Our Directors

Learning Together Cheshire and Warrington (LTCW) is governed by a Board of Directors who are mostly drawn from different voluntary organisations who are in membership. Together the Board agrees the strategic direction of the organisation in consultation with membership and ensures that it is delivering to its agreed objectives.

Alistair Tranter

I have been involved in the management, development and delivery of adult and community learning for over 30 years. Prior to my early retirement from Cheshire County Council in 2002, I was responsible for managing , leading and integrating the provision of post compulsory education within Cheshire and developing links with other agencies including the voluntary and private sectors. I worked as an additional adult education inspector with HMI.

 

I also managed the Council’s community and joint use arrangements with District and Parish councils and worked with many local, regional and national organisations such as joint use committees, school governing bodies, learning partnerships, the Regional Development Agency, The Nuffield Foundation, NIACE, The Basic Skills Agency and OFSTED.

Following retirement I was a member of The Cheshire and Warrington Learning and Skills Council, until its demise, and took on consultancy work. I joined the LTCW board in 2007 as the first independent director and was appointed Chair in October 2008.

I have always believed that the voluntary, community and faith sector, now commonly referred to as the Third Sector, makes a major contribution to social and economic generation at all levels of society. I hope my current work and previous experience will support and contribute to the work of the Directors in maintaining and developing LTCW to ensure that it can promote the sector’s influence and representation in ways that are sustainable and properly resourced and ensure the continued success of member organisations.

 I also work with Cheshire County Council Lifelong Learning Service [CLLS], having a key role in the marketing of lifelong learning within the County. Working with NIACE, the County Council and dozens of voluntary and community groups across the sub region I work to raise the profile of Adult Learners Week and the achievements of the learners that take part.

I believe passionately in the improvement of the quality of learning opportunities for everybody. I believe that the third sector are real professionals playing a fundamental role in enabling the client groups it works with and supports to effectively access learning opportunities, unlike many established institutions in the learning environment.

Keith Roper
DIAL House Chester

I have been General Manager of DIAL House Chester, a local charity providing disability services (including disability related advice and information, a community café and Shopmobility service), since March 2006.

Financial and business planning, risk management and strategic vision are all requirements of my current work. Strategic managerial experience and disability awareness have certainly helped me in my role at DIAL House, as too has my belief in continuing professional development. Not all learning experiences have to be college based and most training can be tailored to suit the varying needs of individuals.

At DIAL House I encourage both volunteers and paid staff to take advantage of learning opportunities to aid their own personal development as well as underpin the quality of DIAL House services. I sometimes summarise the voluntary sector as very committed people operating in often ‘fragile’ circumstances.

The current agenda to devolve more services to the Third Sector presents possible sustainable funding opportunities for some voluntary organisations. This in turn highlights the need for competent, well trained staff capable of delivering efficient and effective services and I consider that Learning Together Cheshire and Warrington has much to offer individuals and member organisations.

Ian Ruff

I have worked in the field of skills and economic development across the North West for the last 25 years, including 12 years at the Training and Enterprise Council (TEC) and Learning and Skills Council (LSC) in Cheshire and Warrington.

Over that time I have developed a strong knowledge of the voluntary and community sector and become a passionate advocate of its positive and increasing important contribution to local economic development.

Whilst at the LSC I had a lead role for work with the sector in the North West where I established the North West Third Sector Learning and Skills Network of which LTCW is a key member. I am committed to ensuring that the voice of the sector continues to be heard.

Whilst at the LSC, I worked with Government to support skills development through the establishment of a sector skills council for voluntary and community organisations and, regionally, I established systems to ensure fairer access to European funding. During a secondment at the North West Development Agency in 2009/10 as Head of Regional Strategy, I was able to ensure the sector could play a full part in shaping the future of the North West.
Since 2011, I have been a consultant specialising in Government policy and its implementation particularly looking at the ways organisations in the North West can respond and adapt effectively to the policy changes which have taken place following the advent of the Coalition Government.

Despite all the challenges faced by the sector in these difficult times, I remain optimistic about the future for LTCW particularly in terms of the opportunities presented ‘localism’ agenda. I am looking forward to bringing my experience to bear to enable LTCW to continue make a full contribution in shaping this agenda in Cheshire and Warrington for the benefit of its members and the wider third sector.

Helen Barrie
Neston Community and Youth Centre

Derek Jones
Warrington Disability Partnership

I am currently Business Development Manager at Warrington Disability Partnership. I have worked for the charity for almost 7 years with my main responsibility being the management of their Employment Team.

This has involved bid writing, contract management, quality control, report writing and the daily management of employment advisers and clerical support. During this time WDP has successfully delivered a variety of employment contracts including Public Service agreements and mainstream contracts such as Skills 4 Jobs and Pathways to Work.

I currently manage a sub-contract for the Work Programme, a National Careers Service contract, and in partnership with Warrington Borough Council an innovative project for people aged 50 and over called ‘Lavender Hill’.

I have recently taken a management role with additional responsibilities including WDP’s ‘ Disability Trading Company’, and our Shopmobility, independent living shops in Warrington and Liverpool as well as our Mobility Workshop.

I have previously been self-employed as a Training Consultant supporting regeneration initiatives in some of our major cities, worked as a Manager for a number of national training providers including Rathbones, and trained and qualified as a secondary teacher working in Leicester and Liverpool.

 I believe that my wide experience working in different sectors has been an advantage while working in the voluntary, community and faith sector. In my spare time (!!!) sport has been my passion and in particular football and cricket which I played to a high standard. Since hanging up my bat and boots I have worked as a freelance sports reporter for the BBC both commentating on matches and as a presenter.

I am a problem solver who cares deeply about the work the voluntary sector does and while recognising the challenges we all face believes in the values and objectives of LTCW that can enable us to rise to those challenges.

Lesley Bakkers-Christiansen
Enterprise and Education Alliance Ltd

Richard Holmes
Crewe YMCA (Foyer Project)

I have been involved in developing learning and engagement service for young people with an experience of homelessness for seventeen years.

The Association has grown significantly in the last twelve years not least through providing on site training and engagement opportunities.

I am currently the Development Manager at Crewe YMCA. I have experienced first hand the difference that training and education can bring to traditional ‘homelessness’ settings, when we start to offer opportunities that really engage people.

I have been involved with Learning Together Cheshire and Warrington for over five years in one way or another and now I’m happy to serve as a Director,  having enjoyed and benefited from its input and support, I hope to be able to offer something of value in return.