The Third Sector Assembly Steering Group is comprised of representatives from the voluntary and community sector of Coventry;

• Five representatives from Voluntary Sector Coventry Partnership Boards
• Two representatives from Voluntary Action Coventry Management Board
• Three third sector representatives, nominated by election

The steering group meets approximately twice a year to discuss the most current topics of concern. If you would like to propose any issues to include in the agenda for discussion in the next meeting please email s.ogle@vacoventry.org.uk

Meetings
The date of the next meeting has not been confirmed.

Minutes from the meetings held thus far are available below.
February 2010
April 2010
July 2010
September 2010
November 2010
January 2011
March 2011
June 2011
September 2011
January 2012

To learn about the Third Sector Assembly steering group members, please scroll down
 
Stephen Banbury Chair of Third Sector Assembly Steering Group, has been the Chief Executive of Voluntary Action Coventry since December 2004. While responsible for all aspects of the organisation he particularly takes a lead on new business identification and representing the interests of the sector at regional, sub-regional and local levels. Steve has been a member of Coventry Partnership Board since January 2005 and was Chair of the Partnership in 2009/10. He has been involved in the development of a range of local and regional partnerships and is currently Vice Chair of Regional Action West Midlands (RAWM).

Mike Barnes is the District Manager responsible for the Coventry operation of West Midlands Special Needs Transport since August 2009. He has had over 25 years of successful management, predominantly with Multi-National Enterprises. Since September 2005 he has been a Director and Trustee of Regional Action West Midlands (RAWM), which he currently chairs. In November 2006 Mike was elected as treasurer to the board of Voluntary Action Coventry (VAC) and in January 2012 was elected as Chair of VAC. Mike is also a trustee of both Life Path Trust and the Enterprise Club for the Disabled, and Vice-Chair of the Transport Theme Group of Coventry Partnership (LSP). As Chair of RAWM, Mike serves on the Board of the Improvement and Efficiency Partnership West Midlands (RIEP), the regional Economic Inclusion Panel and Chairs the Every Voice Counts Partnership Board which is part of the National Empowerment Programme.

Charley Gibbons is the Chief Executive of Coventry CAB. His first experience of advice work was in Leicester, delivering a debt outreach service in deprived communities in the city. Charley's interest in the voluntary / community sector grew out of a year doing community organising work in Chicago. His voluntary sector involvement as an employee or trustee has ranged from organisations with turnovers ranging from under £20,000 to over £3 million.

Sarah Learmonth is a Policy Officer for Coventry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (CRASAC) and one of three Capacity Builders for Rape Crisis England & Wales. Sarah is working with centres to increase their influence in local decision-making and strengthen their ability to deliver direct services to survivors. Sarah started work five years ago in the voluntary sector for the Citizen's Advice Bureau, as a general advisor, and whilst working there was asked was offered the opportunity to work voluntarily for the Coventry Rape & Sexual Abuse Centre. Sarah has been their Community Engagement Lead for the past year and lobbies for them both nationally, regionally and locally.

Christine McNaught began her post as Centre Manager of FWT (Foleshill Women's Training) in May 2008. The organisation strives to tackle the Social, Health & Economic barriers that all women in Coventry face. Prior to this, Christine was the Learning Co-ordinator for Coventry Libraries & Information Services. Other roles she has undertaken include being a Further Education lecturer in the subject of ‘Gender and Sexuality in Art & Popular Culture'. Christine won the ‘Women in Business' Award at the 2010 Women's Week awards and was a 2010 finalist in the ‘Women on their way' regional awards.

Saleem Sheikh currently works for National Energy Action which is a national fuel poverty charity. NEA is promoting a campaign to eradicate fuel poverty amongst the vulnerable sector of our community. Saleem has been a strong community activist, having chaired various Board meetings in Coventry, and is involved with Working Actively to Change Hillfields (WATCH). Saleem was elected the co-chair for Coventry Ethnic Minorities Action Partnership (CEMAP). CEMAP has been instrumental in promoting community cohesion between and amongst the different communities including the recent migrant communities that has settled in Coventry. CEMAP has also worked with the New Community Forum to promote harmony and understanding between the traditional BME community and also the host community.

Michael Vincent is currently Chief Executive of Age UK Coventry a role he has held full time since 2004. Michael is also one of 15 Trustees of Age UK, the national charity formed in 2009 by the merger of Age Concern England and Help the Aged. Michael has a good breadth of management and leadership experience with organisations in both the voluntary and commercial sectors. He spent the first 21 years of his career in marketing and new business development in the commercial sector, Marketing Development Director at Kraft Foods for 4 years, before moving to the voluntary sector in 1992, to join Oxfam. Michael was Trading Director at Oxfam for 8 years. During this period he was also a Trustee of the Fair-trade Foundation and a non-executive Director of Cafe direct, helping to develop the broader movement for fair-trade.

Vicki Urch, Director of Emmaus Coventry & Warwickshire was elected onto the TSA Steering Group in February 2012 and takes on the role of Coventry Partnership Board Representative.  Vicki has worked in the Sector for twenty years and has a good understanding of the diversity of the Sector and the differing needs of very small and very large organisations. 

Clare Wightman is the Vice-Chair of Voluntary Action Coventry and Director of Grapevine a charity working in Coventry and Warwickshire.  She has established a reputation for expertise in making the changes needed to enable people with learning difficulties be more fully included in Coventry's communities, an issue she cares deeply about.

Phil Jones has been active for almost 20 years in the community sector supporting the grass roots community perspective through a number of organisations including; Canal Basin Community Group, Older People's Forum, City College, City of Coventry Health Centre,  Swanswell iniative community liaison group, Highpoint Community Services, Mansfield Medical Centre and Housing 21 Central West area forum.