Meet the Team
Staff Team
Nicole Hope
Programme Manager
Since 2020, Nicole has grown our place-based giving model to enable more people to make a difference where they live and work. She is responsible for developing our strategic partnerships and managing our charitable programmes. Nicole has previously worked in VCSE roles at The National Lottery Community Fund, BBC Children in Need and The University of Manchester, as well as in TV at BBC and ITV.
Ciara Martin
Neighbourhood Connector
Ciara is the first point of contact for residents, community groups and organisations with a great project or idea. With her local knowledge and community development skills, Ciara supports our network of local projects, delivering our Community Offer and Peer Support Network. Passionate about connection, Ciara is a long-time neighbourhood volunteer, most recently including the Manchester Cares network.
Board of Trustees
Tom Woodcock
Chair of Trustees
Tom is the Director for Partnerships at Calico Group and has extensive experience in homelessness, substance misuse, criminal justice, and mental health services. He is committed to building inclusive systems which enable learning and skills development. Tom is an expert in community development and turning ideas and aspirations into projects.
Dr James Scott Vandeventa
Trustee
James is a Senior Lecturer in Sustainability at Manchester Metropolitan University Business School. His focus on ethics and socioecological sustainability are informed by both his research and a longstanding activism. James is a member of the Steady State Manchester collective and a co-founder of Management Educators Navigating Degrowth (MEND).
Dr Paula Turner
Trustee
Paula is a retired senior academic and a renowned small enterprise champion. She has helped hundreds of Manchester entrepreneurs win contracts that serve local people and places. She retains a professional interest in seeing communities ‘doing it for themselves’, especially for health, employment and life-course equity.
Yasmin Clarke
Trustee
Yasmin is a Manchester-based Project Manager and founder of Circle Of CIC, a non-profit creating inclusive, arts-based projects. Yasmin is also Vice Chair of a local school governing body and a panellist for Refuge, contributing to education, community development, and multi-agency responses to Violence Against Women and Girls work.
Christos Kottis
Trustee
Christos moved from Greece to study in Manchester 30+ years ago and has worked here since. He works at the Department of Business and Trade, where he led on International Trade in partnership with the GM Combined Authority and on Devolution (Levelling-Up), following previous careers in Marketing, International Trade and People Development.
Angela Martin
Trustee
Angela is the Health and Wellbeing Manager at MCRactive, a non-profit organisation responsible for driving sport and physical activity across Manchester. She has worked in Manchester since 2010 on a range of health and physical activity programmes, in more recent years focused in areas across North and East Manchester.
Dave Knott
Treasurer
David is the Finance Director for Exceptional Care Ltd. His interest in North Manchester comes from working as Finance Director at family-run business Thomas Storey Fabrications in Openshaw. David also serves as Chair of Trustees at The Beacon Centre, a community hub and Step Up MCR supported project in Clayton.
Work For Us
We’re not currently hiring, but there are plenty of ways you can still get involved either on our Board, Advisory Panel or through Business Giving.
Contact the team for more information: hello@stepupmcr.org
