Carol Botten
Chief Executive
Carol Botten
Chief Executive
In September 2018, Carol was appointed as CEO of VONNE following four years as Deputy CEO. Carol has worked in the voluntary and community sector for the best part of her professional life of more than 20 years, with a specific background in management, development, fundraising and communications within the cultural and voluntary sectors. She represents VONNE and the VCSE sector on a number of strategic boards and forums including the board of the North East Local Enterprise Partnership. Carol is passionate about collaborative working and partnerships, especially across sectors, to accelarate the continued development of the North East and to address inequalities.
Menisha Gela
Deputy Chief Executive
Menisha Gela
Deputy Chief Executive
Menisha has over 20-years' experience of working in the voluntary sector in a range of programme and development roles. Prior to joining VONNE she worked as Director of Development and has a particular interest in policy work to bring about social change, good governance as well as mentoring and coaching.
Her role at VONNE comprises of the oversight of the projects and partnership's function including the development of new areas of work. She works with the Board, CEO and staff to represent the sector at a local, regional and national level and to deliver VONNE’s strategic aims.
Menisha specialist areas of interest include effective financial support for the VCSE sector, sustainable development, equality and social justice in particular, race and women in society and leadership roles.
Operations Team
Angela Goodfellow
Operations Manager
Angela Goodfellow
Operations Manager
Angela recently celebrated 10 years at VONNE as the Operations Manager. Her role is hugely varied managing the operations of VONNE including HR, Governance, Finance, IT, Premises and VONNE’s Enhanced Recruitment Service. She has worked in the charity sector for around 14 years and her role prior to VONNE was at the British Red Cross. Her charity connection started with volunteering roles at St Oswald’s Hospice and Oxfam.
Angela is also a Trustee on the Board of Newcastle Vision Support.
Allison Madine
VONNE HR & Administration Support Officer/NEECCo Project Support Officer
Allison Madine
VONNE HR & Administration Support Officer/NEECCo Project Support Officer
As well as being part of the team providing support to VONNE Members and the VONNE team for several years, Allison joined the NEECCo project team in October 2019, supporting both NEECCo and the VONNE Climate Action Alliance. She has over 30 years' PA/administration experience in many different sectors, including defence and aerospace, the NHS, local government, and the private sector. This is her first role within the VCSE sector. She also works part-time for Generation Rent, which campaigns for the rights of private housing tenants in the UK. Allison was born and raised in the North East, but moved away after marrying a Scot. Having lived in many parts of the UK and beyond, they've returned to live in Northumberland with their rescue dog Ellie.
Kath Redpath
Finance and Admin Support Officer
Kath Redpath
Finance and Admin Support Officer
Kath joined VONNE in August 2022 as our Finance and Admin Support Officer. She brings a wealth of customer experience to the role having previously worked within the charity sector for over 15 years in various roles within Finance and Administration.
Her most recent role was within a thriving Newcastle based Creative Marketing Company as Office and Finance Manager.
Kath is excited to be part of the VONNE team, providing support to the Operations Manager and supporting both staff and our members with all things finance and admin.
Mandeep Chohan
Operations and Member Services Assistant
Mandeep Chohan
Operations and Member Services Assistant
Mandeep joined VONNE in June 2023 to provide administrative support for VONNE's operations, member services and communications work. Speaking about her position, Mandeep said 'I am relatively new to the charity sector, and I am passionate about bringing the skills and experience that I have gained from working in the private sector to VONNE. I have worked in various roles from customer service, sales, administration, and team leadership. I enjoy working with multiple workstreams as it gives me a deeper understanding of how different people and processes work.
Outside of work, I studied BA (Hons) Fine Art at Teesside University and I have continued my practice, which focuses on my identity as a British Asian woman from the North East.'
Paula Rosenberg
Management and Governance Administration Support Officer
Paula joined VONNE in November 2023, and provides administrative support to the CEO and Management Team as well as support in areas of governance. Paula has worked in the voluntary sector for the majority of her working life, starting here in the North East and then moving to London for 8 years, before returning back to County Durham. Her main roles have been in senior leadership support, trustee board and committee support, HR management, customer service management and facilities including health and safety. Paula hopes that her experience will be of benefit to VONNE as it continues to grow.
Paula is the voluntary secretary of a local grassroots football team and has recently joined the governors of a local secondary school. In her spare time Paula enjoys reading, swimming and walking the family dog Reggie.
Member Services Team
Laura Elliot
Member Services Manager
Laura Elliot
Member Services Manager
Laura leads on Member Services – Membership, Job Finder and Workspace Finder.
She’s passionate about bringing member voices into our work and providing high quality, meaningful services to the North East VCSE sector.
From previous roles, Laura brings charity experience in marketing and commercial management plus experince of local government and employment rights advice.
Away from work, Laura volunteers at Whitley Bay Big Local and is a regular volunteer on creative projects in her local area.
Amy Coates
VONNE Communications and Marketing Officer
Amy Coates
VONNE Communications Officer and NEECCo Communications and Events Officer
Amy joined the VONNE team in July 2021 as NEECCo Comms and Events Officer, then became VONNE Communications Officer in April 2022. Amy is responsible for all things communications, including our website, social feeds and VONNE News eBulletin. She is responsible for our fortnightly funding bulletin and online Funding Directory, both of which are benefits of VONNE Membership+ support at silver or gold level. Amy is particularly interested in recruitment in the VCSE sector and engaging with members of VONNE to bring their voice into our future comms.
Amy enjoys working on a variety of projects and events to learn new skills, and is a trustee at Projects4Change, a charity that supports young people in Newcastle.
Gemma Broadhead
Membership and Communications Administrator
Gemma Broadhead
Membership and Communications Administrator
Gemma joined the VONNE team in April 2022, bringing with her 15 years’ experience of working in the VCSE sector in a variety of support roles. She has extensive experience in customer service, data collection and reporting, and administration. Gemma studied History at the University of Sunderland, graduating with an MA in 2009, and has retained a keen interest in learning and knowledge and a love of reading ever since.
Gemma provides administrative support for our Member Services, including Membership and Jobs processing, supporting with communications and social media, and she is also responsible for our weekly VONNE Jobs bulletin. Gemma enjoys supporting our members and promoting the value of the VCSE sector.
Projects Team
Georgia Goncalves
Partnerships and Projects Officer
Georgia Goncalves
Partnerships and Projects Officer
Georgia joined the VONNE team in January 2021 and has enjoyed working across a wide variety of projects since then. Georgia works on Digital Pathfinders, Catalysing Innovation, the North East and Cumbria Funders Network and many more of VONNE’s projects. She enjoys the varied nature of her work because it’s helped her to gain a strong understanding of the sector and develop many new skills to deliver projects effectively and in new ways – although sometimes she does have to be reined in when it comes to free training to support this!
If you have any questions about VONNE’s projects or want to find out more, Georgia is always happy to have a chat and talk through the support available to organisations in the North East so drop her an email.
Nathaniel Spain
Going Green Together Project Coordinator
Nathaniel Spain
Going Green Together Project Coordinator
Nathaniel Spain coordinates the Going Green Together project, a pilot scheme created by VONNE to support our sector towards Net Zero. Nathaniel joined VONNE in June 2022, and works with our partners to deliver sustainability training and to support participants through our environmental programmes. He also runs Going Green Together’s social media platforms, and writes its dedicated monthly newsletter. Get in touch with Nathaniel if you’d like to discuss how VONNE can help your organisation become environmentally sustainable and tackle the climate emergency. In his spare time, Nathaniel enjoys creative writing, art and design.
Anne Webster
Coordination and Development Support Officer (MEA House)
Anne Webster
Coordination and Development Support Officer (MEA House)
Anne joined us in early January 2020, working with and supporting the MEA House community as well as promoting the use of the spaces within MEA House to the wider VCSE sector. She previously worked at Age UK Newcastle and was the team leader at the North East Special Needs Network, supporting parents/carers of children/young people to access appropriate services.
She was Chair of Trustees for Down’s Syndrome North East for 15 years and is an active volunteer at her local community centre. In her free time, Anne also enjoys reading, gardening and watching live music.
Neta Kaur Brown
LARCH Programme Manager
Neta Kaur Brown
LARCH Programme Manager
As project manager of Local Access Redcar & Cleveland and Hartlepool (LARCH), Neta is responsible for the coordination and delivery of the project, working with a wide range of partners and stakeholders. LARCH aim is to grow and develop social enterprise in Redcar & Cleveland and Hartlepool, through funding from Access, The Foundation for Social Investment and Big Society Capital.
Health and Wellbeing Team
Lisa Taylor
Health and Wellbeing Programme Director
Lisa Taylor
Health and Wellbeing Programme Director
Lisa has spent many years working in health and social care, moving from the private sector to the voluntary sector in 2014 to manage the integration of charity services within the NHS. This involved working with both primary and secondary care as well as with vulnerable groups, including older people experiencing frailty, people with learning disabilities and autistic people.
Lisa specialises in cross-sector working and is passionate about partnership working and supporting the development of systems that truly meet the needs of the people that use them. She joined VONNE as the VCSE Partnership Programme Deputy Manager, spending a year in that role before becoming our Health & Wellbeing Programme Director.
Lisa is the lead for the VCSE Partnership Programme, which brings together the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector across the North East and North Cumbria (NENC) Integrated Care System (ICS), working with NHS England to support the development of the programme in partnership with the NHS. Lisa also sits on the NENC Integrated Care Board as the VCSE representative, ensuring the VCSE sector’s input into the NENC ICS at a strategic level.
Richard Boggie
North East and North Cumbria VCSE Health Partnerships Strategic Manager
Richard Boggie
North East and North Cumbria VCSE Health Partnerships Strategic Manager
Richard joined our Health and Wellbeing team in February 2023. His role involves oversight of a range of programmes including Healthy Communities and Social Prescribing, Health Champions and representing VONNE at various groups within the health inequalities workstream of the ICB’s structures. He will be a key link for VCSE involvement in tackling health priorities in our region. Richard brings experience and expertise in disability rights, access and inclusion, and HR management. He is active in the community – as Chair of Newcastle Vision Support and a Trustee of Northern Stage. He is also a spoken word artist and playwright.
Siobhan Flynn
North East and North Cumbria VCSE Engagement Manager
Siobhan Flynn
North East and North Cumbria VCSE Engagement Manager
Siobhan joined VONNE in January 2022. Her role focuses on supporting meaningful engagement, involvement and collaboration between VCSE organisations involved in health and wellbeing across the North East and North Cumbria (NENC) and the NENC Integrated Care System (ICS). This includes facilitating many of the VCSE Partnership Programme sub-groups and the VCSE Partnership Forum. Siobhan is passionate about collaboration and ensuring the needs of the VCSE sector are heard and addressed. She brings experience from her previous job roles which have focused on the development of VCSE networks and increasing partnerships within the sector.
In her spare time Siobhan volunteers for Rape Crisis, crochets and is a keen runner.
Sara Toal
Health and Wellbeing Project & Communications Officer
Sara Toal
Health and Wellbeing Project & Communications Officer
Sara joined VONNE in 2021 and leads the communications and project support for our Health and Wellbeing Team. She works across the North East and North Cumbria supporting the VCSE Partnership Programme and Healthy Communities and Social Prescribing programme, as well as for the National Academy for Social Prescribing's Thriving Communities programme in the North East and Yorkshire, for which VONNE is regional lead. Her work involves the management of our Health and Wellbeing team Twitter @vonnehwb, our various health and wellbeing network bulletins, partner communications and events support.
Greta Brunskill
Health and Wellbeing Research Partnerships Coordinator
Greta Brunskill
Health and Wellbeing Research Partnerships Coordinator
Greta joined VONNE in July 2022, bringing experience from roles in research and the NHS. She has a strong interest in involving people in research, and in her most recent role led a stakeholder involvement group on a research programme focused on improving dementia care. Greta enjoys working and learning with others to achieve better health and wellbeing outcomes and has a passion for building relationships that enable research to be grounded in real-life experiences.
Sian Dickie
North East and North Cumbria VCSE Engagement Coordinator
Sian Dickie
North East and North Cumbria VCSE Engagement Coordinator
Sian joined VONNE in March 2022. Her first role was Health and Wellbeing Project Support Officer, which mainly focused on starting the Health and Wellbeing twitter channel @vonnehwb and other communications and events work. In December 2022, Sian started her new role as North East and North Cumbria VCSE Engagement Coordinator, and is focused on supporting meaningful involvement and collaboration between VCSE organisations and the NENC Integrated Care System (ICS). The majority of her focus is on the VCSE Partnership Programme Sub-Groups.
Sian studied Media, Communication and Cultural Studies BA (Hons) (2016-2019) followed by a Sociology MA at Newcastle University (2019-2020). Following this, she was elected as Education Officer at Newcastle University Students’ Union (20/21).
In her spare time Sian likes to buy books (and sometimes read them). She also enjoys ludicrous reality dating shows.
Tom Robinson
Projects Support Officer
Tom Robinson
Projects Support Officer
Tom joined the VONNE team in January 2023. He provides project and communications support to the Health and Wellbeing team with a focus on social prescribing and the Thriving Communities programme. Tom produces the monthly Thriving Communities bulletin, sharing social prescribing news with the VCSE sector; he generates website and social media content and supports VONNE meetings, groups and events. Tom has worked for over 18 years in the VCSE sector as a group facilitator and community development worker, amongst other roles, and he brings extensive experience of working directly with beneficiaries to this role. Tom still works in the community and runs a men’s group and a community allotment project in the Bensham area of Gateshead. Tom is also a DJ and plays at festivals over the summer.
Amy Langdown
Support Worker
Amy Langdown joined VONNE in September of 2023 as support worker for Richard Boggie (North East and North Cumbria VCSE Health Partnerships Strategic Manager).
About her role, Amy said 'in my creative practice, I work with various charities, as well as working solo. In my work, I am always looking for ways to boost the voices of those from marginalised, underrepresented and underprivileged backgrounds, and my work with VONNE facilitates this in a different way.’
Outside of VONNE, Amy is a creative practitioner, she has a poetry night called Out of Your Head! And works as a writer, facilitator, producer and artist.
Get in touch with Amy if you’re interested in working with Richard or you’d like to know more about the NENC VCSE Health Partnerships programme.