VAEL’s Chief Executive Officer is Judith Mercer. She is responsible for the overall management and development of the CVS services across East Lindsey. This includes maintaining strategic partnerships, developing new services, and supporting the growth of the community and voluntary sector in the district.

It is also her role to ensure that the voluntary sector works in partnership with East Lindsey District Council and Lincolnshire County Council to build the infrastructure and be fully supportive and active in the work that supports the county plan and to actively encourage community participation, as well as providing a voice for the communities of East Lindsey. judithm@vael.org.uk

Elaine Burns is the Volunteer Bureau Co-ordinator and her aim is to develop the Volunteer Bureau services for the benefit of organisations across East Lindsey. Elaine’s role is to encourage volunteering by recruitment and to support Volunteers in their placements, give advice on volunteering and encourage good practice.

Elaine’s background has mainly been in the voluntary sector, working for the CAB until joining the Volunteer Bureau in 1997. She has also worked as a volunteer for several organisations, over the years, including Victim Support and Oasis. elaineb@vael.org.uk

Suzanne Cole is our Community Outreach Officer. Suzanne’s career background has been in community development. As well as advising and supporting groups in gaining funding, she is experienced in assessing grant application forms and in awarding funding to community and voluntary organisations in East Lindsey. Suzanne has also worked on various projects including the very successful 'No Ur Rites' project in Staffordshire.

In addition to helping groups source funding and providing support in writing grant applications, Suzanne is able to give advice and support in all elements of group development, including constitutions,policies, business plans and community consultation. suzannec@vael.org.uk

Heidi Dansey has recently joined the team at VAEL as the Project Officer. Her primary focus is to actively support existing schemes across East Lindsey whilst also researching the need for new community projects.

Heidi has a diverse background of experience and skills, having worked with charitable and voluntary agencies for many years. Prior to joining Voluntary Action East Lindsey, Heidi was solely responsible for the management and promotion of the Advocacy project within Linkage Community Trust. She is also qualified in Nursery Education.
heidid@vael.org.uk

VAEL’s Publicity & Marketing Officer is Tony Beal. He is responsible for producing the information and publicity materials which promote and communicate the organisation’s functions & services across the district. He is also available to help small,developing groups with their publishing needs.

Tony has many years’ experience of the voluntary sector, having worked for CVSs and Volunteer Bureaux in Gainsborough, Market Rasen, Louth and Mablethorpe since 1995. He is still a volunteer with various animal rescue and wildlife charities.
tonyb@vael.org.uk

Matt Hopkins is the Information Communications Technology (ICT) Development Worker. A former BT technician, Matt has spent the majority of his career in numerous communications/IT-related appointments in the Armed Forces, picking up Training and Project Management qualifications along the way.

Matt’s role is to develop IT services that add value to groups across Lincolnshire. He is looking forward to finding out about your needs.
mathewh@vael.org.uk

Michael Collins is our new Volunteer Bureau Assistant, presently based two days a week in Mablethorpe and one day per week in Alford.. Michael’s background is in both the private and public sectors, having trained as a Manager with J. Sainsbury plc and as a primary school teacher through Bishop Grosseteste College, as well as working in a small family business in Mablethorpe. His main role at VAEL is to promote volunteering and to recruit new volunteers across the district.

He is a true Yellowbelly and has lived nearly all his life in Mablethorpe. He is an active member of a local Church and is Vice-Captain of his local Golf Club at Sandilands.
michaelc@vael.org.uk

Megan Mercer is our new Administration Officer. Her role is to support the staff of VAEL, and of other voluntary organisations, in all administration tasks. She also covers VAEL’s ‘front-of-house’, manning the reception area at our Spilsby head office, and dealing with all general telephone and email enquiries.

Megan comes to us from the private sector, and is customer-service trained. Her experience in the voluntary sector has been in organising events for voluntary groups and in supporting self-advocacy for adults with learning difficulties.
info@vael.org.uk

Ken Syrett is our Training Officer and he is responsible for the delivery and co-ordination of all training at Voluntary Action East Lindsey. In previous incarnations Ken was a Head of ICT at several local schools. He has also spent time working in the voluntary sector as an ICT tutor trainer at Teacher Training Colleges in Tanzania.

Ken is keen to develop training across the sector and to provide courses that all people can access anywhere in the East Lindsey Area.

Carly Riding is an active volunteer Reception and Admin Support worker with VAEL, taking on the reception duties at our Skegness outreach as well as relief reception and admin at our main Spilsby office. Carly has been of invaluable help and has gained much experience and taken many training courses with us, serving further to enhance her CV and employment prospects.