Community Anchor Support
Partnership
Better Connect & Community First YorkshireParticipants
Closed for participantsLocation
North YorkshireAudience
A select group of community anchors and hubs across the regionDeadline
March 2025
What is the Community Anchor Programme?
Community Anchors are small, hyper-local organisations across North Yorkshire, deeply embedded in local communities. They offer support, a host of activities and information, and play a crucial role in connecting the dots between organisations, people, services, and the needs of the community.
Funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund through North Yorkshire Council Localities Team (formally Stronger Communities), Better Connect and Community First Yorkshire have joined forces to deliver a capacity-building training programme tailored to the Anchor’s needs.
How does it work?
The programme is designed to support and develop these 7 organisational characteristics;
- Being crucial to the place and community where based
- Being a voice for local people
- Being independent and community led
- Being collaborative, open and encouraging of other contributions
- Being proactive with a can-do mindset
- Being financially resilient
- Existing provision on offer
Our training is tailored to the needs of these organisations and the communities they serve – building capacity and resources to be shared with other organisations in the community.
Better Connect support
Marketing and communications, policy and process, and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) are just a few of the strands of support Better Connect are offering across the programme with a view of improving outreach, internal systems and inclusivity.
Help from Community First Yorkshire
All aspects of governance, funding and volunteering are just a few of the strands of support we are offering across the programme, with a view to building strong foundations and a platform for growth.
Our map below shows the 25 Community Anchor Organisations we are supporting across North Yorkshire - click the key for more about who they are & what they do
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1 – Boroughbridge Community Charity, Boroughbridge
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2 – Chain Lane Community Hub, Knaresborough
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3 – Colburn Hub & Cafe CIC, Colburn
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4 – Community Works CIO, Thirsk
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5 – Easingwold & District Community Care Association, Easingwold
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6 – Flash Company Arts CIC, Whitby
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7 – Glusburn Institute Community & Arts Centre, Glusburn
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8 – Grassington Hub, Grassington
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9 – Hambleton Community Action, Northallerton
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10 – Hudson House, Reeth
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11 – Leyburn Arts and Community Centre, Leyburn
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12 – Mashamshire Community Office, Masham
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13 – Nidderdale Plus, Pateley Bridge
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14 – Pickering Town CIC, Pickering
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15 – Revival North Yorkshire CIC, Danby
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16 – Richmond Yorkshire CIC, Richmond
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17 – Ripon Community House, Ripon
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18 – Sherburn and Villages Community Trust, Sherburn-in-Elmet
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19 – Skipton Step into Action, Skipton
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20 – Stokesley & District Community Care Association, Stokesley
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21 – Tadcaster & Rural CIC, Tadcaster
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22 – The Bridge, Catterick Garrison
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23 – The Place in Settle, Settle
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24 – Up For Yorkshire, Selby
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25 – Upper Dales Partnership Ltd, Hawes
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For more information about the programme, contact our Community Anchor lead Andy Shield, at andy.shield@communityfirstyorkshire.org.uk
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Alex Kelley
Programmes Director
01423 795309 or ext 2001akelley@betterconnect.org.uk
Community Anchor Impact Multiply Rise2Thrive SHINE
About Alex
Alex’s is the Programmes Director at Better Connect, overseeing the amazing programmes that we manage across the organisation. Leading and supporting the Programmes and Impact Team, Alex’s role has a strong focus on development. This includes developing staff, systems, processes and relationships with delivery partners, funders and stakeholders. All to ensure that Better Connect programmes are successful, achieve their aims and ultimately transform people’s lives. Alex is also an Executive Director and member of the Board, contributing to the strategic direction of the company. The best bit of his job is seeing the life-changing impact that Better Connect programmes have on those involved.
“We choose our joys and our sorrows long before we experience them.”
— Kahlil Gibran
The Official Bit
Alex has a BSc (Hons) degree in Psychology, a Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management and a PTLLS teaching qualification. Alex began his career in customer service, moved to work in banking and then joined Better Connect following University in 2012. He felt a strong connection to the values and work within the community sector and has developed his career within the Better Connect, progressing from an Assistant to his current role as Programmes Director. Along the way, Alex has worked across almost every aspect of the company. For Alex, the most important part of work is feeling as though it is meaningful and that it is making a positive difference to society.
Fun Fact
Becomes overly competitive when playing sport or games
Piece of Advice
Count your blessings, every day.
Andy Shield
Community Anchor Support Manager
andy.shield@communityfirstyorkshire.org.ukCommunity Anchor
About Andy
I am the Community Anchor Support Programme Manager at Community First Yorkshire, working closely with Better Connect to deliver the Community Anchor Support Programme. My role involves planning, monitoring, and reporting on programme progress, collaborating with key stakeholders, and providing tailored support to Community Anchor Organisations across North Yorkshire.
What I enjoy most about my role is seeing how the work we do helps empower local communities to thrive. The variety in the programme keeps me motivated, and I appreciate working in partnership with such passionate and dedicated colleagues.
The Official Bit
Qualifications and Professional Membership:
I hold qualifications in Charity Law & Governance from the Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland and an Award in Education and Training (AET). Additionally, I am accredited as a Community Led Homes Advisor, and trained in Accounting & Financial Statements for Non-Profit Organisations. I am also a certified Mental Health First Aider and have a Level 2 certification in Information, Advice, and Guidance.
Career History and Experience:
With over five years in the charity sector, I’ve worked as a Development Officer at Community First Yorkshire, where I provide tailored capacity-building support to voluntary organisations. Prior to this, I spent 12 years in local government roles, including HR Workforce Development Officer, Early Years Training Manager, and Lead Officer for Young Adult Carers. My experience includes leadership, securing funding, training delivery, and strategic planning.
Why This Work Matters:
This work is essential because it empowers local organisations to strengthen their communities. By supporting community anchors, we help to reduce inequalities, foster resilience, and improve social and economic regeneration, creating lasting positive change for individuals and the places they call home.
Fun Fact
I thrive on challenges! I've climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and even ran the Coast to Coast in England.
Piece of advice
Life can be tough, but staying positive and surrounding yourself with uplifting people makes all the difference.
Emma Lyons
Head of Business Development
01423 795305 or ext 2009ELyons@betterconnect.org.uk
Bids Community Anchor Internal Operations
About Emma
Emma is Head of Business Development for Better Connect, working closely with the senior leadership team to find new funding and partnership programme opportunities that support organisations and people to thrive in their life and work. She works closely with existing and potential new delivery partners, external stakeholders and funders to create opportunities that will benefit local communities across Yorkshire.
The Official Bit
Emma has a BA (Hons) in Physical Education and an NVQ Level 2 in Playwork.
Emma worked for 15 years at Harrogate Borough Council within the Community Development Team, providing social inclusion activities to members of the local community. She joined Better Connect in July 2016 and has been very fortunate to contribute to a variety of projects as Programmes Manager including Talent Match, Action Towards Inclusion and Thriving at Work. She is looking forward to a long career at Better Connect, continuing to learn, grown and contribute to both the organisation and wider programmes.
Emma is a strong believer that all people should have the opportunity to thrive in life and in the workplace. Better Connect and our programmes play a vital role in helping/supporting this to happen and it is a privilege to be able to contribute to this.
Fun Fact
Qualified Cricket Coach & played County Cricket until the age of 23
Piece of Advice
Always do your best. Its better to try and fail than it is not to try at all
Favourite Place
Australia and Italy – I love them both equally and it’s too hard to make a choice!
Hannah Prole
Impact Manager
01423 795304 or ext 2010HProle@betterconnect.org.uk
Community Anchor Impact Multiply Rise2Thrive SHINE
About Hannah
Hannah is our Impact Manager at Better Connect. Her role is to show the impact that Better Connect and our programmes are making in many different ways such as through social media, our website, networking, events and presentations. Hannah is passionate about creating positive environments that people feel safe to be themselves in, especially at work. She loves building strong relationships with partners, meeting new people and really getting to know why people are the way they are and why they do what they do!
Hannah loves being creative and getting into ‘flow’ with her work. She loves making things and being involved in the creative process. Hannah loves working for Better Connect because she gets to have variety in her role and appreciates the positive culture and focus on wellbeing.
“The truest, most beautiful life never promised to be an easy one. We need to let go of the lie that it’s all supposed to be easy.
”
— Glennon Doyle
The Official Bit
Hannah has a BA (Hons) in Theatre, specialising in working with and supporting Young People with learning difficulties and mental health issues to gain confidence and feel safe in positive spaces. She thrives in a creative environment and tries to bring those skills into everything she does at Better Connect.
Hannah began her career at 16, working in customer facing roles until the age of 23. She will always be grateful for the experience she gained in these roles and feel that they helped her to engage with partners and stakeholders. After finishing University, Hannah worked at York Theatre Royal as a Research and Evaluation Graduate Intern. Whilst at the Theatre, Hannah learnt about the voluntary sector and began volunteering with various community groups in York delivering theatre-style workshops to vulnerable people.
Hannah has worked at Better Connect since 2017, starting in the Programmes Team as an Assistant. Since then, she has worked across various funding streams and programmes, working her way up to becoming a Programme Manager in 2020. Now our Impact Manager, Hannah is inspired every day by the amazing work that partners do in their communities and loves that she can have a role that helps highlight the impact both Better Connect and our partners are making. She loves being part of an organisation that wants to make a positive difference in the world.
Hannah is also a Trustee for a charity based in Leeds called Purple Patch Arts. Purple Patch Arts exists to provide innovative, inclusive, creative learning opportunities that improve the lives of learning-disabled and autistic adults by expanding their understanding of, and engagement with, the world.
Fun Fact
Obsessed with TV Chef, Rick Stein (and cooking programmes/food in general!)
Things I love
Dogs! I have my own dog called Boba, who is named after the bounty hunter in Star Wars Boba Fett!
Laura Sandiford
Impact Coordinator
01423 795303 or ext 2016lsandiford@betterconnect.org.uk
Community Anchor Impact Multiply Rise2Thrive SHINE
About Laura
A keen storyteller & collaborator, Laura works alongside Hannah as the Impact Coordinator, where she measures and highlights the impact of Better Connect across its business, programmes, and partnerships. She does so by working with a range of people to gather information and stories, which she then translates into engaging content across Better Connect’s channels.
Building relationships is a large part of Laura’s role, alongside ensuring the ‘’Better Connect story’’ is woven throughout all communications.
Laura’s favourite part of the role is connecting with the faces behind the case studies and giving voice to their experiences.
“I can resist everything except temptation”
— Oscar Wilde
The Official Bit
Laura formerly spent 2 years working as a Participant Experience Coordinator on one of Better Connects’ ESF & Lottery funded projects, Action Towards Inclusion. She is a huge advocate for sustainable social change, and believes this begins with supporting and empowering individuals, and championing social inclusion.
Within this role, she managed the collaboration between partners, keyworkers, and participants on an administrative and ESF/National Lottery compliant scale. She also tracked the ‘Participant Journey’ from start to finish, following participant engagement across the programme.
Laura has a first-class BA (Hons) in English Language and Literature from the University of Sheffield.
Favourite Place
Sheffield / Mwnt (Wales)
Fun Fact
Was in an amateur production at Harrogate Theatre
Natasha Babar-Evans
Chief Executive Officer
07725447623nbabarevans@betterconnect.org.uk
Community Anchor Finance Team Impact Multiply Rise2Thrive SHINE
About Natasha
Natasha is the Chief Executive Officer at Better Connect. Natasha is proud to be leading this amazing team at Better Connect who are helping to make Yorkshire a place where every person can thrive in life and work. Better Connect has a great track record of delivery, partnership working and an incredibly committed team which are helping to transform lives. Natasha joined in May 2022 and instantly connected with the team and our vision. Natasha is focused on empowering the team and our partners to do more and be more. She absolutely loves being part of a team who are so full of purpose, thrive on autonomy and are experts in what we do. But it’s not just about the impact we are making and achieving our goals for Natasha, it’s about how we do it and having loads of fun along the way.
““Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible””
— Dalai Lama
The Official Bit
Natasha has always enjoyed working in roles which are focused on enabling people and businesses to thrive in the North.
Before joining Better Connect as CEO, Natasha worked at Relate Bradford & Leeds helping people to develop and sustain healthy relationships and improve their mental health and wellbeing. She has been an entrepreneur and COO of Wizu Workspace a flexible workspace provider supporting the growth of businesses in Bradford, Leeds and Sheffield.
Natasha completed an MBA at Leeds University in 2016, where she is now a leader in residence. She then went on to be Regional Entrepreneur Director for NatWest supporting and helping to coach hundreds of entrepreneurs in accelerators across the North to start, scale and succeed. Natasha has both a banking and legal background. She worked as a banking lawyer at Walker Morris following which she joined Regional Lloyds Bank team as the Regional Sales Director and Client Services Director.
Natasha was appointed as a board member and trustee in 2021 for Trust Leeds, she has been on LEP investment steering groups, she has recently been appointed as an independent panel member at AFC(H) and is completing a NED insights programme shadowing NHS boards.
Fun Fact
I love grass roots football! I play for Leeds City Lasses and help coach under 8 and 9 girls football. (I love playing sports…I might be just a little bit competitive!)
Piece of advice
Outside of your comfort zone is where the magic happens