Volunteer Champions

Adele Thomson

Children’s Hub

3rd Sector Community Networker

Adele provides support to voluntary, community and faith groups in Oldham working with children and young people. Adele can advise organisations around child protection and safeguarding and can offer support with CRB checks as well as much more!

Adele is always out and about meeting organisations and is able to sign post organisations to the Volunteer Centre. Adele has done lots of volunteering in the past so understands the value and benefits of volunteering.

Jade Czuba

Local Involvement Networks (LINks)

Outreach worker

Jade’s role at LINk is to provide a support network for individuals, groups, and organisations who want to make a difference to the health and social care services in Oldham borough. She organises lots of events out in the community in order to do this.

Jade began her career at Groundwork on the graduate scheme, which she successfully completed and is now managing volunteers in her role at Link. She is a real ambassador for volunteering and is in a great position to promote volunteering to members of the public.  

Nayan Joshi

Voluntary Action Oldham (VAO)

Engagement Officer

Nayan is one of the Engagement Officers at VAO and part of his role is to co-ordinate the BME and Disability network and he also supports the other equality forums. He therefore has a great insight to the different communities within Oldham where he is able to promote volunteering.

Nayan has volunteered on and off for the past 20 years, but he currently volunteers on a Sunday, facilitating sport sessions for 5 – 16 year olds. He also volunteers at his local school and housing association….when he has time of course.  

Simon Tait

Sports Development, Oldham Council

Club & Volunteer Development Officer

Simon’s role is to support the various sports clubs across Oldham and part of this is to look at how they can involve volunteers. He has lots of experience in this field and is able to promote the services of the Volunteer Centre.

Simon worked closely with the Volunteer Centre to help organise an event January 2011 which encouraged sports clubs to think about how they can create games inspired opportunities as part of the 2012 Olympics Legacy.    

Sophie Heywood

Groundwork

Volunteer Co-ordinator

Sophie works in the communities department within Groundwork. Sophie is specifically responsible for supporting young people to volunteer on environmental projects in Oldham as well as running a volunteer mentor project as part of the Prince’s trust.

Sophie is also responsible for the recruitment of volunteers within Groundwork which is one the larger voluntary organisations in Oldham. She has lots of experience of working with volunteers and is an asset to have on the Volunteer Champion team!