We have listed below the nominations received for persons seeking election at the VSF AGM on 6th July:

June Hackett

I have worked in the Voluntary Sector for the last 18 years and I have enjoyed every minute. I was in at the conception of the Voluntary Sector Forum and have worked in it and with it through the ups and downs. We have put lots into the world of partnerships and will continue to ensure that remains as the key champion of community networking. I am also trustee with Cornwall Rural Community Council; I work voluntary in social services and health and also a facilitator for Links Cornwall the voice of the patent. I chair Restormel Locality group and St Austell Town Forum, which has led me to become a tutor for the Expert Patient Program.

Peter Jefferson

A resident of the Truro area for the last 24 years, I am a Civil and Structural Engineering graduate who has just completed 25 years of service within the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy. Apart from working with voluntary youth organisations during a 30 month exchange posting with the United States Navy, in the ‘very rural’ high desert., I have overseen ‘expeditionary’ voluntary work projects whilst deployed to West Africa. Appointed as CEO at Cornwall RCC in January this year I believe that the Trustees selected me to provide leadership, focus and clarity of work to the organisation and thus the delivery of its mission. The role of Trustee at CVSF will be an extention of this task, focusing on the wider vision of the VCS in Cornwall.

Cherry Martin

The Pre-school Learning Alliance is a leading educational charity specialising in the early years. We provide practical support to early years settings and actively involve parents and families in all aspects of our work.

I first become involved as a volunteer and trustee at a local pre-school, learning at first hand the challenges and rewards of becoming involved in running a business with charitable status. This lead me into working for Pre-school learning Alliance first as a Development worker supporting local groups then as an Adult education tutor delivering courses relevant to this sector.

In my current role as Senior Development worker I manage a small team in Cornwall, providing information, offering advice and support:
· to enable groups to provide good quality play and learning opportunities
· to enable parents, volunteers and staff to manage the business affairs of their group
· to signpost to relevant grant/funding opportunities
· to identify and organise training opportunities for parents/carers/staff and volunteers
· to provide advice and information about relevant legislation

We also endeavour to give a voice to our member groups within the wider voluntary and community sector and Children Young People and Families.

Jane Sharpe

Jane has been the Executive Director of Disability Cornwall, Cornwall’s only pan disability user-led organisation, for seven years, with a wide range of responsibility; leadership of the team, overseeing operations, supporting the board, executing the charities business plan, maintenance and generation of income, new project development, editor of Discover magazine, events management, workforce development, establishing and maintaining relationships with external agencies and maintaining quality standards.

Disability Cornwall is the representative voice for the disability movement, challenges inequalities, works with other to promote best practice, provides a range of services including the Disability Information Advice Line which alones provides support to over 2000 people annually, Discover Magazine, Cornwall’s disability aware lifestyle publication, training, consultancy and access auditing – all designed to promote, empower, assist and facilitate independent living.

As the lead for the independent disability movement, the charity is in a phase of development whilst becoming a Centre for Independent Living for Cornwall, supported by the Department of Health and DACS, and is also experiencing its most successful year to date including the expansion of its workforce.

Jane is also a member of the Cornwall Infrastructure Partnership and the South West Disability Equality Network.

James Shepherd

I have worked for Groundwork since 1995 and currently run Groundwork operations in Cornwall and Devon. Groundwork South West is part of a national federation of independent locally-based charitable trusts. We work closely in partnership with other organisations to deliver a wide range of community-focused regeneration projects including environmental improvements, youth work, provision of outdoor recreational facilities, environmental education, advice to businesses about environmental management and employment training. In Cornwall the main focus our work is in east and mid Cornwall although we have delivered projects from Saltash to Newlyn. Current projects include running a youth centre in St Austell and an astro turf pitch in Saltash as well as delivering a range of play and open space improvements.

I have been a trustee of Cornwall Voluntary Sector Forum since 2004 and continue to be fully committed to ensuring that the voluntary sector is respected by the public and private sector. I believe in that by working in partnership we can continue to develop and increase the influence and strength of the voluntary sector in Cornwall.

Nick Skuse

A seat on the VSF board is important to CYWP as it will allow our organisation to bring the voice and views of a good cross section of the Voluntary Youth Sector to the VSF. This gives the VSF a good point of contact for the dissemination of information directly into the Voluntary Youth Sector, allowing a broader overview of developments throughout. I believe that I am able to bring my own experiences to the table, but also represent other members of the sector without bias. I am a member of other boards and at meetings I represent my own organisation, but also hope to provide a certain level of understanding of the VCS as a whole, particularly from a youth organisation perspective. This is important to me as I feel that the VCS is under represented and often misunderstood. I believe that the VCS thrives on its diversity and the expertise that comes from being a truly needs led sector. I feel that it is important to help others understand that what fits for one VSC organisation may require reworking for others.

Blair Thomson

My background includes production and senior management roles in ITV and BBC TV and Radio and running multimedia and interactive new media companies. In recent years I have tried to bring to the voluntary and community sector the knowledge and experience gained through some 40 years of being in the media and the commercial audio visual sector.

I was for four years South West Regional Manager of the national volunteering charity CSV Media, during which time I was a trustee of South West Forum, a member of the Executive of the South West Regional Assembly and a director of Cornwall Film Ltd. I was one of the founding Trustees of the incorporated Cornwall Voluntary Sector Forum and was elected its first Chair.

Among my other voluntary roles, I am chair of the Cornwall Strategic Partnership; a director of Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Learning Partnership Company; a member of the national England & Gibraltar European Social Fund Convergence, Competitiveness and Employment Programme Monitoring Committee; a member of the Joint ESF/ERDF Convergence Programme Monitoring Committee for Cornwall; and serve on the DOTT Cornwall (Design Council) Advisory Board and GOSW Sub National Review Committee.

I have lived in Cornwall for almost 30 years, been married to Fay for nearly 50 years and in my spare time go fishing, do gardening, play on-line computer games and spoil my eight grandchildren!