Bob Rhodes

Founder and President

In 1991 Bob founded TACT UK– building over 15 years a nation-wide organization that ​supported people with very challenging reputations to live in inclusive and contributing ways. ​He led its development until his semi-retirement (unrealized) in 2006. Along this journey he ​“woke up” to the limitations inherent in dependency upon professions and institutions and the ​need for services to integrate themselves within and contribute to the neighbourhoods in ​which they operate, ensuring that people enjoy reciprocal loving relationships and true ​belonging.

Bob strives to work at both the grassroots and strategic levels, in the UK and internationally, in ​respect of social inclusion and strengths-based social development and concurrently advises ​Governments and helps people with disabilities to self-direct; founds and grows organizations ​and helps people build personal relationship networks; researches and writes challenging ​social policy books and papers while crafting humorous or ironic verses about the absurdity of ​institutions and the professions to which he belongs; and assists people with very challenging ​reputations to refute their reputations and battle-worn professionals to rediscover both their ​empathy and their creativity.

Chris Brown

Director and Company Secretary

Chris is driven by the power and capabilities of communities and championing rights for ​everyone to achieve their ‘good life’. Whether he is directly leading change or supporting other ​changemakers, he believes that when people come together under a common cause they are ​more powerful than any service, system, or structure. Chris enjoys working with anyone that ​wants to create a more equitable society, from residents, community groups and local ​businesses, to commissioners, national funders and politicians.

He has grown one of the most vibrant and progressive voluntary sector organisations in the ​country, with over 20 employees that are achieving amazing things with communities in the ​Gloucestershire. Fundraised over £20m to regenerate town centres and a further £8m for ​community based projects. Trained over 2,000 people in Safeguarding, Community ​Development, Volunteer Management and Charity Governance. Run community events, from ​co production events to help redesign services with people at the heart, to music festivals and ​charity fundraisers.

Conducted and cited in national research into commissioning, voluntary and community ​sector infrastructure and inclusive education.

Tim Keilty

Director

Tim has worked with people with a learning disability for 30 years, as a support worker in a ​village community, as a supporter to a People First group, an advocate, as a Person Centred ​Planning Co-ordinator, Consultant. As the years go by the job titles get more cumbersome, but ​the focus of his work remains the same!

Tim is a qualified social worker, but puts more store in the fact that he was once described by ​Jack Pearpoint (admittedly in an off the cuff comment) as ‘a remarkably gifted leader’. Tim is a ​fellow of the centre for welfare reform, has written books, articles and a writes a sporadic blog

Julie Boothroyd

Director

Julie is a highly motivated and committed professional with 40 years experience in people ​centred services. Working for Local Authorities in England and Wales, from frontline practice ​to senior executive leadership; ending her career as the Director of Social Care & Health in ​Monmouthshire.

Throughout her career she has provided inspirational leadership with a creative edge. Driven ​by a sense of integrity and fairness, that underpins sound judgement and decision making ​skills. She has developed a reputation as a ‘can do’ person with a common sense and down to ​earth approach. She values relationships and an ability to develop cultures that empower and ​motivate the workforce.

Throughout, Julie has always managed to remain grounded in doing what matters most for ​people. She is only interested in following endeavours that make a difference to people.

Julie is described by others as compassionate, inspiring, solution focussed and down to earth.

Martin Simon

Director

Martin Simon is a social innovator and neighbourhood organiser who is passionate about ​reciprocity and social justice. He set up the first Time Bank in the UK in 1998 and was the Chief ​Executive of Timebanking UK for many years. He has advised governments, local authorities ​and think tanks on the co-production of public services and on the benefits of an equally ​balanced ecosystem of mediums of exchange – a mixed economy of money, sharing, ​swapping, bartering, gifting, neighbourliness and complementary currencies. He has worked ​on strengths-based community development in the UK, USA, India, Croatia and Spain and until ​recently was a Director at Nurture Development and Co-Director of ABCD Europe. He now ​works alongside social activists and social enterprises building new connections and enduring ​relationships that generate caring, learning and a shared sense of purpose

Andy McDonnell

Director

BSc., MSc., PhD. Consultant Clinical Psychologist to and Director of Studio III Clinical Services; ​Director, clinical consultant and Team Leader to Studio III Training; formerly Clinical ​Psychologist to Monyhull Hospital Birmingham. Andrew has particular interest in the design of ​community settings for people who challenge. He has extensive experience of working with ​service users with a learning disability and/or an ASD who self harm.

Mark scurfield

finance and operations

Mark has worked in the sector for over 15 years. Early in his career he was involved in the ​operation of care homes at the senior management level and was instrumental in the turn-​around of two care homes, by designing and executing strategic plans that improved the Care ​Quality Commission ratings from poor to good. During this time, he was asked if he would ​complete due diligence for Lloyd’s bank under the guidance of the director of a large ​accountancy firm.

Mark founded and operated a domiciliary care company for over 7 years, which consistently ​attained high CQC ratings. With a rich knowledge of the care sector, he was approached for ​consultancy services, eventually selling to one of the companies he consulted for.

Mark oversees finance and operations at LivesthroughFriends and is the founder of 360 ​Inclusive, which proudly partners with LivesthroughFriends as the lead delivery partner.

Mark is passionate about giving people with support needs good lives and has founded ​organisations that focus upon helping people achieve their goal of living ‘ordinary lives’. He ​has an excellent understanding of the issues and challenges faced by vulnerable adults as ​citizens, and is committed to ensuring peoples’ human rights are respected and promoted.