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Community Resource is a charity that is committed to making life better for people and communities facing challenges in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin.

Our vision is for a county full of strong, local communities where everyone gets the support they need.

Our mission is to enable people to enjoy a good quality of life and empower people to help their communities thrive.

ACRE network

We are one of 38 charitable local development agencies that make up the ACRE network. Our national body ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural England) speaks up for rural communities on the national stage and delivers projects that enable our communities to find innovative solutions to the challenges they face.

 

We deliver our work across three main areas:

Wellbeing & Care
We support people to stay active and connected to their communities and to maintain their health and independence so they live life to the full. We do this through a range of community-based projects with the help of a team of local and committed volunteers.

Community & Support
We work with voluntary groups so they can help meet the need in their local area and support rural communities to access competitive heating prices through our Oil Buying Club.

Funding & Advice

We connect people who care with causes that need their help through our community fund, offer guidance to households to help them save energy and keep warm and provide advice to local meeting places and groups through our membership scheme.

 

 

Our Strategy

We are a resource to the community in many different forms, adapting and shaping our work to help meet the needs of those living in this county and deliver our mission of enabling people to enjoy a good quality of life and empower people to help their communities thrive.

Our 2023 – 28 strategy lays out our plans on how we can do this to the best of our ability over the next five years.

 

Our History

Community Resource is part of a national network of similar organisations with a long and proud history of supporting rural communities throughout England.

The first organisation of this kind was set up in Oxfordshire in 1920, in the days before the Welfare State operated. A booming economy led to a migration of agricultural workers and younger people to the cities in favour of better-paid factory work, and rural social life went into decline.

Oxfordshire Rural Community Council (RCC) provided support with projects around community cohesion, education, retraining and rehabilitation. On the strength of its success, a number of RCCs were established.

Community Resource held its inaugural meeting 4 November 1960 with the aim of bringing people in communities together and finding practical solutions to rural problems – functions we still carry out today.

 

Our Staff

Bev Baxter, CEO

Bev has a history of working with young people and communities in a variety of spaces, working in Wolverhampton for a children and young people’s charity prior to joining Community Resource.

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Sue Chalk, Head of Service (Wellbeing and Care)

Sue worked in the voluntary sector in Shropshire for over 10 years before joining Community Resource in 2022.

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Sue Homden, Head of Finance

Sue joined Community Resource in 2002 and works as Head of Finance, with other responsibilities including premises management, Health and Safety and IT.

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Alli Richardson, Head of Service (Infrastructure and Rural Services)

This is Allison’s second time working for Community Resource! She came back to the organisation after a nine-year break where she was a regional service delivery manager at Guide Dogs for the Blind.

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Stacey Teece, Fundraising Manager

Stacey joined Community Resource at the height of the pandemic in 2020.

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Sophie Eades, Community Development Officer

Sophie joined Community Resource as a Community Development Officer in November 2023.

 

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Sara Edwards, Community Development Officer

Sara has spent over 20 years working in the voluntary sector in south and west Wales, including 14 years at a CVC (County Voluntary Council).

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Susann Mitchell, Development Officer

Susann joined Community Resource in 2017, and is responsible for developing, managing and delivering services to improve the lives of people living with a sight and hearing loss.

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Julie Stedman, Project Administrator

Julie is the longest serving member of staff at Community Resource; she joined the organisation way back in 1991!

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Nickie Long, Affordable Fuel Project Officer

Nickie joined Community Resource in 2001, fresh from her apprenticeship in administration.

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Carole Moreton, Funding and Grants Lead

Carole joined Community Resource in 2021 as the Funding and Grants Officer for the newly-formed Infrastructure Support Team.

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Duncan Spilsbury, Volunteer and VCSE Infrastructure Team Lead

Duncan was an Economic Regeneration Consultant working in the Public and Private Sector.

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Natalie Jackson, Social Prescribing Community Development Officer

Natalie joined Community Resource in 2022, her first role in the UK following a stint living in Las Vegas, USA.

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Lesley Jewell, Social Prescribing Community Development Officer

Lesley joined Community Resource in 2016, starting as a sessional worker supporting our dementia support group in Albrighton.

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Janet Lee, Administrator

Janet joined Community Resource in 2021, and provides general office administration and support.

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Kelly Walker, Finance Assistant

Kelly joined Community Resource in 2000, starting as an administrator before moving into the Finance team.

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Joy Simpson - Group Facilitator, Care and Share

Joy joined Community Resource as a Group Facilitator in summer 2023.

She previously held a variety of jobs across the NHS, charity and private sector, all working with people in some capacity.

 

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Our Trustees

Hugh Strickland - Chair

Hugh is a Corporate Finance Partner at Aaron & Partners LLP, where he advises on all aspects of a company’s lifespan.

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Richard Amos

Richard has extensive experience in the Non-Profit Sector, volunteering in a number of trustee roles for charitable organisations providing services to people with disabilities.

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Amy Bould

Amy is an experienced strategic communications consultant, advising public and private sector organisations on market engagement; stakeholder relations; marketing communications & public relations.

 

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Simon Broad

Simon joined the BBC as a trainee studio manager direct from music college and worked in radio production and new service development before moving into the Academy.

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Nicky Cooper

Nicky studied Natural Sciences at Cambridge University and is a Chartered Public Finance Accountant.

 

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Rachel Henley

Rachel has been involved in community development and funding throughout her working career.

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Carl Johnson

Carl gained a Master of Arts degree in European Marketing Management at Brunel University.

 

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Lindsay Pearson

Lindsay is an experienced relationship banker that has worked in a number of management and leadership roles throughout her career.

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Mark Thorn

Mark was a Director of Marches Care Limited, an independent nursing and dementia care business employing 140 staff and supporting 81 older people with challenging life conditions.

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