Join us on 26th November 2025 in Gateshead for VONNE’s Conference and AGM, where we will reflect on the events of 2024 and look forward to opportunities for collaborative work in 2025.
This year’s theme Shifting Sands, will explore how voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations can understand and respond to changing political climates and public opinions. This half-day event will bring together sector leaders, policymakers, academics, and grassroots organisations to share evidence, insights, and practical ideas for navigating uncertainty.
Expect data-led scene setting, lived experience from community organisations, and perspectives from across the UK on how the VCSE sector can continue to make an impact amid change.
Setting the Political Scene
This year, we're delighted to be joined by Alistair Clark, Professor of Political Science at Newcastle University, for a fireside talk where we will be setting the scene to the current political backdrop in the region.
Prof. Clark has given expert evidence to the Scottish parliament, House of Commons and House of Lords and regularly engages with practitioners and policymakers. He has served as advisor to the Scottish Parliament's Finance and Constitution Committee in its scrutiny of the Referendums (Scotland) Bill 2019, and the House of Commons Standards Committee in its 2021 review of the MPs' Code of Conduct. He is also regularly invited to comment on political matters in the UK and international media, and has provided expert analysis on general election results for the BBC World Service for the 2015, 2017 and 2019 general elections.
Building Stronger Communities - Meet the panellists
Ngozi Cole
Founder of Lyn Cole Consultancy and member of the North East Anti-Racism Coalition
A self-employed coach and leadership catalyst, Ngozi also holds non-executive posts including Chair of the North East Justice Together Initiative and Vice Chair of the South Tyneside & Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust.
Ngozi was named in the 2016 New View 50 list of most influential Black people working in the public sector. In 2020, she was named one of the Lloyds Banking Group's Kindness and Leadership 50 Leading Lights and in 2021, she was named as one of the 2021 Northern Health Science Alliance #NorthInnovationWomen.
Ngozi will be chairing this panel discussion.
Lesley Storey
CEO of My Sister's Place
Lesley Storey is currently CEO of My Sister's Place, a domestic abuse support service in Middlesbrough, and is also involved in the One Million Women and Girls campaign.
Lesley recently attended the Women of the Year Lunch & Awards 2025, where she was recognised for her outstanding contribution to supporting those affected by domestic abuse and her unwavering commitment to championing the rights, safety, and empowerment of women and girls everywhere.
Andy Durma
Chief Executive of West End Refugee Service (WERS)
Andy joined West End Refugee Service (WERS) in 2022 and was appointed Chief Executive in 2024. Originally from Poland, he moved to the UK in 2013. Before entering the charity sector, he built a successful career in hospitality and was recognised with an Acorn Award as one of the UK’s 30 under 30.
At WERS, he is responsible for strategic and operational leadership, working closely with clients and the Board of Trustees to ensure services are shaped by lived experience. His focus is on strengthening person-centred support, creating opportunities for people seeking sanctuary to build autonomy, and enabling meaningful participation in the social and economic life of the North East.
Caroline Rogan
Chief Executive Officer of Northumberland CVA
Caroline has been Chief Executive of local support organisation Northumberland CVA since 2022, and is also a board member of Healthwatch Northumberland.
Jill Hardie
CEO of Rainbow Home
Jill is the CEO of Rainbow Home, an organisation which supports people who have fled their countries due to persecution for being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or other members of the LGBTQ+ community.
James Fildes
Founder of Space North East
James is the founder and Managing Director of Space North East, an award-winning organisation supporting men suffering with depression, loneliness and anxiety.
Salha Kaitesi
Founder and Artistic Director of Teakisi and member of the North East Anti-Racism Coalition
Salha is the founder of local community interest company Teakisi, an organisation actively working bridge inequalities and enhance diversity. She is a social entrepreneur, gender equality, empowerment champion and a self-taught blogger with multiple skills that she has acquired over the last 15 years. Fuelled by passion for empowering and promoting African girls and women, their voices, equality and diversity, she considers herself a “forever student,” eager to both build on her academic foundations in Sociology and Politics, while staying in tune with the latest digital and in person strategies that will amplify the voices of African women, her local community and those of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Communities.
Salha also sits on the board of trustees at Connected Voice.
How can the sector work with political leadership/within the changing landscape? - Meet the panellists
Jacqui Hodsgon
Freelance consultant and journalist
Jacqui worked for more than thirty years as a BBC journalist - as a reporter, correspondent, executive producer and editor - and now works as a freelance trainer, interviewer, advisor, and writer.
Jacqui also sits on the board of trustees at The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, and will be chairing this panel discussion.
Kate Burrows
Chief Executive of Durham Community Action
Kate leads the team at Durham Community Action, working closely with Trustees and partners to ensure informed delivery across the full range of our services. Kate brings valuable insight from a national, regional, and local perspective through Participation in partnership boards and networks.
She also holds the role of Chair with Advice in County Durham and works with senior managers of VCS organisations in County Durham through the Better Together Forum.
Garry Jones
Chief Executive of Support Staffordshire
Garry has been the Chief Executive of local infrastructure organisation Support Staffordshire since 2014. He also sits on the board of trustees at several VCSE organisations, including Staffordshire Wildlife Trust.
Sam Pritchard
Partner - Charities, Education and Sport at Muckle LLP
Samantha is a partner and leads the charities practice at Muckle LLP. She advises charities, not-for-profits and social enterprises on charity law, regulation and governance and oversees the firm’s approach to serving its charity clients across all legal areas. She is appointed by the Charity Commission as an interim manager for charities, and is a member of the Charity Law Association.
Enver Solomon
Chief Executive Officer at Refugee Council
Enver joined the Refugee Council as Chief Executive in December 2020, following nearly three years as CEO of Just for Kids Law, a charity providing youth support and legal representation to children and young people facing adversity.
He holds a wealth of experience in the charitable sector, including senior roles at the National Children’s Bureau, The Children’s Society, Barnardo’s, the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies and the Prison Reform Trust. Prior to working in the voluntary sector he was a BBC journalist for ten years.
Enver has been on advisory boards for the Department of Education, HM Inspector of Prisons and the Office of the Children’s Commissioner as well as chairing a number of cross sector coalitions including the End Child Poverty Campaign and the Standing Committee for Youth Justice.
Michelle Cooper
Chief Executive Officer at Point North
Michelle has been the Chief Executive at Point North (formerly known as County Durham Community Foundation) since 2018. She is also the Vice Chair of UK Community Foundations, a national network of accredited organisations of which Point North a member, providing a national voice for local communities across the UK.
With a PhD in Biochemistry, Michelle has had a diverse career, and spent more than 20 years delivering social impact and capital return for the North East region through various leadership roles.
Amjid Khazir - Meet our speaker
Amjid Khazir
Founder and Director of Media Cultured CIC
Amjid is the director of Media Cultured, a unique & multi-award winning organisation delivering workshops and presentations designed to help raise awareness of issues such as extremism and racism.
Amjid is a highly experienced professional with over two decades of expertise in anti-racism work and community cohesion agendas. He is widely recognised for his groundbreaking efforts in combating racism, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, and extremism through education, sport, and cultural-exchange training programs. Amjid is not only an award-winning educator and public speaker but has also produced internationally acclaimed short films.
VONNE's AGM
Our 26th AGM will take place within the conference and is an important opportunity for our members to come together and use voting rights to ensure VONNE's voice is accountable and representative of the sector.
You'll have the opportunity to vote in new board members from any nominations received, agree last years financial accounts and approve the minutes from last year's AGM.
Thank you to our event sponsors Point North and Community Foundation North East
