Our Trustees
The Community First board of trustees oversees the organisation and its governance. Find out more about our trustees below.
Community First Trustees
James Moody
Chair of Trustees
James lives in Devizes and has a background of working both within Local Government and the Voluntary and Community Sector. Currently the Policy Manager at Test Valley Borough Council, he has a wide ranging corporate brief that includes place shaping, strategic planning and partnership working. James was previously Chair of Trustees for DEVELOP and oversaw its merger with Community First in 2016. Prior to this, he was also one of the founding members of the charity that established the UK Youth Parliament and served as its first Chair of Trustees. James is passionate about community development and the role of volunteering as part of supporting strong and vibrant communities.
James is the Chair of Community First’s Finance Committee
Steve Boocock
Vice Chair of Trustees
Steve lives in Bradford on Avon and is Chief Executive of Wiltshire and Swindon Sport. His background includes a long career with the Probation Service and heading up a specialist Child Protection Unit with the NSPCC.
Edward Heard
Trustee
Edward was born in Lacock and has lived most of his life in North Wiltshire. His career has been in property across the UK, and is now focussed on property from offices in Chippenham.
He has a strong interest in Wiltshire, and the future for its communities
Merope Sylvester
Trustee
Merope grew up in South Gloucestershire and has lived in Wiltshire for the last 15 years. She has spent most of her career in financial services latterly as a Compliance Officer in Assurance working to ensure that products and services provided to customers are fit for purpose. She is lay-chair of the Bybrook group of churches and churchwarden for her local parish.
Merope has dedicated a significant part of her career to supporting and mentoring young people to help them achieve their potential and is a passionate believer that with the right support young people can grow, flourish and achieve their potential.
“As a resident in a small rural hamlet I have first hand experience of the importance of vibrant communities and how successful ones develop and grow when people pull together. We all have our part to play in ensuring that our communities continue to flourish and provide opportunities for all.”
Merope is the Chair of Community First’s Human Resources Committee
Ginnie Keen, MBE
Trustee
Ginnie has lived in Wiltshire for many years and been a pivotal support to Youth Action Wiltshire for more than 25 years. Over the years she has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for young people supported by YAW. She has been involved in helping young people, through various organisations including the NSPCC, RDA, Pony Club, British Eventing Youth Teams. Outside of her charity work, she is now retired from running her husband’s engineering business, and her own animal feed business.
Piers Dibben
Trustee
Piers runs a Calne based business which works predominantly with Councils around the UK to deliver amenity services to the local community. His previous experience has ranged from trading futures on the old futures exchange through to rare breed pig production.
Piers came to Community First from Youth Action Wiltshire, where he was chiefly involved with fundraising.
Sanjeen Payne-Kumar
Trustee
Sanjeen has lived in rural Wiltshire for nearly 30 years. He has a background in finance and organisational transformation built up over many years in the energy sector, management consultancy and the charity sector. The latter includes a role as the Chair of Finance at the Wiltshire Air Ambulance and as an Associate Non-Executive Director for the Great Western Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
Sanjeen joined Community First to help continue the excellent work being done in making positive changes in the lives of our communities and people.
Sanjeen is part of the Community First Finance Committee
Patron, President & Vice Presidents
Patron: Her Majesty The Queen
Mrs Sarah Troughton HM Lord-Lieutenant for Wiltshire
President
The Earl of Radnor
Vice President
Ken Whatley
Vice President
James Layton
Vice President
William Wyldbore-Smith DL
Vice President
Jane James
Vice President
