Meet the Team
Loretta Allen
I’ve volunteered and worked in the Third Sector for over 30 years and I hope I can use that knowledge to help WTBL build bridges in place of walls. I also hope that together we can grow the WTBL community and spread the word that WTBL is not just about belonging to something, it’s more about doing something together that makes belonging matter. If you feel this way too, please get in touch with WTBL and help us make a lasting change.
Loretta Allen
WTBL Chair
Outreach & Engagement Subgroup Lead
Steven Parker
My name is Steve Parker. Originally from Peterborough I have lived in the local area for the last 50 years, the last 16 in Wormley itself.
I spent the whole of my working life in education, the last twenty years as Deputy Headteacher in a large comprehensive school.
Since retirement much of my time has been given over to my main interest of walking, gradually working my way through all the National Trails of England. This interest led me to the WTBL walking group several years ago and I now help to run this group. From my involvement with the walking group I was asked to join the WTBL Partnership at the start of 2023 and was very happy to do so.
The Big Local ideal is ‘creating lasting change in Local Communities’ and is, I feel, something to which we should all aspire. Hopefully by joining the WTBL Partnership I shall be able to contribute in a small way to helping towards that.
Steven Parker
WTBL Vice Chair
Trustee – Broxbourne Big Local
Stuart Bennett
I have lived in Wormley for nearly 26 years, I have volunteered for British Red Cross for 12 years and volunteered for St John Ambulance for nearly 2 years so I am very community focused, love helping others and have knowledge of first aid.
I have a professional background in the area’s of training and technical support. I give blood and manage a few local fundraising tins. I enjoy listening to music, watching films and walking my dog.
Stuart Bennett
WTBL Finance Liaison Officer
Governance & Finance Subgroup Lead
Peter Cassell
I’ve lived in Wormley for many years and think it’s a great place to be, surrounded by wonderful countryside. I trained and worked as an artist and actor. I also make furniture and manage construction projects.
I got involved with Big Local in 2012 and have been on the Partnership since then. The concept of making substantial resources available to a community for residents to decide how they are utilised seemed like an irresistible opportunity.
As people are so geographically mobile today, communities don’t always form as naturally as they once did. The Big Local initiative is a catalyst that enables that process. I hope that through imaginative, creative actions the community can reach a place where everyone’s needs are met and young people growing up in the area really feel they have a future here.
Peter Cassell
Partnership Member
Community Centre Subgroup Lead
Breda Higgins
My name is Breda Higgins and I’ve lived in Turnford for 14 years. I retired from Social Services four years ago and with time on my hands I joined WTBL three years ago.
The reason I chose Big Local is because it is a community led project, which is based in the community and has the community’s best interest at heart. With my knowledge from life and work I felt that I would be able to give something to the community and in return get to know the community I live in.
I lead the very popular, weekly health walks and as current Co-Chair, my hopes for WTBL are to strengthen the community we live in and to connect local residents together in making Wormley and Turnford a place to be proud of.
Breda Higgins
Partnership Member
Audra Heywood
My name is Audra Heywood-Cato. I am married with three teenagers and I live in Broxbourne. My purpose for volunteering was not just to talk about change – but to be that change through demonstration and serving on the Partnership to impact that change to WTBL. This led to my initial interest in joining the Partnership.
My involvement to WTBL is serving on the Youth Subgroup. My occupation involves working with young people at a school, and any opportunity for the continuity of this within the community is, in my opinion, brilliant!
Audra Heywood
Partnership Member
Seema Rajani
I’m Seema, born and bred in Greater Manchester, married in the West Midlands, lived and widowed in the Borough of Broxbourne, with two amazing, adult children.
My fascination of fabrics led me to work for approximately 20 years in the clothing industry as a Garment Technologist.
I believe myself to be a sociable and approachable character. In recent years I became interested in education and have been fortunate enough to share my creative spirit to help people learn, enjoy various crafts, including sewing, all of which directly benefit personal wellbeing.
I was inspired to join WTBL as I felt I could help to develop and facilitate a positive and inclusive community environment. It can be a struggle to engage the community around us, but we can all benefit from the sense of belonging to the local area. This is what motivates me to give my time to WTBL.
Seema Rajani
Partnership Member
Noelle Blackman
I am a psychotherapist and CEO of a national charity called Respond, we support autistic people and those with learning disabilities and their families who have experienced significant trauma. I have lived in Wormley for forty years and have two grown up children who each have families of their own.
I have been volunteering for WTBL since 2012 and was the Chair between 2017 and 2020. Consultations with the community have always highlighted that it was crucial to have a space where people could come together and where things could happen. My aim in becoming Chair was to secure the Community Centre as a legacy from the initiative.
I am thrilled that the Council have finally agreed to let WTBL have this building on a peppercorn rent for 999 years. I believe that we can revive this building to become a centre that will bring an energy that will transform our community.
Noelle Blackman
Partnership Member
Trustee Chair – Broxbourne Big Local
Jeff Allen
My name is Jeff Allen. I was born in Wormley (well over 60 years ago, when it was the norm to be born at home) and attended Wormley & Broxbourne schools. After an interesting career in the Ministry of Defence spanning over 30 years I joined the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund. When I retired I decided to try and put something back into the community that has meant so much to me over my lifetime and I decided to join the Wormley & Turnford Big Local.
Our projects help to bring the community together and our events are the highlight of my time with WTBL as I love to see people make friends with neighbours that they might not have spoken to before.
I look forward to meeting you at a future event, so please say hello if you see me.
Jeff Allen
Partnership Member
Trustee Treasurer – Broxbourne Big Local
David Birley
I have had a varied career including market inspector and management consultant. I am currently WasteAware Coordinator for the Hertfordshire Waste Partnership, a coalition of Hertfordshire Councils aimed at helping people to waste less. Born in Wakefield, I grew up in Weymouth, Preston, Liverpool, Belfast and Kent. After twenty years in London, I moved to Broxbourne in 1996 and have been here ever since! I am married with two grown up daughters, both back in London.
I am honoured to have been asked to join WTBL in early 2020, ahead of one of the most challenging times the project, and our community has experienced. I am interested in how communities can help themselves by working together to improve their environments.
David Birley
Partnership Member
Trustee – Broxbourne Big Local
Zoe Edwards
I am Zoe Edwards Head of Community & Partnerships for Wormley & Turnford Big Local and their legacy charity Broxbourne Big Local.
For the past 25 years, I have worked in various community front-line roles in the Animal Welfare Charity sector in London. As Head of Animal Welfare in the North West London area, I played a leading role in directing the operational strategy by developing and improving pro-active outreach projects in the community. This objective was to prevent animals from ending up in a shelter environment by actively supporting and keeping vulnerable pet owners and their animals together, improving both the lives of humans and animal welfare.
I have been a life-long resident of Wormley and Turnford. Born in Wormley Church Lane, and growing up on The Springs Estate, Turnford, I feel privileged to be able to be a part of WTBL’s project where I can help improve and make a difference in a community that is so close to my heart.
Zoe Edwards
Head of Community & Partnerships
Victoria Moore
Hi I’m Victoria Moore, Operations & Marketing Manager for Wormley & Turnford Big Local and their legacy charity Broxbourne Big Local.
I have been a Wormley resident since 2017 along with my husband and three sons, however I grew up ‘oop north’ in a village near Blackburn. My early career was in marketing and events and following that I started my own successful cake decorating business, but I’ve always loved the idea of working within the community that I live.
When I saw this position at WTBL advertised I knew it would be the perfect fit. I had been following the WTBL Facebook page for a while and loved what the organisation stood for and their aim to make a positive difference to the local community. There is always something interesting and exciting going on and I love being a part of this ever changing and expanding organisation!
Victoria Moore
Operations & Marketing Manager
Ian Richardson
My name is Ian Richardson and I have been involved with WTBL since its inception almost 10 years ago now. I am the Chief Officer of Community Alliance for Broxbourne and East Herts (CVSBEH), who are appointed by the WTBL Partnership as their Locally Trusted Organisation (LTO). Community Alliance provides a range of support including financial management, employment, contracting services and governance advice to the WTBL Partnership.
Having worked in statutory and voluntary-based community services for over 30 years, I have gained extensive experience of the planning, governance, capacity building and effective delivery of community-based organisations. It has been a privilege to be part of the WTBL journey so far and I am looking forward to some more exciting times ahead for residents of Wormley and Turnford.
Ian Richardson
Local Trusted Organisation
Community Alliance for Broxbourne & East Herts