Jenny Sims (Chair) has worked in the education sector all her working life including secondary schools and is currently working in adult education. She has grown up children who also work in education. She is a governor of two primary schools and enjoys working within the Sutton Borough, believing passionately in the need to ensure there is good access to second chance opportunities for adults to study and develop their skills. She enjoys photography and walking as well as being interested in sports.

Laurence Imrie  (Vice Chair) is a barrister specialising in regulatory and criminal law.  He enjoyed growing up in the Borough until he left to go to University and he now lives nearby.  Laurence has two young children and coaches a junior football team.  In his spare time he enjoys cycling and playing football at an increasingly slow pace.

Amie Stace (Treasurer) has volunteered for charities since the age of 15 and recently worked for Sutton’s Domestic Abuse service. She is currently working for a Mediation Charity in Surrey and is Branch Coordinator for Sutton NCT. As a Mum of two young daughters she is passionate about women’s rights and playing her part in making Sutton a great place to live.  

Bob Harrision has worked extensively in charitable and public sector roles for over 25 years. During this time, he has led large scale education and other focused projects which support vulnerable children, young people and young adults by securing funds from a wide range of funders. These include grant givers, European Social Fund, National and Regional tendering opportunities across the UK (and once for a time setting up the careers service in Croatia). He is a trustee and/or or governor of charitable trusts in London and the South East and remains active in the voluntary sector, coaching sport and sitting on governing bodies and the Boards of not-for-profits as well as becoming a trustee of Community Action Sutton in 2018. Bob is currently Chief Executive of Head and Heart Empowerment Limited, a company providing consultancy services to help local authorities, charities (and their leadership) improve the work they do with those in the communities they serve. With a particular interest in capacity building in the charitable sector, ensuring that statutory services do not ‘exploit’ the relationships and good will of the volunteer community, Bob hopes to continue to support Community Action Sutton now and in the future as the charity grows and expands its own ambitions to make the partnerships in Sutton as strong as they possibly can be.

Polly Persechino worked in the Further Education sector, as a practitioner, for 15 years with a focus on supporting adults into work through skills training and development.  In 2018 she moved into a strategic role, helping to develop economic, skills and employment policy and programmes for south London.  She has lived in the borough for 14 years with her husband and, now teenage, daughters and is strongly committed to making Sutton an inclusive and nurturing borough, with well connected communities; ensuring that Sutton is not only a great place to live and learn but a great place to work and do business.  In her spare time, she sings with the Sutton Music Centre Choir and enjoys cross stitch and open water swimming.

Vanessa McCain with a background in Psychology and over 9 years’ experience working as a prison law caseworker in a legal firm, I am also the founder of People Arise Now a charity that supports ex-offenders, families of offenders and women. As a local resident in the borough I am very passionate about helping people discover and unlocking their purpose in life especially those who are not easily reached.  Not forgetting  I enjoy spending time with family, dancing and travelling.

Louise Kelly works for a national youth charity heading up their safeguarding, safety and assurance work. She lives in Belmont and in her spare time enjoys silver smithing and horse riding.