Meet the Team

Jess has a background in marketing and administration. She loves everything to do with data, organisation, processes and communication, and is passionate about supporting Nottingham’s VCSE sector. She also loves being outdoors, photography, crafting, and music.

Billie has spent most of her working life in the voluntary sector, starting out at a charity before moving into regional infrastructure in her native Derby. She brings this infrastructure knowledge, as well as a creative flair and a passion for communication, to NCVS. Her two horses and two cats keep her busy at home.

Christina’s a huge advocate for how green and blue spaces can support our wellbeing. She’s passionate about promoting the importance of connecting to nature and improving accessibility for everyone to do so. When she’s not working, she enjoys spending time with dogs, friends and family, and going to gigs.

As a lover of gardening and the great outdoors, Ellen’s excited to showcase the importance of green social prescribing projects in Nottinghamshire and their positive impact on those who use them through her role at NCVS. Ellen’s recently completed a masters in Occupational Therapy and in her spare time, enjoys getting stuck into a knitting project.

Amanda has experience in the public and voluntary sector, encouraging people to move more and enjoy how this can help their mental and physical wellbeing. Walking the talk, when not working she can be found in velodromes around the country competing in Masters' Track Cycling nationally and internationally.

Mimi has experience working on an international mobility project to strengthen health systems delivery with partners including the CWPAMs, NHS, THET, Fleming Fund, Nottingham Trent University and Makerere School of Public Health, and interacting with people with SMD at Nottingham City Hospital.

Katie has worked in services supporting people with complex needs across residential, education and high secure settings for almost a decade, with a degree in Psychology. When not chasing after her excitable German Short Haired Pointer puppy, she's trying not to kill house plants & making tasty vegan food for friends & family.

Nicki has managed information services/systems in the VCSE sector and in universities for almost 30 years. She is excited by efficient databases and likes to implement processes which improve communication and workflow. Attention to detail is her thing. She also writes poetry, enjoys building with Lego, and loves cats.

Chris returns to NCVS, feeling right at home. With his experience as a Specialist Advisor for social entrepreneurs/enterprises and leading the 2019/20 NCVS Social Enterprise Support Programme, he's now partnering with Nottingham Trent University to expand support again in Nottingham. He's a keen cricketer, valuing the mental health and wellbeing benefits over competition. And, according to his NCVS colleagues, he's known for brewing a great cuppa!

Natalie has a background in journalism and public relations. She enjoys design in her role - whether it’s creating a new roller banner or a poster for a training course. The local alpaca farm is her favourite place in the world. She also dreams of luxury holidays abroad.

Kate has a background in education and is passionate about connecting people with the outdoors to improve wellbeing. Outside of NCVS, as a part-time Pilates instructor and volunteer walk leader in the Peak District, you can often find her at the top of a mountain or knee-deep in bog.

Nikyla has a background in education, working with families across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire for over fifteen years. She is passionate about empowering and connecting communities to drive positive, local change. She currently volunteers with: Nottingham Citizens, Grantham Canal Society and Fat Lad at the Back Social Bike Rides.

Davia is a bubbly person at heart. Her vibe can be contagious. She loves to dance, go to the gym, loves music and events.

Helen has 20 years of experience providing local and national infrastructure support. Before that, she spent nearly 20 years working in the banking sector. Helen’s passionate about helping VCSE sector organisations of all sizes, ensuring they’re highly effective, sustainable and responsive to their local communities. Now semi-retired, she enjoys spending her spare time swimming, cycling, walking, sewing and exploring new parts of the world.

After her degree in Creative, Expressive Arts, Health, and Wellbeing, Sarah established a therapeutic arts CIC. During her MSc in Health and Social Care, she completed a literature review on Social Prescribing, and then became Regional Lead for the NASP Thriving Communities Programme. Recently, she's worked in Greater Manchester and Birmingham to support personalisation workforces and develop creative health pathways, respectively. In her role at NCVS, she continues to champion personalised care and the benefits of green spaces and activities.

Justine has worked in the VCSE sector for 10 years, mostly in roles working with people experiencing severe and multiple disadvantage. In her spare time, she loves going out for a run… preferably on a nice sunny day, but she’ll venture out whatever the weather!

David provides advice, guidance and support on everything in the life of a group / organisation from start up to closure. He enjoys delivering training on Being a Trustee, How to Take Minutes, and How to Chair and Manage Meetings. David is an Acas trained workplace mediator. He also enjoys walking his dogs on long sandy beaches.

Jules has experience across the voluntary, public and private sectors both here and in the US. She has worked with enterprising community organisations and social enterprises across the East Midlands since arriving in the UK nearly 20 years ago. She feels more British than ever now she and her wife have taken on their first allotment.

Dave has a lifetime of volunteering experience and more than 40 years as a leader of volunteers. If he doesn't know the answer, he knows where to find it. In his spare time, Dave is Santa. He is also a railway anorak, motorcyclist, DJ and music collector.

Keely worked for Opportunity Nottingham/Framework for 6 years prior to NCVS and, before that, in Ministry of Justice roles such as probation and employment tribunal.