Press Release
21 June 2006
For immediate release
Volunteering England (VE), the national volunteering development agency, is increasing its influence and profile with the election of four new trustees to the board.
Jenny Baker OBE and Tiger de Souza have been elected as independent members by the General Electoral College, Jenny Green by the Volunteer Involving Organisations (VIO) Electoral College, and Chris Reed by the Volunteer Development Agencies (VDA) Electoral College.
Jenny Baker OBE
Jenny joins the board in a new capacity as an Individual General Member, having previously represented VIOs. She has served as a trustee since Volunteering England’s launch in April 2004, and is also a non-executive director of Voluntary Action, Chiltern and South Bucks, whose work includes management of a local volunteer centre. Between 1991 and 2005, Jenny worked as Head of Volunteering for the National Trust, where she was responsible for policy, strategy, leadership and direction of its expanding voluntary and community action programme. Jenny currently works as Chief Executive of Brain Tumour UK and continues to champion volunteering at all levels.
Jenny Baker said“I'm delighted to have been re-elected to the Board of Volunteering England. This is an exciting time for UK volunteering and during my next three year term I'm looking forward to being part of the dedicated trustee/ staff team who will be taking Volunteering England forward to further develop volunteering and provide quality services and support for its many members and user groups.”
Tiger de Souza
Recently appointed Strategic Development Manager for Youth Volunteering in Sport across Youth Active and v, Tiger formerly worked as Volunteer Manager for England Netball. He is a member of the Sport England Volunteer Manager’s Forum and also sits on the Sport Strategic Partnership for Volunteering: Research Sub Group. His experience also includes a role as Vice Chair of the British Universities Sports Association (2002-2004), where he held policy responsibility for Equity and Volunteering and in this capacity represented the views of Higher Education on the DCMS Step into Sport strategy group.
Tiger de Souza said: “This is a very exciting time for volunteering, with increasing levels of Government support, the creation of v, the development of ChangeUp and the Volunteering Hub, as well as the forthcoming London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. Volunteering England will be at the forefront of these agendas and I am delighted to be able to support their contribution.”
Jenny Green
Jenny is Director of Fundraising at Saint Catherine’s Hospice in Scarborough, which currently works with over 760 active volunteers who collectively give over 73,500 hours of their time each year. She previously worked at Demelza Hospice Care for Children in Kent as Head of Community Fundraising and prior to that, as a community fundraiser for Marie Curie Cancer Care. She has also formed and led an Ambassador volunteer programme, which developed and trained individuals and groups to become fully equipped to represent their charity.
Jenny Green said: “I am delighted to have been appointed; I feel lucky and privileged to be a part of Volunteering England. I am pleased to have this opportunity to give something back. I am also looking forward to sharing my experience and energies with the Board and welcome this opening as a means to aid the growth and development of volunteering.”
Chris Reed
Chris is Chief Executive at the Westminster Volunteer Centre, and has extensive experience on the England Volunteering Development Council, as a director of Greater London Volunteering and as a member of the ChangeUp Volunteering Hub Scrutiny Committee. He has also represented the interests of other Volunteer Centres on the Central London ChangeUp consortium. A lifelong volunteer, Chris has worked in both rural and urban settings and is committed to championing Volunteer Centres as a crucial tool for Volunteering England’s implementation of national strategies.
Chris Reed said: “As volunteers and volunteering are playing an increasingly important role in our society I think it’s imperative that VE continues to have the input of local volunteer development agencies at a strategic level. Most volunteering happens locally, often facilitated by Volunteer Centres, and I hope that through my involvement as a trustee I will be able to offer VE support and guidance in meeting the needs of its members at local level.”
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Notes to Editors
For more information and to arrange interviews, email cat.dean@volunteeringengland.org or call Cat Dean on 020 7520 8932. For out of hours press enquiries, contact 07952 128057.
Volunteering England’s aims are to increase the quality, quantity, contribution and accessibility of volunteering throughout England; secure and support an England-wide network of quality volunteer development agencies, promoting and enabling volunteering and community involvement; undertake research, policy and development activity; and provide grants, support and advice to sustain and develop volunteering. It understands the term volunteering to include formal activity undertaken through public, private and voluntary organisations as well as informal community participation.
