Voluntary Action Fund

Meet the Team

Keith Wimbles,
Chief Executive
keith.wimbles@voluntaryactionfund.org.uk

Keith joined the Voluntary Action Fund in 2008 as Chief Executive. He has worked in the voluntary sector for over fifteen years including with Glasgow Council for the Voluntary Sector and SCVO where he developed and managed a number of grant programmes and initiatives to support the community and voluntary sectors. Keith also has wide experience of European funding, transnational programmes and regeneration work. Prior to working in the voluntary sector, Keith worked in the private sector managing employment programmes across the UK to help people into employment, training and volunteering. In addition to overseeing all funding programmes, policy and the management, Keith's role in VAF involves representing the organisation on a number of groups and fora including the Scotland Funders Forum, The Scottish Grant-making Trusts Group and National Reference Group for Healthy Communities. Keith is currently a trustee of Evaluation Support Scotland.

Alison Stevenson,
Deputy Chief Executive and Senior Programme Manager
Volunteering Scotland Grant Scheme
alison.stevenson@voluntaryactionfund.org.uk

Alison is VAF's Senior Programme Manager and Deputy Chief Executive, responsible for the operational management of our volunteering and community grants and for strategic support to all our grant programmes. Alison's job covers all aspects of grant making, from promotions and pre-application workshops to assessment of applications, evaluation and support to funded organisations. Her job also involves supporting Keith in his role and supporting VAF staff. Before joining VAF, Alison worked in Social Work services for many years, managing services and funding programmes in mental health, learning disability and domestic abuse. She is a serial volunteer and charity trustee and is currently a voluntary director of two social enterprise organisations and a citizen advocacy group.

Susan Connell,
Office Administrator
susan.connell@voluntaryactionfund.org.uk

Susan Connell has worked for the Voluntary Action Fund for 22 years. She is responsible for the smooth running of the office as a whole and works closely with the Chief Executive, Senior Managers and the Board. She has vast experience of all aspects of the Fund and along with Irene Glasgow can provide lots of background dating back to the mid 80s. Like Irene she also previously worked for the Carnegie UK Trust and prior to that it's too far back to bother about!

Samantha Forsberg,
Communications & External Relations Officer
samantha.forsberg@voluntaryactionfund.org.uk

The most recent staff member to join VAF, Sam has come on board to support Keith and the team with internal and external communications. Responsible for the website, VAF's Comms strategy, and spreading the word about the great work VAF is doing to support some amazing organisations making a real difference to the lives of many across Scotland, Sam's job is as diverse as the projects we fund! Before joining VAF, Sam co-founded ActionPodcast.com whilst being a self-employed personal and small business coach (working and living internationally), and prior to that, was an IT project manager in the private sector for many years. Sam recently started volunteering with a local Fife-based Animal charity.

Grants Programme Teams

Patrick Mbullu,
Programme Manager
Equalities Programme
patrick.mbullu@voluntaryactionfund.org.uk

Patrick Mbullu recently joined the Voluntary Action Fund, as the Equality Grants Programme Manager. His role involves managing our Government funded programme with equalities groups. An essential part of the work is to provide dedicated ‘Investment Support' to the organisations we fund. Our approach is to strengthen the development and capacity of the organisations that we fund, encourage shared learning across the voluntary sector in Scotland, and facilitate the dissemination of good practice. Most recently Patrick worked as the Developing Capacities programme manager with Khanya-African Institute for Community-Driven Development (Khanya-aicdd), a highly respected development institution based in South Africa, working with partners in Africa to transform development systems to support livelihoods of poor people. Before then, he was the Africa Projects Manager with the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund for five years.

Susan Wilson,
Equality Programme Development Officer
Equalities Programme
susan.wilson@voluntaryactionfund.org.uk

Susan is the Equality Development Officer & her job involves assisting the Equality Grants Programme Manager in the day to day management of the Equality Grants Programme, including providing investment support to funded organizations, facilitating training sessions and network events, capturing lessons learned & promoting these ideas to a wide audience. Susan joined VAF in June 2008 but before that she worked in the NHS & the Voluntary Sector for many years supporting people with mental health problems. A volunteer herself Susan volunteers on a regular basis with a local Fife based charity.

Chris Smith,
Community Chest Grant Officer
Community Chest
chris.smith@voluntaryactionfund.org.uk

As the Community Chest grant officer Chris is responsible for promoting the grant programme; providing advice and support to groups considering making an application and assessing the applications received. He is also responsible for delivering the Community Chest capacity building training programme across Scotland. Working part-time for VAF and part-time for himself, Chris is also an Independent Examiner; trainer and consultant. Prior to joining VAF Chris headed up the Compliance Support team within OSCR.

Patricia McKibben,
Programme Administrator
Community Chest
patricia.mckibben@voluntaryactionfund.org.uk

As the Community Chest Programme Administrator, Patricia's main responsibilities are to support the Grant Officer in promoting the Community Chest programme to the voluntary sector in general and voluntary and community groups in particular. Supporting the Grant Officer in processing grant applications together with administrative support for the monitoring and evaluation process. Patricia previously worked for Scottish Enterprise Fife in the Chief Executive's Department.

Irene Glasgow,
Programme Administrator
Volunteering Scotland Grant Scheme
irene.glasgow@voluntaryactionfund.org.uk

Irene is the Programme Administrator of the Volunteering Scotland Grant Scheme and is an essential link to the funded projects and other stakeholders. She ensures the smooth and efficient operation of the Programme by assisting the Senior Programme Manager in the key administrative duties, monitoring and evaluation and training events which supports the learning programme VAF provides to their funded projects. Irene has been involved with the Voluntary Action Fund since it started and can provide a history of its development over the past 25 years. Before joining VAF she worked with the Carnegie UK Trust.

Susan Connell,
Programme Administrator
Equalities Programme
susan.connell@voluntaryactionfund.org.uk

Susan is currently providing temporary cover as the Equalities Programme administrator just now too!