Governance

Community Links (Northern) is an exempt charity registered with the Financial Conduct Authority – FCA Company no. 9408

The organisation is overseen by a Board of Trustees.

Our parent organisation is Inspire North which has its own Board of Trustees – please see here for more details (external link).

Philip Turnpenny - Inspire North - Freedom to Speak Up Champion: Philip is passionate about supporting various third sector organisations and improving opportunities for young people. Philip has worked in HR and has developed various transferable skills throughout his experience.
Claire Vilarrubi - Chair of Trustees - Inspire North: Claire is passionate about supporting those who are likely to fall into the criminal justice system and how to prevent this.

Claire has a wealth of experience working in criminal justice, she has been a forensic psychologist and then later became a prison governor. Claire now teaches on the Psychology programmes at Leeds Trinity University.
Lisa Bradley - Inspire North Trustee: Lisa has a passion for finance, both commercially and in not-for-profit sectors. She has recently worked in supported housing and education.

Lisa has knowledge in various areas, such as, governance, IT and property services. Lisa is able to bring her experience and skills to the board of trustees and support us in our organisational goals.
Olivia Bradshaw- Independent Trustee of Inspire North: Olivia is a driven Solicitor Apprentice in the early stages of her career training in corporate practice. Passionate and ambitious she secured her role at a top city firm after previously studying medicine for two years. Olivia was recently invited to share her experiences as a means to inspire others in a podcast supported by her firm. She has shown commitment to charitable initiatives volunteering on her local PPG and as a tutor/mentor. Olivia is particularly passionate about social mobility and mental health, hoping to support the board by offering a younger perspective.

In her free time Olivia enjoys tennis and cooking.
Duane Samuels- Independent Trustee for Inspire North: Duane is an experienced Project Manager with hands-on experience of managing construction and facilities management projects. He has worked with a range of organisations to define business priorities, deliver projects and introduce governance aligned to culture.

Recently married, Duane enjoys spending time with his family. He is also in the process of developing an e-learning platform to help empower and upskill people from a variety of backgrounds.
Sade Ladejobi- Independent Trustee of Community Links: Sade is an accomplished Senior Human Resources Professional and Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (FCIPD) with over 16 years of experience in various sectors and is currently a Board of Trustee with another Charity.

Sade is passionate about contributing to the community, especially to causes she cares about, i.e., providing HR expertise and support to organisations that provide health care services, mental health, health and wellbeing support, basic infrastructures & amenities, and better lives for all persons need.

On the side, Sade is also a certified Image Coach and consultant.
Brad Strutt- Independent Trustee of Community Links: Brad is a dedicated and passionate senior IT professional with a successful track record in leading and implementing IT Strategies. He has over 16 years of experience in education, not-for-profit and the private sector. He hopes to harness his skills and experience to support the Board of Trustee’s organisational goals.
In his spare time Brad enjoys keeping active. Last year he completed the Leeds Triathlon and this year the London Marathon, raising thousands of pounds for charities in the process.
Margaret Iyekowa- Independent Trustee of Community Links: Margaret is a dedicated and compassionate professional with a versatile background encompassing retail banking, mental health support, and community engagement.

Her commitment to fostering positive change is evident through active voluntary work, including skill development for children.

Dedicated to social progress and the realisation of a world where everyone matters, Margaret brings her diverse skills, experiences, and enthusiasm to the Board of Trustees.

Outside of work, she enjoys reading, listening to music, and long walks.