Community Enterprise is made up of a friendly and committed team of business experts with tremendous expertise and long experience of working in the community, voluntary and social enterprise sectors.
Douglas Westwater, Director
E - Douglas [at] communityenterprise [dot] co [dot] uk
T - 01506 862 495
Douglas manages and provides strategic direction to the organisation, but due to our size, also undertakes work with clients. Douglas is an expert in project business planning, project management and project financing. Douglas has worked throughout Scotland with a wide range of community run organisations. The development of capital projects including locally owned community facilities development is a particular area of his expertise, and his work has ranged from small developments to large capital projects with a range of stakeholders.
In the last 3 years he has successfully developed business plans for more than 70 organisations. In addition to writing plans, Douglas is an expert in implementation, having applied for over £6,000,000 of finance from a range of funders including central and local government, Lottery distributors and so on. This added expertise ensures that not only are the business plans he writes effective for the organisations he works with, but they are easily transferable into applications for investment/funding.
Judith Hutchinson, Administrator
E - Info [at] communityenterprise [dot] co [dot] uk
T - 01506 862 227
Judith has had an extensive management career in the civil service and brings experience of HR and quality management. Judith manages the CE offices maintaining all equipment, supplies and carrying out administration.
She brings her organisational and hosting skills to the fore while arranging the Rare Breed networking dinners for social entrepreneurs. Judith is president of the Livingston Players Theatre Company and has performed in over fifty plays and musicals.
Chris Hughes, Social Enterprise Development Officer
E - Chris [at] communityenterprise [dot] co [dot] uk
T - 01506 862 227
Chris has considerable experience in delivering support and training to the voluntary sector on topics such as strategic development, marketing, planning and developing partnerships. She is experienced in working at all levels within organisations, from service users to board members and all levels of staff and volunteers.
Having previously worked in manufacturing, tourism and the public sector, Chris developed her skills in business development, particularly in marketing and planning. For the past six years she has run her own business, specialising in social enterprise development and training in the voluntary sector and other non-profit distributing organisations. This has included work for Business Gateway and Social Firms Scotland, and also independently on feasibility studies into potential social enterprises.
She also has a personal interest in Fair Trade, environmental issues and ethical trading both internationally and at home.
Diane Cameron, Social Enterprise Development Officer
E - Diane [at] communityenterprise [dot] co [dot] uk
T - 01506 862492
Diane ran her own business for over 14 years delivering a variety of services including training, event facilitation and mentoring.
She has extensive experience working with and for community groups and voluntary organisations and more recently has worked within the social enterprise sector offering her business and marketing skills.
She also has a personal interest in sport, disability and all aspects of health and wellbeing.
Heather has over 20 years experience working in a project/management setting – with a Napier University MBA certificate in Marketing-Data Analysis - HR and Accountancy.
She has extensive experience in the voluntary and public sector and has comprehensive hands on experience in strategic, business planning, fundraising, governance, HR and team management.
She has an excellent understanding of the workings of the voluntary sector and a working knowledge in Social Enterprise and is a ILM accredited Social Enterprise Academy tutor, offering facilitation skills, training to the Enterprise sector.
Sara MacLean, Associate Consultant
Sara is a former Director of one of Scotland’s leading marketing and advertising agencies (Faulds Advertising) with a long track record of success in London and Scotland.
Sara has over 20 years experience in marketing and business development, organisational management and business coaching. For the last six years Sara has used these skills in the voluntary and ‘not-for-profit’ sectors working closely with local communities, their organisations and local frameworks (Local Authority, Social Enterprise Partnerships, LECs etc) as well as staff from a wide variety of agencies.
In the past six years, Sara has consolidated her private sector experience in Marketing and business development by moving into the Social Economy, firstly for two years at Scottish Business in the Community working in the corporate social responsibility field, before moving to Community Enterprise as Director. She has supported social enterprise development strategically as well as on the ground throughout Scotland and is now an associate consultant.
Karl Monsen, IT Development and Support
E - Karl [at] communityenterprise [dot] co [dot] uk
Karl not only monitors the IT of the organisation, but brings a huge depth of research skills and takes the lead on Internet surveys and data analysis. He joined CE in 2005 focusing on database, newsletter and website development.
Karl is a first class honours graduate in Information Technology and he holds a Master in Science and Technology Studies from Edinburgh University. He is currently pursuing a Phd entitled "Open source Software in the Scottish Social Economy".
Karl was the winner of the 2005 Social Enterprise Competion sponsored by SIE/SCVO.
Marian Macdonald, Board Chair
Marian has worked in her present position since 1987, establishing and running the Engine Shed as a training provider for people with learning disabilities.
The main focus of the Engine Shed is to enable individuals to make the successful transition into paid employment. Previously Marian worked as a social worker over a seven year period, again within the voluntary sector, to provide social/community support to children and their families.
Website: www.engineshed.org.uk [1]
Jackie Brierton
Jackie Brierton is an independent consultant on women's enterprise, small business development and the social economy.
Formerly Chief Executive of Wellpark Enterprise Centre in Glasgow, an innovative women's business centre which integrated incubators & workspace with advisory, training and microcredit programmes, and became a role model for other women's enterprise initiatives in the UK.
Website: www.prowess.org.uk [2]
Susan and Gary McDonald
Susan and Gary are the directors of The Fly Right Dance Company. The Fly Right Dance Company is a Scottish-based charity, offering dance performance and education opportunities to all. As well as running regular swing dance classes in and around Edinburgh, and now in East Lothian, we have a well-established schools' education programme, which aims to bring a fun introduction to dance to children.
Website: www.flyrightdanceco.com [3]
Chris Growcott
Chris is a director of The Graphics Company, a workers co-operative formed in 1989.
The Graphics Company is based in Edinburgh and provides design services for web and print including consultancy, photography and copywriting. Working closely with organisations across the social, voluntary and public sectors, we use our skills and experience to improve their communication and marketing.
Website: www.graphics.coop [4]
Interested in joining the board?
We are always on the lookout for people who can add skills or experience to the board and help drive the organisation forward. Contact us [4] if you are interested or would like to know more.