Roundup from our Annual General Meeting 2023
Thank you to everyone who came to our AGM last week. It was lovely to reconnect with our members and supporters and hear from organisations that we've helped about what volunteering means to them - thank you Newcastle West End Food Bank , St Vincent De Paul Society and Peace of Mind.
Thank you also to Jamie Driscoll, North of Tyne Combined Authority Mayor, and Mark Henderson, Chief Executive of Home Group, for sharing some of the positive stories surrounding the development of One Strawberry Lane and the wider North of Tyne area, the power of volunteers, and future aspirations to make our region flourish.
If you were unable to attend you can view our full Annual Report and Accounts on Our Impact page. You can also read highlights from our achievements in 2021-22 in our Annual Review:
Trustee Resignations
This AGM we said a fond farewell to two of our trustees - Nitin Shukla and Paula Park. Nitin was elected as a trustee in 2017 and became Vice Chair in 2020. Paula was elected in 2020 and became Vice Chair in 2021. Thank you Nitin and Paula for all the time and expertise you have volunteered to support Connected Voice over the last few years.
Welcome to our new trustees
Keith Proudfoot – Nominated by Tyne Theatre and Opera House
Keith was appointed onto the Connected Voice board in February 2023 for his financial expertise and breadth of experience as a trustee in the VCSE sector. Keith is now retired from a distinguished career as a Chartered Accountant, and has previously been President of the Northern Society of Chartered Accountants. Keith has served as a trustee on the board of local charities including Northern Stage, and is currently a Non-Executive Director of Tyne Theatre and Opera House, and a trustee of a national LGBTQ+ support charity.
Salha Kaitesi – Nominated by Teakisi
Salha is currently Artistic Director at Teakisi. She is a social entrepreneur, gender equality, empowerment champion and a self-taught blogger with multiple skills that she has acquired over the last 11 years. Fuelled by passion for empowering and promoting African girls and women, their voices, equality and diversity, she considers herself a “forever student,” eager to both build on her academic foundations in Sociology and Politics, while staying in tune with the latest digital and in person strategies that will amplify the voices of African women, her local community and those of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Communities.
Sam Cooper – Nominated by Newcastle United Foundation
Sam has 15 years’ experience in healthcare, medical information, social science and sports. He is currently National Health and Wellbeing Manager for Macmillan Cancer Support as well as being a Health and Wellbeing Consultant, Strategist and Trainer. He was employed as Health and Wellbeing Officer at Newcastle United Football Club and Foundation up to October 2020.
Two new co-opted trustees:
Peter Deans
Peter has had a career working with charities and social enterprises in leadership roles, as a volunteer, as a board member and as a freelance consultant. He worked as a freelance consultant operating as Business Mind Social Purpose for 12 years. In that time he worked with 120 charities and social enterprises on strategy, governance, social impact, coaching, facilitation, social investment and project development. He worked as Operations Director for the Social Investment Business and Deputy Director England/Regional Manager, National Lottery Community Fund.
Peter Elliott OBE
Peter was Chief Executive at Azure Charitable Enterprises for 21 years. Azure provided services to people with disabilities (support for living, training, job finding and placing disabled people in work with other employers and within Azure’s own trading businesses). He has served on the Bank of England Commercial/Industrial Liaison Panel. Since his retirement he has sought charity sector volunteering opportunities at Connected Voice Business Services and North Tyneside Citizens Advice.
