Working with us
If you’re not sure who to contact for advice and support at Community First Yorkshire, take a look at our team.
The Community Support North Yorkshire team works with community groups and charities across North Yorkshire providing advice and support on anything from funding to finance, volunteering to governance.
We also arrange bespoke training and connect you with peer support networks to to help your organisation or group to thrive.
Amy Gibbons
Events Assistant
As an events assistant, Amy helps with organising training and events. She also supports the leadership programmes.
Amy Tew
Community Support Delivery Manager
Contact Amy for: information about the Community Support North Yorkshire service.
Andy Ryland
Development Officer
Contact Andy for: Men’s Sheds, funding, training and governance.
Andy Shield
Development Officer
Contact Andy for: Governance, funding, Community Led Housing, training and skills audits.
Bridget Blanchard
Development & Innovation Manager
Contact Bridget for: ideas about new ways of working with the voluntary and community sector in North Yorkshire, leadership mentoring and coaching.
Hilary Ashton
Development Officer
Contact Hilary for: advice on choosing a charitable structure, constitutions, trustee issues, community buildings, funding, strategic and/or financial planning, volunteering.
Joanne Abbott
Development Officer
Contact Joanne for: advice on choosing a charitable structure, constitutions, trustee issues, community buildings, funding, strategic and/or financial planning, volunteering.
Leah Furniss
Development Officer
Contact Leah for: advice on choosing a charitable structure, constitutions, trustee issues, community buildings, funding, strategic and/or financial planning, volunteering.
Lizzie Clapham
Development Officer
Contact Lizzie for: volunteering, charity finance and organisational development.
Mark Hopley
Head of Community Support North Yorkshire
Contact Mark for: Mark leads our team of Development Officers who work across North Yorkshire supporting community groups, charities and social business. Mark has a particular focus on the emerging health arena.
Nicky Ruddick (nee Smith)
Development Officer
Contact Nicky for: advice on governance including registering as a charity, community buildings, children and young people’s projects and tap into her vast experience of grant funding.
Stella Antonio
Information Officer
Contact Stella for: information to be included in Community First Yorkshire News and the Funding Bulletin.
Our Employment Advice Service (EAS) with qualified HR professionals has a long-established reputation.
We can help you with advice on recruitment, disciplinary procedures and much more. To find out more about our support and pricing click here. To contact the service, click on the profile below.
Jane Hudson
HR Advisor
Contact Jane for: all aspects of employment guidance and advice, from employment documentation to employment law and problem solving.
The marketing and communications team manages our website, social media, newsletters and much more.
Claire Hetherington
Marketing & Communications Officer (currently on maternity leave)
Contact Claire for: media enquiries, publicity, website, communications and marketing.
Jaye Caffery
Marketing & Communications Officer
Contact Jaye for: media enquiries, publicity, website, communications and marketing.
Jo Fox
Marketing & Communications Manager
Contact Jo for: media enquiries, publicity, website, communications and marketing.
Nic Mann
Marketing & Communications Officer
Contact Nic for: media enquiries, publicity, website, communications and marketing.
The operations team ensures the smooth day-to-day running of Community First Yorkshire’s operations, including DBS processing and Community First Yorkshire membership.
Contact the team members below for support.
Emma Brown
Administration Support Officer
The Operations Team are the behind the scenes hub of the organisation. We ensure the smooth day-to-day running of Community First Yorkshire’s operations, including facilities, stock control, administrative support across the organisation, DBS processing, membership subscriptions, mail outs and working closely with the Marketing and Communications team to organise events. If you need something organising or ordering, we are the go to team.
Jeanette Lilley
Operations Officer
The Operations Team are the behind the scenes hub of the organisation. We ensure the smooth day-to-day running of Community First Yorkshire’s operations, including facilities, stock control, administrative support across the organisation, DBS processing, membership subscriptions, mail outs and working closely with the Marketing and Communications team to organise events. If you need something organising or ordering, we are the go to team.
Joanne Shakespeare
Senior Operations Officer
The Operations Team are the behind the scenes hub of the organisation. We ensure the smooth day-to-day running of Community First Yorkshire’s operations, including facilities, stock control, administrative support across the organisation, DBS processing, membership subscriptions, mail outs and working closely with the Marketing and Communications team to organise events. If you need something organising or ordering, we are the go to team.
Miranda Foster
Operations Officer
The Operations Team are the behind the scenes hub of the organisation. We ensure the smooth day-to-day running of Community First Yorkshire’s operations, including facilities, stock control, administrative support across the organisation, DBS processing, membership subscriptions, mail outs and working closely with the Marketing and Communications team to organise events. If you need something organising or ordering, we are the go to team.
The projects team run a variety of projects including Asset Based Community Development and Community-Led Housing.
Contact the team to find out more.
Angela Walmsley
Community Led Housing Hub Manager (job share)
Contact Angela for: local 1-2-1 specialist support from the North Yorkshire & East Riding Community Led Housing hub. Community groups can find out about all stages of a community led housing project, from community engagement right through to build and live stage. We also work to build partnerships, connect people, deliver training and promote action to help communities build local homes for local people.
Maggie Farey
Development Officer (covering Ryedale)
Contact Maggie for: advice on community engagement, parish planning, surveys, project development in Ryedale.
Michael Fletcher
Project Lead Mobile Access North Yorkshire (MANY)
Contact Michael for: all queries in relation to residents who wish to participate in the MANY project.
Miranda Foster
Rothwell ABCD Community Builder
Contact Miranda for: information on Asset Based Community Development in Rothwell.
Sarah Hart
Community Led Housing Hub Manager (job share)
Contact Sarah for: local 1-2-1 specialist support from the North Yorkshire & East Riding Community Led Housing hub. Community groups can find out about all stages of a community led housing project, from community engagement right through to build and live stage. We also work to build partnerships, connect people, deliver training and promote action to help communities build local homes for local people.
Victoria Russell
Head of Projects
Contact Victoria for: information and collaborative working on the wide range of projects delivered at Community First Yorkshire.
Viv Flemming
Project Support Officer, Parent Carer Voice North Yorkshire
Contact Viv for: enquiries related to support for parents/carers of children/young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
The senior management team are responsible for the running of the organisation.
Amy Tew
Community Support Delivery Manager
Contact Amy for: information about the Community Support North Yorkshire service.
Caroline O’Neill
Head of Policy and Partnerships
Contact Caroline for: partnerships, networks and information sharing about the needs of communities and VCSE organisations and making sure that the sector is represented.
Gillian McIntosh
Head of Finance & Administration
Contact Gillian for: all matters relating to the administration and internal running of the organisation.
Jane Colthup
Chief Executive
Contact Jane for: anything you think she needs to be aware of in her role as Chief Executive of the organisation.
Jo Fox
Marketing & Communications Manager
Contact Jo for: media enquiries, publicity, website, communications and marketing.
Mark Hopley
Head of Community Support North Yorkshire
Contact Mark for: Mark leads our team of Development Officers who work across North Yorkshire supporting community groups, charities and social business. Mark has a particular focus on the emerging health arena.
Victoria Russell
Head of Projects
Contact Victoria for: information and collaborative working on the wide range of projects delivered at Community First Yorkshire.
