The Hampshire Leadership Forum (HLF) is the main route for strategic engagement with the VCSE sector in Hampshire.
HLF is a network of VCSE leaders with two primary functions:
- to act as a mechanism for systematic engagement between the VCSE Sector and statutory partners.
- to provide a means to select VCSE representatives on cross-sector partnerships and as a constituency for sharing and disseminating information.
It is recognised by Hampshire’s public sector bodies as the mechanism for engagement with the not-for-profit sector and is regularly attended by representatives from Hampshire County Council and the local NHS.
The Forum arranges the selection of VCSE sector representatives for key partnerships such as the Hampshire Safeguarding Adult & Children’s Boards and the Hampshire Health & Wellbeing Board as well as representatives championing specific ‘thematic areas’, such as social enterprises and older people’s organisations.
We actively encourage you to send any feedback you want to raise with any of the representatives listed below by completing this form. The information you provide will be shared with the relevant HLF representative/s so they can raise your concerns or ideas at their next board meeting.
We currently have the following vacancies on the Forum. Please email alison.bridge@actionhampshire.org if you are interested in any of these roles. You can find out more information about the recruitment process follow this link.
- Prevention of extremism: Hampshire Prevent Board
- Advocacy
- Refugee support
- Advice Services
- Housing associations
- Young carers
- LGBTQ+ organisations
- Minoritised ethnic communities
- Older people’s organisations
Current representatives
Nicky Judd – CEO of Action Hampshire – Chair and HLF Secretariat
For over 70 years, Action Hampshire has been supporting not-for-profit organisations to deliver great services to local people and communities; speak up for the changes they would like to see; and shape the future of where they live and work. Our services include: policy and information; social enterprise development; affordable housing; support for community buildings and research and engagement. Nicky Chairs the Forum and Action Hampshire team member, Alison Bridge provides the secretariat function.
Julie Amies – Representing HLF on the Hampshire Health & Wellbeing Board (Claire Lambon is the deputy rep)
In 2016, Julie established Energise Me, a charity that tackles the things that prevent active lifestyles, so everyone can improve their health and happiness by moving more. Encouraging people and communities to be physically active is an action point in every chapter of the Hampshire Health and Wellbeing Board’s Strategy, available via this link, as well as the Integrated Care System’s Prevent Strategy. Julie has also volunteered as a trustee for several voluntary sector organisations.
Future meeting dates of the Health & Wellbeing Board: 12 December 2024
Ian Bowes – Representing Community businesses and Social enterprises
Ian is Treasurer and Trustee of the Kingsclere Community Association. He is also Chairman of the Kingsclere Performing Arts and Youth Centre, a start-up charity aiming to save an important community asset from residential development enabling the current use as a performing arts centre to be developed. Now a Fellow of the School of Social Entrepreneurs, after participating in a programme run by Action Hampshire, he focuses in particular on improving the viability and sustainability of the community businesses he works with.
Betty Chadwick – Representing Learning Disability organisations
Betty is Executive Director and founder of Active LD, with leadership experience across the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector. She is passionate about the power of physical activity to transform lives, particularly for people with learning disabilities; not only improving physical and mental health, but also building confidence, skills, connections and community engagement. Through initiatives such as the Personal Bests events, Active LD works with over 20 learning disability organisations across Hampshire, creating inclusive opportunities to be active and providing a strong platform to advocate for the voices and needs of people with learning disabilities across the region.
Madeline Close – Representing disabled people’s organisations
Madeline moved to the UK aged 21 which, coincidentally, was when she lost her sight. Her activism began as a volunteer campaigner for the RNIB and a speaker for Guide Dogs. She continues to be passionate about disability issues on both a local and national level, having co-founded a Disability Forum in Fareham, been a co-founder and Managing Director of Disabled People’s Voice and is currently Vice-Chair of Trustees at Disability Rights UK.
Madeleine Durie – Representing HLF on the Hampshire Children’s Trust Board
Madeleine has worked in the public and voluntary sector all of her adult life. She was appointed CEO of Youth Options in 2021 a charity that works with children and young people to achieve a better future, whatever their life circumstances. Madeleine is also a Trustee of Adfam, a national charity supporting families affected by loved ones with addictions supporting them particularly on finance and governance.
Kerry Hearsey MBE – Representing HLF on the Hampshire Safeguarding Adults Board
Kerry has worked across Health and Social Care for many years both in GP and acute settings and came to the charitable sector 20 years ago when she was appointed CEO at the Princess Royal Trust for Carers in Hampshire, a charity that supports unpaid carers. She is passionate about ensuring that people receive support when they most need it. She also has a keen interest in safeguarding and is the HLF rep on the Hampshire Safeguarding Adult’s Board (HSAB) and Chair of the Board’s Stakeholder Subgroup.
View the HSAB Annual Report here
Christine Holloway – Representing HLF on the Hampshire 2050 Partnership
Chris is Chair of the Hampshire Climate Action Network, which enables community-based climate groups to learn from each other and to have a co-ordinated voice on climate issues that affect the whole county. They aim to encourage the County Council and other bodies to act on the climate emergency. Chris has been working on the climate crisis since 2009. She previously held senior roles in local government and the voluntary sector, including Citizens Advice and London Voluntary Service Council.
Kailea Hurcombe – Representing HLF on the Hampshire Safeguarding Children Partnership
Kailea has worked at Solent Youth Action (SYA) for over 14 years, starting as a youth worker and later as Chief Executive Officer. Having volunteered since the age of 16, Kailea has always had a passion to support those most in need. Throughout her career at SYA, Kailea has encouraged young people to volunteer and engage in positive activities and has helped the charity to develop by responding quickly and directly to the changing needs of the young people and the families that the charity supports.
Claire Lambon – Representing HLF on the Hampshire Domestic Abuse Partnership and Deputy HLF representative on the Hampshire Health and Wellbeing Board (Julie Amies is the main rep)
Claire is the CEO of Stop Domestic Abuse which delivers domestic abuse services across Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton and a pan-Hampshire and Isle of Wight Stalking Advocacy Support Service. Claire is an Associate Trustee of Women’s Aid Federation of England. Claire is also an alumnus of the fifth cohort of the “Leadership for Empowered and Healthy Communities Programme” (a programme aimed at leaders in health and social care who want to be part of a movement for change and reform).
Future meeting dates of the Hampshire Domestic Abuse Partnership: 27 February 2025
Siobhain McCurrach – Representing Healthwatch Hampshire
Healthwatch Hampshire is the consumer champion for health and social care services and exists to ensure local voices are able to influence the delivery and design of local services – not just people who use them, but anyone who might need to in the future. They also deliver NHS Complaints Advocacy, helping people who need to make a complaint about the NHS. Siobhain is Area Director for Healthwatch Hampshire and Portsmouth.
Daniel Neat – Representing the Hampshire CVS Network
Daniel has a varied background working in the VCSE sector, public sector and within higher education both nationally and internationally. He is Chief Executive of Basingstoke Voluntary Action, a Hampshire based Council for Voluntary Service (CVS) representing the VCSE sector across Basingstoke & Deane. Daniel is passionate for VCSE sector infrastructure support, providing place-based responses to the challenges Hampshire’s VCSE sector faces. Daniel is taking a lead role in VCSE infrastructure across the county, working closely with colleagues across the CVS network to ensure the voice of the VCSE sector and infrastructure is heard. In recent appointment, Daniel is the Chair of the Local Children’s Partnership for Basingstoke & Deane and VCSEP Local Lead for the South East.
Corniche Plumridge – Representing Mental Health organisations
Corniche is CEO at Off The Record, which delivers mental health services in southeast Hampshire for young people and their families. Part of the management committee for Hampshire Young Carers Alliance, a member of the National Young Carers Alliance Strategic Oversight Board. Corniche has served the sector in various roles since 2007 from grassroots local charities to supporting international causes, within the fields of Mental Health, SEN young people, and Young Carers.
Kevin Sawers – Representing rural communities and organisations
Kevin is a Community Projects Specialist at Action Hampshire and takes the lead on rural development work. Action Hampshire is a member of the ACRE Network, a group of organisations across England that seek to support and lobby on behalf of rural communities and organisations. A major strand of this work is with village halls and similar community buildings, which often play a key role in hosting a huge range of activities and events in smaller communities.
Kevin’s role on the HLF is to act as a two-way conduit, bringing the needs of rural communities to partners on the Forum and in Hampshire’s public sector, while also sharing information from those partners with our contacts in rural areas. It’s easy to view villages and small towns as being full of wealthy people who don’t need any special consideration. But this apparent prosperity hides pockets of significant deprivation, made worse by the higher cost of delivering public services in rural areas and the higher council tax bills that rural residents face, on average. (The Rural Services Network website has a wealth of information about these issues – see their Delivering For All roadmap document.) [https://rsnonline.org.uk/delivering-for-all]
Calum Stewart – Representing the HLF on the Civilian/Military Board Partnership
Calum has developed a wealth of experience from roles in local and national government, as well across our local VCSE sector. He joined Citizens Advice Rushmoor as a volunteer in 2016, going on to serve as a Trustee before being appointed as Chief Officer. Born and raised in Aldershot and from a forces family, Calum remains passionate about championing the needs of the large and diverse Armed Forces Community of serving personnel, veterans, reservists, and their families across Hampshire. He joined the Forum in July 2024.
Revd Canon Bob White – Representing faith organisations
Bob has been an Anglican priest in the area for over 35 years. He has worked in the Gosport, Leigh Park and Havant and most recently in Portsmouth. He currently is the Acting Archdeacon of Portsdown covering Portsmouth and Havant areas, He is the Chair of HIVE Portsmouth and has been involved in a number of community networks and projects across the area. He is currently working with others to establish an Interfaith forum for the city.
