Chairman

Paul Woodhouse

Paul Woodhouse is a Partner specializing in Financial Services in the City of London practice of Stanton Chase, a global Recruitment and Executive Search firm.

He started in the Insurance industry in London 1968 and enjoyed senior roles as a Reinsurance Intermediary with leading firms until 1999 with responsibility for larger clients in UK, North America, Bermuda and Australasia.

In 2000 Paul became a volunteer through Sevenoaks Volunteer Bureau (now incorporated into VAWK), working on specific projects with individuals. He became Trustee Treasurer and subsequently Chairman of VSU Youth in Action (now also incorporated into VAWK) and has always taken a keen interest in the development and delivery of Youth Volunteering.

Paul became Chairman of VAWK in 2010, encouraged by the very talented management team and staff and is particularly looking forward to bringing in ideas on alternative funding, including innovative Social Enterprise projects such as our Computer recycling scheme, RE Computers, run by extremely dedicated colleagues based in Rochester.

Dr Ian Craig

Is a Chief Schools Adjudicator for England and Visiting Professor of Social Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). Immediately prior to this he was for a short time Director of Children’s Services for Kent. He has been a teacher, head teacher, inspector, Chief Adviser and Director of Education before becoming Kent LEA’s Director of Operations. In addition to his initial degree he holds teaching and public administration qualifications, an MBA and a PhD. He has written and edited books and numerous articles for newspapers and academic journals, and served on the editorial boards of two international education management journals. He has travelled widely to work and study education abroad, particularly in the areas of schooling systems and structures. He has also been a magistrate, an Ofsted Registered Inspector and a Parish Councillor. He is a Trustee of two charities (Chair of one) and Vice-Chair of Governors of a large FE college.

Mr Edward Weeks

Ed is a solicitor and partner in Cripps Harries Hall LLP, the largest law firm in Kent, which is based in Tunbridge Wells.  He is a commercial lawyer who specialises in the resolution of boardroom and shareholder disputes and complex contractual disputes.

Graduating from Lancaster University in 1988 with a degree in History, Ed worked for a year for the Worldwide Fund for Nature at their UK headquarters in the regional fundraising section.  He then worked as a general clerk for a law firm in London before returning to law college and ultimately qualifying as a solicitor in 1994 with Penningtons solicitors.  Ed moved to Cripps Harries Hall in 1997 and became a partner with the firm in 2001.

Ed always retained an interest in the voluntary sector and was put in charge of the firm’s corporate social responsibility programme in 2007.  In that year he also became a Trustee of the Tunbridge Wells Citizens Advice Bureau.  Ed became a Trustee of VAWK in 2009.

Mr David Oguntoye

David Oguntoye currently works with a leading social care provider in the private sector in the UK. He has over 13 years experience at various level of social care and over 7 years at senior management level within the Private Social Care Sector, the Third Sector and Public Sector covering Learning Disabilities, Physical Disabilities and Elderly Care within the UK and the Republic of Ireland. David has a range of qualifications which include a BSc (Hons) Languages, Certificate in Management, RMA Qualification Certified Risk Assessor, D32/33 Assessor and various certificates in short courses. David is currently the service lead for his employer in the South East of UK and has both operations & developmental responsibilities for the company.

Danielle Seagger

Danielle became a Trustee for Voluntary Action Within Kent in September 2009.

She graduated from the University of Kent in 2006, having studied for a Bachelor of Laws. Whilst at University, Danielle took on a number of voluntary roles within Kent Union. This prompted her to take up a role supporting the FE Students’ Union of Canterbury College following the completion of her degree. It was at this point that she became more aware of VSU Youth in Action, becoming an Adult Volunteer with the Youth Action Team in Canterbury.

Danielle became one of the five Youth Volunteer Advisors with VSU in 2008, prior to the merger with VAWK. She was part of the county-wide team tasked with brokering volunteering opportunities to 16-25 year old as part of the vInvolved initiative.

In 2009, she chose to continue pursuing a legal career by attending the College of Law in London to complete the Legal Practice Course. Danielle completed her studies in July 2010 and is now a Paralegal in the Public & Social Welfare Law department at Fisher Meredith LLP.'

Danielle remains passionate about the voluntary sector, with particular focus on the opportunities available to young people. She believes that her previous experience both as a volunteer and staff member allow her to bring a unique perspective to the Trustee board.

Wendy Wilton

RGN, RM, HV, BSC (Hons), MEd 

Twenty years experience in health care, including acute nursing, midwifery, community nursing, Marie Curie nursing and health visiting.

Wide experience in education including Further Education (Canterbury College),Higher Education(University of Kent, Canterbury Christchurch University and The Open University) and Adult Education. Subject specialist in: Health and Care, Early Years, Psychology and Teacher Education.

Considerable experience in Community Development: managing Canterbury College’s outreach provision to take forward the Lifelong Learning and Widening Participation agendas.

As Director of Kent and Medway Learning Partnership, worked at a Strategic level in all areas of Education in Kent and Medway. I currently work for the Medway Adult and Community Learning Service as Head of Curriculum and Quality.

Member of: RSPB, Kent Wildlife Trust, Friend of Canterbury Cathedral and Marlow Theatre.