Social Enterprise Ministerial Advisory Group
John Bennett
John Bennett is Managing Director of the Cardiff based Pack-IT group - set up to provide training opportunities and permanent paid employment for people with learning disabilities. He was a co-founding member of Social Firms Wales in January 2004, and has been the Chair and Director since 2005.
Alex Bird
Alex Bird is an independent consultant and has worked extensively with social enterprises throughout Wales. His career spans over 35 years in the sector, and covers work in development bodies as well as working in and volunteering for a variety of social enterprises. Until August 2005 he was Chief Executive of Innovate Trust, a charity which provided a range of services to people with disabilities. He is Chair of Co-operatives and Mutuals Wales, Chair of the Advisory Board of the recently renamed Cardiff Institute for Co-operative Studies (UWIC) and a Trustee of Cardiff YMCA Housing Association.
Adele Blakebrough
Adele Blakebrough is Chair of Breakthrough and senior consultant to CAN (Community Action Network), a leading UK social enterprise which she co-founded in 1998. She is also a Non-Executive Board member of IMPACT International and a Trustee on the Welsh Refugee Council.
Nigel Draper
Nigel Draper is Head of Neighbourhoods at Valleys to Coast Housing, Wales’ first large scale voluntary transfer housing association. He is also a Panel member for the British Urban Regeneration Association (BURA) Regeneration Awards and a voluntary Board Member of Social Firms Wales.
Duncan Forbes
Duncan Forbes is Chief Executive of Bron Afon Community Housing.. He has particular expertise in the various legal frameworks affecting social enterprise, and co-authored ’Voluntary but not Amateur: a guide to the law for Voluntary Organisations’.
Gerallt Jones
Gerallt Jones is the managing director of Mentor Mon. Based on the Isle of Anglesey, Menter Mon provides a range of business, ICT and community enterprise support services, including financial support. He is also a member of the Rural Development Plan Programme Monitoring Committee.
Julie Traynor
Julie Traynor is managing director of E-Inclusion Recycling Limited, a Community Interest Company based in Newport that deals with computer refurbishment and recycling. She is working with the University of Wales in Newport to create more effective ways for social enterprises to develop their businesses. She is also involved in developing leadership, mentoring and social entrepreneur training programmes in the UK, USA and Canada.
The appointments were made in accordance with the Commissioner’s Code of Practice on Ministerial Appointments and will run from 6th July 2009 to 11th July 2011. Members of the group are paid £91 per day with a time commitment of at least three days per year. The first meeting of the Social Enterprise Ministerial Advisory Group will be held on 27th July 2009.