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Key Speakers BJC Monthly Meeting (5 of September 2017)

Lucy Gilbert, Philanthropy Officer Quartet Community Foundation

Lucy manages donors philanthropic funds and works with the High Sheriff of Bristol to fund positive
activities for young people in disadvantaged areas of the city. Prior to joining Quartet Community
Foundation, Lucy worked in organisations supporting people experiencing mental health issues and/or
homelessness, in Bristol and elsewhere, and volunteered with refugees and asylum seekers. Lucys
background is in international development: she studied Social Anthropology and Development Studies at
Cambridge and Manchester Universities, and is a trustee of a grassroots community development NGO
working with Bedouin communities in the Sinai desert, Egypt, where she has lived and worked.

Hugh Thomas Director my Future, My Choice

Hugh Thomas has run an Arts Company touring performance work across UK and Europe; worked in
secondary school leadership; established community projects and charities and run public arts events. He
was the leader of Teaching and Learning in the Bristol Education Action Zone, a UK Government project
aimed at tackling young peoples underachievement in Inner City Bristol. He has since expanded this
work across the UK, focusing on engaging different industry sectors and universities in helping transform
education to meet the needs of young people. He is the co- creator of multidisciplinary educational
programmes working with MFMC associates. All these education programmes boost confidence; inspire
young people to think about their future and enable them to form loose ties to people and places they
may not normally access.
Dirk Rohwedder Head of School, School for Social Entrepreneur Dartington

Dirk founded Taurus Enterprises in the Forest of Dean and developed this into a very successful craft
hub, tourism business and prominent social enterprise. Joining RISE in 2009, (the social enterprise
infrastructure support organisation for South West England) Dirk lead the national roll out of the Social
Enterprise mark ethical branding concept. Dirk took the lead at Dartington SSE in 2011 and has overseen
the expansion of the schools reach and scope of work across the South West.

Poku Osei, CEO for Babbasa

Babbasa is an award winning social enterprise setup to support young people from less advantaged
communities to pursue their ambitions - through using non-orthodox methods such as professional
mentoring schemes, career orientated events and experiential training courses