communities from 2012-2017. She was the Portfolio Holder for Commercial Services from 2017-2018, which included the Chair of the Board for Colchester Commercial Holdings Ltd, delivering new commercial strategies whilst maintaining the public service ethos. Other experience at Board level includes the CBC Stakeholder Governor for Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust 2013-2015 and the Haven Gateway Partnership 2017-2018.
Cristina is a Fellow Associate of the Royal Commonwealth Society where she hopes that her work will influence and support many communities across the Commonwealth and engage with younger generations to build a stronger resilience against abuse and exploitation.
In her current role as the Director of European Operations, Cristina oversees a number of areas for Justice and Care that seek to prevent trafficking in ‘at risk’ communities; that disrupt and dismantle criminal networks through strong partnership with governments; rebuild the lives of those impacted by the crimes of human trafficking and slavery; become a leading voice on anti-human trafficking; strengthen capacity for evidenced-based outcomes and identify and embed sustainable resources in the fight against human trafficking.
Cristina has worked within the public sector for over 15 years both within the NHS and the Law Enforcement sectors and brings a wealth of experience to the community of Essex.
After retiring from the Essex Fire Services at the rank of Assistant Divisional Officer a number of years ago, Les obtained his Association of Accounting Technicians qualification (now a member) and worked at Community360 within the Community Accounts Project as an Assistant Community Accountant.
Towards the end of 2014, he returned to the Essex Fire Service initially as a Community Safety Officer for Colchester and Tendring before piloting a Tri Service Rural Community Officer role which has since become permanent in Maldon and the Dengie. The good thing is that his new role allows him to promote the work of Community360. When Les had the chance to return to the organisation as a Trustee he was more than happy to join the board, serving as Treasurer and from March to November 2019 also as Chair in a temporary capacity.
David worked in the Voluntary Sector for over 45 years. He joined CCVS (Community360’s previous incarnation) in 1993 – his arrival was as a representative from a local disability user group, and he is the longest-serving member of the Board.
David had previously been Chair of the Board of CCVS; he was a Trustee of the national charity Deafblind UK for almost 18 years, was their Chair for almost 8 years and has worked for Guide Dogs for over 37 years in a variety of roles. He was a member of Tendring CVS Committee before its company status and was a Board member of Tendring Community Transport.
Locally David was part of the Colchester Home-Start and Citizens’ Advice Bureau. He still works with the Department of Work and Pensions and attends their Disability Forums in Parliament, plus meetings with the service providers for the DWP.
In line with the deep-rooted working class traditions within his family he left school at 15 with no qualifications and joined the Essex County Fire and Rescue Service in 1970 serving as a firefighter, crew and watch commander. Although Les retired from active service in 2006 he has continued to work for the Fire Service in the community, and 2nd January 2020 marks his 50 years of service.
Highlights of his community career have been being shortlisted for Guardian Public Servant of the Year, and the Pride of Britain award – although it must be said that both times he was the bridesmaid and not the bride! He was awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) in the 2020 New Year’s Honours list.
Les has worked with Community360 for some years within his community role and enjoys being on the Board.
I was born in and have lived in Colchester all of my life. I have a young family and am a keen sportsperson, having participated socially and competitively in a number of sports including badminton, football, mountain biking and most recently CrossFit.
After studying Sports Science at college, I pursued a role as a full time sports coach, delivering sports sessions to children across a number of settings. It was in this role that I noticed how powerful Sport and Physical Activity could be to support not just physical health but improving mental wellbeing, confidence and self-belief.
From there I moved into a role in Sports Development within a Local Authority in Suffolk, then moving on to work for the Active Partnership in Suffolk and then Essex. I am currently working in a role across Health and Social Care. The aim is to develop stronger relationships between people in these systems and advocate the strengths of community first approach.
I have worked with colleagues from Community360 for a number of years, particularly in the Braintree District and am a strong believer in ethos of the organisation. With better connected communities citizens have a better chance of reaching their full potential.
In the early 80’s I worked as a Social Worker in the East End of London and had a varied career teaching Social Work, subsequently senior roles in Local Government, the NHS, Third Sector, holding an MSc in Human Resource Management and am an honorary fellow of Brunel University. More recently I have run a family mediation practice in London and North Essex, until retiring in 2020.
For a number of years, I was a trustee of a large social enterprise organisation, providing early years for nursery age children across London. I continue to act as a non-executive director for a small group of Montessori Nurseries in North Essex.
Katherine has been working as a doctor for the NHS for over 20 years in hospitals and other organisations across the country, mostly in clinical roles but also in Public Health and more recently in commissioning and transformation. Home has been near the Suffolk/Essex border for over 10 years and both her children were born in Colchester General Hospital.
She first became aware of C360 through projects at work and from talking to volunteers at the vaccination centres and as time went on began to understand the huge scope of their work. Katherine says she feels privileged to be part of an organisation that is so active and innovative in seeking to support the local community.
Anthea has lived in Colchester for 40 years now, moving here via Surrey and Oxfordshire. After taking a degree in Physics she worked in research and software development before taking a career break to have a family.
Her subsequent return to work has been in workforce development and planning, and education, teaching at local schools and then working for the NHS for over 20 years. Her final post was with EPUT (Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust), the mental health trust covering Essex, as Associate Director for Workforce Development and Training. She has a professional doctorate based on her research in workforce planning.
Since retiring in 2022 she has been able to devote more time to some of the voluntary activities that she is interested in. She is a mentor for the Prince’s Trust and a trustee for Gateway Qualifications which has enabled her to continue her interest in supporting young people to achieve their ambitions.
She has been involved with the Colchester Soup Run for the homeless for some years and has recently been involved in a Community Sponsorship Group to house a refugee family.
In her spare time she enjoys dance, is a member of Rock Choir and has been part of a Book Group for over 30 years.
Would you like to join our
Board of Trustees?
Contact Tracy Fortescue on tracyfortescue@community360.org.uk for more information
