This week, the VONNE team sadly say farewell to our fantastic Deputy CEO, Anne Fry who has had a central role in the team for the last five years. She will be hugely missed, but we wish her all the best and look forward to reconnecting with her through her new role as CEO at Eating Distress North East and her continuing trustee roles at Rape Crisis and WWIN.
In the blog below, Anne Fry reflects on her time at VONNE and the projects and partnerships she’s been involved in, through questions put to her from the team.
What attracted you to the VCSE sector and to VONNE as an organisation?
My first career was in Higher Education, with roles at the Royal College of Art and Newcastle University. When my youngest child started school I decided to do some volunteering in an area that I felt passionate about and so I trained and worked as a helpline and email support volunteer with Rape Crisis Tyneside and Northumberland.
This introduction to the VCSE sector led me to think seriously about making a career change and when the Marketing and Communications role at VONNE came up I decided to apply. I was attracted by VONNE’s reputation in the sector and the desire to work in an area more directly related to social justice. I was also working for Rape Crisis in a frontline role supporting women and girls, so I went from not working in the sector to having two part time jobs in the sector!
When you started at VONNE, you were Comms and Marketing Manager, what made you decide to apply for the role of DCEO?
The encouragement and support of others. Although I had a lot of prior project management and relationship building skills, I hadn’t seriously considered a ‘leadership role’ before.
I am extremely grateful that people believed in me enough to give me a chance and I hope I’ve continued to pay that forward, I think a good leader creates space to allow others to develop and grow.
Which projects have you enjoyed developing/working on most?
The thing I have loved about the DCEO role is the variety, it’s never dull…
I’ve been fortunate to have worked across many different areas but highlights for me are the Safeguarding Training programme for the VCSE sector, delivered in partnership with local infrastructure organisations; working with Sunderland Software City to develop the Digital Pathfinders programme, because I get to work with some brilliant and knowledgeable digital experts and see the impact of the support on small organisations; and the recent roundtable with VODA North Tyneside and Collective Impact Agency on ‘Doing Recruitment Differently’ for the sector.
I’ve also very much enjoyed being part of the Tees Valley Infrastructure Partnership with the local development agencies and infrastructure organisations in the region.
I think it’s clear that what I enjoy most is working with other people!
What do you hope to see from VONNE in the future?
VONNE’s skilled staff team is dedicated, professional and impactful and I know the organisation will continue to raise the profile and the voices of the sector and work hard to ensure the sector is treated as an equal partner.
I hope VONNE continues to act as a connector, facilitator, and champion of the North East VCSE sector for many years to come.
What are you looking forward to most in your new role as CEO of Eating Distress North East?
I’m very excited about working in a small organisation working directly with people.
The North East has a rising epidemic of eating distress and whilst this isn’t something which only affects young people, the numbers of under 18-year-olds in the region being treated have increased by 60%.
I’m looking forward to working with the EDNE Board and staff team to continue to provide high quality counselling and wellbeing support, and training.
If you’d like to keep in touch with Anne, or wish her luck in her new role, you can connect with her on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-fry-596199a4/ or on Twitter @annefry