Meet the BwD Community Network Board

We are pleased to welcome the board members for the new Blackburn with Darwen Community Network. We are proud to have a board made up of wonderful people, representing a wide variety of fantastic organisations doing a wealth of brilliant work throughout Blackburn with Darwen.

BwD Community Network Board

	"I am keen to be involved in the Community Network in order to influence change for local people and communities through highlighting their voice, their needs and priorities with statutory partners within BwD. I believe the Community Network will play a key role."
	Angela Allen Spring North
	"Hi, my name’s Jawad and I’m proud to be a member of the BwD Community Network Board. Being Blackburn born-and-bred, I really want to make a positive difference to the lives of my fellow community members. I’ve always been passionate about working with the community, coupled with a personal interest in health and wellbeing, I really believe we can make BwD a fantastic place to live and work."
	Jawad Bhatti Spark/Bloke Talk
	"I want to be a board member to support the community in BwD and to ensure that the recovery community is effectively integrated, In my role within RRR/Roots I support delivery of various community activities and groups and strongly feel that working towards community connectedness is a positive for the whole more than just the various parts."
	Rolonde Bradshaw Red Rose Recovery
	"I would like to bring a greater voice and ability to action change for the communities which I currently represent Working in Blackburn I have seen the impact of deprivation and the real-life struggles for people of all ages who fall into this category."
	Rachel Davies Newground Together
	"I have 10 years’ experience volunteering and running a voluntary group that works at grassroot level to deliver community projects for older and vulnerable service users across Blackburn. My aspirations are to help reduce loneliness and social inclusion within my community, I run social projects that include coffee groups and luncheon clubs, social events, gardening projects and clean-ups. Following the COVID pandemic I also managed Blackburn Youth Zone’s catering department, plus oversaw the facilities and maintenance section for 18 months. I really care about my community and strive to help people wherever I can. Becoming a board member for the new CVS CN is real privilege and I look forward to building connections with other board members."
	Hannah Goldthorpe MBE Friends of Infirmary Area
	"I have become a BwD Community Network Board Member because I feel that I can help to support and strengthen the local VCFSE Sector. In BwD we have a vibrant sector that achieves so much, but I believe by working collaboratively, we can achieve so much more. I also want to help to increase the voice of the VCFSE with a special emphasis on those seldom heard voices – residents with learning disability and autism."
	James Hadleigh Care Network
	"I have a strong belief in the transformative power of supporting struggling and marginalised communities. Having engaged with multiple organisations over the years, I strongly believe that becoming a board member would allow me to serve as a conduit of the voices of the Polish community and an advocate for change."
	Agnieszka Kwiecien Q Language Services
	"I want the services we receive and provide to people in our communities to be better. The VCFSE sector is experienced in recognising the needs of its local community, the sector works in a trauma informed way by listening to the people its serving and VCFSE organisations have formed and developed because the needs of the community have not been met. We as a sector are agile, responsive and diverse and on an individual level make a huge difference collectively we can do so much more."
	Shigufta Khan The WISH Centre
	"I love working at the Deaf Village Northwest and I have been warmly welcomed in to the wonderful Deaf community. I have held a long-term passion for community cohesion and I believe that everyone should have the opportunity to live their best life in a community where they are a valued and appreciated member of society. Working at the Deaf Village has awarded me a valuable insight into the barriers and challenges that D/deaf people face on a daily basis. I have been given the fortunate opportunity to be able to advocate for this somewhat underrepresented community."
	Donna Merton Deaf Village Northwest CIC
	"I see Blackburn with Darwen as one of the most collaborative and vibrant voluntary sectors. Over the years it has attracted significant investment and has been a trail blazer for a number of projects that has helped it grow and develop as a Borough."
	Suzanne Murray Lancashire Women
	"I am motivated to share my experiences of living, working and volunteering within Blackburn with Darwen across many VCFSE organisations with the Community Network Board to help the VCFSE Sector to develop and grow and lead positive change within the Borough."
	Mohammed Sidat MBE IMO
	"I have worked in the voluntary and community sector within Blackburn with Darwen for over 25 years and as Chief Executive of a local charity which focusses our work only in the borough I have a passion for working with others to improve the lives of local people. Blackburn with Darwen is a place with lots of opportunities but also lots of challenges for our local people. Times are also tough for the voluntary and community sector and I believe that working collectively both within the VCFSE sector but also with our colleagues in the public and private sectors is the best way to overcome these challenges and make the most of the opportunities. In addition, as the borough also has a growing older population I am keen that the views, needs and potential of local people in later life are considered and responded to. I see the development of the Community Network as a key part of this."
	Vicky Shepherd Age UK Blackburn with Darwen

BwD Community Network supporting officers

	Richard Brown Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council
	Philippa Cross NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB
	Garth Hodgkinson Community CVS
	Donna Talbot Community CVS