Real people with real passion for social enterprise, social economy and the West Midlands region...
Sarah Beaumont
Director | Strategy and consultancy
A passionate supporter and activist within the social enterprise sector with many key achievements including CEO of sustainable sector support organisation, iSE CIC, establishing one of the first recognised Social Enterprise Places in the UK, Digbeth Social Enterprise Quarter, recognition of Birmingham as a Social Enterprise City and set up of Birmingham’s only dedicated Women’s Enterprise and Community Hub in Sparkbrook. Sarah is a recognised achiever of the Women in Social Enterprise award and proud recipient of an OBE in 2020 for services to social enterprise.
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Dionne Williams
Director | Board
Dionne is an experienced public sector project and programme manager with a strong track record in adult social care, social housing, and business transformation. She has held senior roles across local government, social care, and housing, including her current position as Senior Project and Change Manager at GreenSquareAccord.
Previously, Dionne worked as a Project Manager at Walsall Council, Managing Director at Forward Carers, and Commissioning and Market Manager at Birmingham City Council, where she played a key role in service development, commissioning, and business change. She has also contributed her expertise as a Board Trustee at Carers Worldwide.
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Charles Rapson
Director | Board
Charles has over 45 years business experience and entered the Third Sector and Social Enterprise in 2006, setting up sector support organisation, Solihull SUSTAiN and Colebridge Enterprises. In 2013, he established and ran School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) in the Midlands, helping individuals and organisations create sustainable and purpose driven businesses. Currently, Charles is working as the Strategic Lead for Social Economy Growth at the West Midlands Combined Authority delivering a 10-year programme to double the size of the social economy.
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Martin Hogg
Director | Board
Launching Citizen Coaching and Counselling in 2005, and becoming a Community Interest Company in 2011, Martin is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). Working with Birmingham Counselling Services, Living Well Consortium and the NHS, Citizen Coaching led by Martin, provide over 20,000 counselling sessions a year, many through the ‘flagship’ programme, Citizen Anger Management, helping hundreds of adults and young people every year discover ‘a life less angry’.
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MARIAM YATE
Director | Board | Chair
Passionate about the development of opportunities for women, particularly within the third sector. Supported the growth of the Women’s Enterprise Community Hub in Birmingham, delivering of development and support programmes to West Midlands communities.
Currently operating within Yorkshire managing support services enabling women to feel safe, valued and in control of life choices and leading inspiring teams providing targeted holistic support to women impacted by the Criminal Justice System through the Together Women project, Yorkshire and Humberside.