Conference Speakers

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9.50am Opening Session

Breakout sessions 1 – 10.35am

Breakout sessions 2 – 11.50am

Breakout sessions 3 – 2.05pm

3.00pm Plenary session – Community business: Picking up the pieces and building new communities

Opening Session: Empowering Rural Communities: Our Vision for Innovation, Inclusivity and Impact

Lucy Knill
Managing Director, Anthropy (Chair)

Lucy Knill is the Managing Director of Anthropy, the UK’s largest gathering of leaders focussed on inspiring a better Britain – one which is more positive, sustainable, equitable and successful. Anthropy convenes 2,000 leaders to take part in 200+ sessions, with 600+ speakers across three days at the Eden Project. The Anthropy agenda is the UK’s largest shared agenda, with hundreds of organisations contributing.

During her 20+ year career in the events industry, Lucy has delivered large scale public events, awards evenings, national roadshows, conferences and incentive travel programmes, and is passionate about the opportunity for the industry to step up and help solve some of the challenges the country sees.

James Alcock
Chief Executive, Plunkett UK

James has led Plunkett UK since 2017. As Chief Executive and Company Secretary, he overseas both operations and strategic development of the organisation, as well as ensure its regulatory compliance and good governance. James joined the charity in 2007 and was central to the creation of its UK-wide advisory service for rural community businesses, consisting an advice line, advisory support programmes, events and membership. He has since instigated the development of a Training Hub and more recently, an Information Hub which acts as a data, research and policy unit within the organisation.

James is passionate about rural issues and is an active member of a number of national partnerships and alliances that seek to influence public policy for the good of communities. Prior to working for Plunkett UK, James worked in the rural affordable housing sector, and prior to that, undertook a BA (Hons) and MSc by Research, both of which focused on rural community issues.

Harriet English
Head of Engagement, Plunkett UK

Harriet was appointed Head of Engagement at Plunkett UK in March 2017 to lead a newly created Engagement Team to build our corporate partnerships, community fundraising ambitions and wider stakeholder engagement activity. Harriet initially joined the charity in December 2008 and has been involved in most job roles during her time at Plunkett, including projects, campaigns and events, membership and communications. Harriet has a passion for helping create thriving, inclusive and resilient rural communities through the community business model. As Head of Engagement, Harriet is excited to build partnerships with like-minded organisations that share our mission to create to inclusive, impactful and innovative rural communities for everyone to enjoy.

Chris Cowcher
Head of Policy, Plunkett UK

Chris joined Plunkett UK in 2018 having spent a decade working in the rural community development sector.

Chris was recruited to be responsible for the community business support service at Plunkett. During the Covid-19 pandemic however, Chris led on an increasing amount of research and advocacy, for the benefit of community businesses UK-wide. He was appointed as the new Head of Policy and Communication in 2021 to continue developing this area of work on behalf of Plunkett and our membership.

Having grown up in rural Warwickshire and Gloucestershire; with experience of working in village shops and being the licensee of a rural pub, Chris is passionate about supporting rural communities and promotes the role of rural businesses in creating equitable opportunities for all.

Breakout Sessions 1
Expert Panel: Clean up your supply chain

Laura Olver
Membership and Training Manager, Plunkett UK (Chair)

Laura joined Plunkett in November 2021 as Membership and Fundraising Officer. Prior to that, following graduation from Manchester University, Laura spent 18 years in the retail sector in product ranging and sourcing roles for B&Q, Wyevale Garden Centres and, latterly, Hamleys of London. In 2016, Laura became a Director for the community shop in her village of Appleton in Oxfordshire, which had been trading since 2000. She led a major shop and range revamp and benefitted from Plunkett expertise in helping to shape the successful turnaround of Appleton Shop. She has since shared her knowledge and passion for community businesses with other local groups.

Lauren Culf
Buying Coordinator, Suma

Lauren Culf is a member of Suma Wholefoods, working as the Buying Coordinator and Buyer for the Household category. Suma is the largest equal pay workers cooperative in Europe, offering over 7,000 vegetarian, natural, responsibly-sourced products. Lauren joined Suma in 2021, having worked in wholesale buying for 20 years for wholesalers Booker and Makro.

Sandra Ziles
Management Committee Member, Bledington Community Shop & Cafe

Mark Calver 
Director, Hatch Mansfield

Having been at Hatch for 30 years, Mark is proud to have become the first employee to have one of his children working in the business, and also the first employee to be a grandparent, proving that they are truly a family business! Along with his Director role looking after both suppliers and customers, Mark continues to be fascinated by consumers and the way they go about buying wine in both the on trade and off trade.

Hatch Mansfield are UK Specialists in premium wines made by independently owned winemakers. They were the first Wine Agency Company to achieve the ISO 14001 accreditation recognising their commitment to responsible environmental initiatives. This year sees their BCorp journey moving to a conclusion. The business considers the environmental impact of every aspect of their supply and Mark will share his insights and experience in this dynamic panel discussion.

Breakout Sessions 1
Best Practice Panel: Where are you on your road to net-zero?

Hannah Barrett
Consultancy Project Manager, Plunkett UK (Chair)

Hannah manages a number of projects and contracts at Plunkett, and leads on Plunkett’s consultancy activity. During her 10 years at Plunkett she has led the ‘More Than a Pub’ and ‘Making Local Woods Work’ programmes. She has coordinated and delivered support to projects across the UK, in urban and rural locations, and supported enterprises from shops, pubs and cafes, to farms and leisure centres.

Emily Berry
Utility Aid

Emily Berry has a passion for supporting the third sector to save time and money on their energy provision. Emily supports our partners and their members and is delighted to be working in partnership with NCVO. She believes that collaboration is key to achieving a sustainable future and regularly holds webinars and discussion groups to provide tips which will help you identify potential areas of cost recovery and support you in reducing energy consumption and wastage.

Christine Pinsent
The Locks Inn Community Pub

Christine worked for Shell Oil and Gas for 20 years, before spending ten years in the voluntary sector organising training. She then set up her own business in Beccles and became Chair of the Local Business Association.

After retiring four years ago and selling her business, The Locks Inn Community Pub, Geldeston, Norfolk came up for auction. With her business background and local knowledge, Christine was asked to join the initial groups set up to save it. She has helped to bring in over £150,000 in grants and networking with local tradesman, the community and local councils to help with the refurbishment.

There is still work to do and with the pub’s remote location on the river in the Waveney Valley, it has not been an easy task, so it has been very important working with the local councils, planners, The Broads Authority and The Environment Agency. In all of this, Christine has got very involved in The Locks Inn’s journey to Net Zero and she will share more about this at the Conference.

Breakout Sessions 1
Interactive Workshop: Making Engagement Fun!

Misty Bower
Community Business Adviser, Plunkett UK (Facilitator)

Misty joined Plunkett in October 2023 as part of the Community Business Team. She brings a variety of experience from both the charity and community business sectors having spent the last 10 years growing a community-based charity and, more recently, launching an asset-locked social enterprise café serving the local community. In recognition of this work, she received the Surrey High Sheriff Community Award in April 2023. Prior to that, Misty was a teacher and also worked in small business marketing, and as community connector.  

A Fellow of the School of Social Entrepreneurs, she is devoted to helping communities help themselves and individuals reach their potential and enjoys mentoring community business pioneers and leaders. When not working she can be found being creative, playing with mixed media and making her own clothes or playing with her young grandson. 

Breakout Sessions 2
Expert Panel: Creating impact through volunteering, training and employment

Harriet English
Head of Engagement, Plunkett UK (Chair)

Harriet was appointed Head of Engagement at Plunkett UK in March 2017 to lead a newly created Engagement Team to build our corporate partnerships, community fundraising ambitions and wider stakeholder engagement activity. Harriet initially joined the charity in December 2008 and has been involved in most job roles during her time at Plunkett, including projects, campaigns and events, membership and communications. Harriet has a passion for helping create thriving, inclusive and resilient rural communities through the community business model. As Head of Engagement, Harriet is excited to build partnerships with like-minded organisations that share our mission to create to inclusive, impactful and innovative rural communities for everyone to enjoy.

Kamran Mallick
Chief Executive, Disability Rights

Kamran Mallick has worked in the not-for-profit sector for his whole career and, for the last 20 years, led Disabled People’s Organisations (DPO).

He worked for the Spinal Injury charity Aspire and as CEO of Action on Disability for 13 years. In 2017, he joined Disability Rights UK as its CEO. DR UK is the only UK-wide DPO. Kamran contracted polio as a child and is a wheelchair user. His experiences at special and mainstream schools showed him that inclusive education for all children is essential. He is driven to ensure younger disabled people have better opportunities than he did.

He is passionate about creating an inclusive society, one that works for everyone and benefits from the rich diversity of experience that Disabled people bring. An influential leader in a highly politicised area of disability rights, he has represented the UK disability movement at the United Nations, working with a coalition of civil society organisations.

Kamran serves on the boards of the Lloyds Bank Foundation and is Chair of Wheels for Wellbeing. He is listed in the Shaw Trusts 2018 Power 100 list of Britain’s most influential disabled people and was listed in the top 10 in 2020.

Veda Harrison FRSA
Director, Esmee Fairbairn Foundation

Veda Harrison leads the delivery of Esmee Fairbairn Foundation’s work towards its impact goals for Creative, Confident Communities. She also sits on the Foundation’s Senior Management Team. Before joining the Foundation in September 2021, Veda’s career spanned a number of sectors. Her recent roles include as a Consultant for Creative Equals on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion; at the Money & Pensions Service developing their strategy on gender equality, vulnerability and financial wellbeing, and Paul Hamlyn Foundation’s Ideas and Pioneers programme. Prior to these Veda spent eight years at NatWest Group leading their partnerships with charities, NGOs and government, and in programme leadership at the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust, Southbank Centre and NESTA.

Matt Hyde OBE
Chief Executive, Lloyds Bank Foundation

Matt Hyde joined Lloyds Bank Foundation as their Chief Executive in September 2024.  He was previously Chief Executive of the Scouts, the UK’s largest youth movement, for 11 years.

He is the Formerly Chief Executive of the National Union of Students (NUS), he’s undertaken a number of leadership roles in the charity sector and at the Scouts he’s contributed to a period of record membership growth. He has led award-winning campaigns, spearheaded work to support the growth of Scouts in areas of deprivation and oversaw the development of a new age range, called Squirrels, opening up Scouts for four and five year olds.

Matt is co-Founder of The Big Help Out, an initiative to dramatically increase volunteering numbers across the UK, where 7.2m took part in 2023 and similar numbers participated in 2024. He is Vice-Chair of Comic Relief, a Patron of UNLOCK (the charity for people with convictions) and was previously Vice-Chair of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO). Matt was awarded an OBE in the 2020 New Year Honours List.

Clare Thomas
Chair, Westbury Community Shop & Cafe

Clare Thomas is the Chair of Westbury Community Shop and Café on the border of Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire.

Her job is as a Training Consultant, who develops and delivers communication training. Much of her work focuses on the issues surrounding the management of client expectations and the successful management of crisis situations. In the Independent Schools sector, she is a speaker at meetings, conferences and courses for IAPS, HMC, TSOH and Buckingham University; she also runs INSETS for the leading Independent Schools in the UK. For the Corporate Sector, she devises bespoke courses on leadership, team development and networking.

She is previously an Operations Director for 18 years for a leading American Educational Travel Company, and has extensive experience of training in multi-national and multi-cultural environments, including the UK, Europe, USA and Central America.

Breakout Sessions 2
Best Practice Panel: Financing your community business for growth and impact

Nick Comley
Community Business Adviser, Plunkett UK

Nick has been a Plunkett Community Business Adviser since October 2023 and was previously a Plunkett adviser when working for the Rural Community Council for Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

Nick studied Government at Birmingham City University and gained his honours degree in 1989.

Nick spent much of his career in commercial management before working in the Voluntary and Community Sector for over twenty years. He is Chartered Institute of Management Executive Diploma in Management qualified and a Social Return On Investment Network accredited practitioner.

Nick has been a passionate social enterprise and community business advocate and adviser since 2014 working with a wide range of organisations including charities, social enterprises and community owned businesses.

Wesley Lovett
Senior Lending Manager, Charity Bank

Wesley has 19 years’ experience in the Banking and Finance sector. During this time Wesley has covered Retail, Operational and Business Banking. As Senior Lending Manager at Charity Bank, his role is to help support the growth and expansion of organisations who are looking to deliver social impact and positive change throughout the Midlands. He looks forward to building relationships with new and existing clients and helping Charity Bank support more organisations with the funding they need to make the world a better place.

Annie Constable
Digital Content Manager, Good Finance

Annie Constable is the Digital Content Manager at Good Finance, a collaborative project that helps Charities and Social Enterprises to navigate social investment. She is also a Director at Parracombe Community Trust.

Alice Brown
Manager, Sutton Community Farm

Alice Brown has been the Farm Business Manager of Sutton Community Farm since 2018, supporting the team of ten staff, eight delivery drivers and around 200 volunteers. Sutton Community Farm is a people-powered, community-driven farm in South London. Its community can volunteer on the farm and buy food from our online shop. In its 15-year history it has used retail income, community share offers, crowdfunding, loan finance and grants to finance growth, development and survival.

Breakout Sessions 2
Interactive Workshop A: Continuity planning and making tough decisions

Hannah Nadim
Adviser, Plunkett UK (Facilitator)

Following a career in quality in further and higher education and then as a bid writer, Hannah directed her energies into supporting community-owned businesses to start up, grow and thrive.

She brings with her over ten years’ experience as Secretary and then Chair of the Fox and Goose, a community-owned co-operative pub in Hebden Bridge. She started by registering the pub as an asset of community value, led the transition from buying the pub to operating it under the managed business model and led the Board and management team to the point where it is a successful business involving over 350 members.

Hannah combines her experience in education, bid writing and as a practitioner on the Board of the Fox and Goose to encourage and support groups to develop and extend their own knowledge and experience such that they, too, can succeed with their community-owned business. She is a Fully Licenced Assessor for the Community Shares Standard Mark and an alumna of the Barefoot co-operative and community business adviser programme. She works with groups directly and via Plunkett UK, Co-operatives UK, Community Shares Scotland and Power to Change.

Breakout Sessions 2
Interactive Workshop B: Managing relationships – how to be an effective committee

Alison Macklin
Community Business Manager, Plunkett UK (Facilitator)

Alison was appointed to the post of Community Business Manager in March 2020 joining Plunkett after spending the last fifteen years as Business Manager of an award winning Community Shop and Café in the Wye Valley. Alison has also been one of The Plunkett Foundations Business Advisors for several years and has helped support several shops formally and informally. Alison will be responsible for helping set up the new Training Hub and working with the Plunkett advisors to provide training and support for new and existing projects.

Breakout Sessions 3
Expert Panel: Creative storytelling – how to reach more people in your community and beyond

Andrew Dubock
Communications Manager, Plunkett UK (Chair)

Andrew was appointed Communications Manager at Plunkett UK in January 2024. Over the last 25 years, he has worked in communications for three different international charities, most recently spending a decade with a global charity that supports networks in bringing about lasting change for children and families in their cities.

In his Communications Manager role, Andrew is excited to be improving Plunkett’s visibility through media and PR, increasing brand awareness, sharing good news stories of the impact that community-owned businesses are having, and reporting on the way we are positively influencing policy change for rural communities.

Rebecca Harvey
Executive Editor, Co-operative News

Rebecca Harvey has been helping communities and co-operatives tell their stories for 20 years, and is currently executive editor at Co-op News. A magazine and news website, Co-op News connects, champions and challenges co-ops and associated enterprises internationally, and also provides communication and design services.

She is co-host of the monthly Co-op Women’s Voices webinar which shares the stories of women working in co-ops around the world, and with the UN announcing 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives, is supporting the International Cooperative Alliance to share stories around the theme of the year: “Cooperatives Build a Better World”.

Charlotte Jenkins
Digital Strategist, Webmart

Charlotte Jenkins is the digital strategist at Webmart, working with businesses to ensure they’re getting the most out of the digital opportunities available to them, improving their visibility and achieve their goals. She’s recently supported community business, Company Shop, using social ads to increase their membership by 128% over a 5-month period.

Charlotte has a rich background of working with community organisations, not-for-profits and social enterprises, often employing digital storytelling to engage with audiences, and build a strong brand identity.

James Gadsby-Peet
The Star of Greenwich Community Pub

James has set up and run the Star of Greenwich community-owned pub for the last couple of years. Situated in East Greenwich, the pub exists to help people meet those that they wouldn’t do normally. They partner with charities such as the refugee led Plateful Cafe and English for Action plus other organisations like AvoCuddle playroom to make use of the space as a community hub with a pub attached. Their plans are to purchase the building and secure the long-term community benefit of the pub.

James also runs the digital for good agency William Joseph (B Corp). They work with charities, funders and public health providers to create equitable digital products, services and content. They focus on designing these experiences to be accessible for a wide range of different needs.

Breakout Sessions 3
Best Practice Panel: Running your society well – legal and compliance issues you should know about

Diane Cameron
Project Manager, Plunkett UK (Chair)

Diane joined Plunkett in 2020 and manages Plunkett’s role as an official support partner for the UK Government’s Community Ownership Fund. Di is also Plunkett’s point of contact for community business in Wales, and has developed specialist knowledge of community owned pubs, having worked on Plunkett’s More Than A Pub programme.

Di started at Plunkett working on the Community Business Team delivering frontline support, and has a background in working with community groups, parish councils, schools and grant funding at a Local Authority. She loves the difference community groups can make to people’s lives in all sorts of ways!

David Alcock
Partner at Anthony Collins Solicitors

David Alcock is a partner with Anthony Collins, a social purpose law firm working across England and Wales to improve lives, communities and society. His work began with governance for community regeneration projects, and has developed into supporting all kinds of organisations using enterprise to achieve a social purpose. David writes constitutions and advise on corporate design, including regularly advising on board and member disputes and conduct issues. He also advises on contracts, grant funding and social investment. David has lots of experience in establishing community ownership and promoting the co-operative principles through legal structures.

Andy Freeman
Head of Department, Financial Conduct Authority

Andy Freeman has worked for the FCA and previous regulators for over 20 years. Since 2021 he has been the Head of Approved Persons and Mutuals Department within Authorisations. His department lead the assessment of Senior Managers across all sectors of financial services and, separately, undertake a range of activities in relation to our responsibility as the registering authority for mutual societies, including community benefit societies.

Dane Pollard
Governance Advisor,
Co-operatives UK

Dane Pollard is a Governance Advisor at Co-operatives UK and is the first point of contact for all governance and legal enquiries. Dane specialises in providing advice and guidance to new start co-operatives and mutuals looking to incorporate and supports all types of co-ops with their governance arrangements, processes and policies. Dane runs Co-ops UK’s Essential Director and Secretary training programmes. He also provides training to Community Shares Practitioners and Unfound programme applicants on the co operative form, as well as AGM preparation training for new co-ops.

Breakout Sessions 3
Interactive Workshop: How does your community make a real difference?

Nick Comley
Community Business Adviser, Plunkett UK (Facilitator)

Nick has been a Plunkett Community Business Adviser since October 2023 and was previously a Plunkett adviser when working for the Rural Community Council for Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

Nick studied Government at Birmingham City University and gained his honours degree in 1989.

Nick spent much of his career in commercial management before working in the Voluntary and Community Sector for over twenty years. He is Chartered Institute of Management Executive Diploma in Management qualified and a Social Return On Investment Network accredited practitioner.

Nick has been a passionate social enterprise and community business advocate and adviser since 2014 working with a wide range of organisations including charities, social enterprises and community owned businesses.

3.00pm Plenary session
Community business: Picking up the pieces and building new communities

Chris Cowcher
Head of Policy, Plunkett UK (Chair)

Chris joined Plunkett UK in 2018 having spent a decade working in the rural community development sector.

Chris was recruited to be responsible for the community business support service at Plunkett. During the Covid-19 pandemic however, Chris led on an increasing amount of research and advocacy, for the benefit of community businesses UK-wide. He was appointed as the new Head of Policy and Communication in 2021 to continue developing this area of work on behalf of Plunkett and our membership.

Having grown up in rural Warwickshire and Gloucestershire; with experience of working in village shops and being the licensee of a rural pub, Chris is passionate about supporting rural communities and promotes the role of rural businesses in creating equitable opportunities for all.

Rob Boughton
Chief Executive, Thakeham Homes

Rob Boughton’s passion for placemaking has driven a career in property and housebuilding that spans almost 30 years. Having started Thakeham in 2003, it is now one of the leading strategic land promoters and housebuilders in the south of England, and a Sunday Times 100 Best Places to Work employer.

His focus on innovation, infrastructure, community and collaboration has positioned Thakeham as an industry leader, widely considered to be at the forefront of sustainable placemaking and community creation in the UK.

Committed to taking action on climate change and reducing the carbon emissions of the construction industry, Rob is a champion for meaningful change within the sector. He is a founding member of the HBF’s Future Homes Taskforce and Thakeham was the first housebuilder in the UK to sign the SME Climate Commitment, part of the UN’s Race To Zero Campaign.

Ailbhe McNabola
Deputy Chief Executive, Power to Change

Ailbhe McNabola is Deputy CEO at Power to Change, the think-do tank that backs community business. She is also a trustee and former Co-Chair of the Social Research Association, a membership organisation that promotes excellence in social research, and an Associate Researcher at the Bennett Institute for Public Policy at the University of Cambridge.

Ailbhe has extensive policy and analysis experience and has authored and commissioned a wide range of research, analysis and policy publications. At Power to Change, she has led on the development of a robust evidence base on the role and value of community business, and has grown the organisation’s policy function to help shape the conditions for community business to thrive. Ailbhe is responsible for the strategic leadership of the organisation with a particular focus on its joint-working with community business, its investments in innovative projects and solutions, and the development of its strong voice making the case for community business.

Lucy Grove
Director of Communications and Engagement, Coin Street Community Builders

Lucy Grove has two decades of experience in communications, influencing and policy roles. Lucy joined Coin Street a little over a year ago after nine years at the National Housing Federation, and before that she worked at Macmillan Cancer Support and the NSPCC.

Lucy has proudly led successful campaigns to improve cancer survival rates and access to treatments, was at the heart of the national policy response to the fire at Grenfell Tower, and launched the country’s first FGM national helpline. She’s delighted to now use her experience to deliver Coin Street’s work in a truly inspirational neighbourhood.

Anna Sabine
Liberal Democrat MP for Frome and East Somerset

Anna grew up in Hampshire with her mum and brother, where she attended the local state school. She went on to study politics at Oxford University, followed by working in the charity sector. Anna then started working for a company that specialised in community consultation, which she became CEO and owner of. She then went on to set up a co-working café in Bath. Anna is passionate about community businesses having been involved in one, and is hoping to bring her business expertise to the world of Westminster, while representing a mainly rural constituency.