Following the retirement from the board of Susie Crowder, SIF received a wide range of applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds who were all keen to support the vital work of the Bailiwick’s third sector.
Both Rachel and Andrew were chosen owing to their vast experience of third sector work,including having previously held roles where they have needed to assess grant funding applications, and for their experience of having worked in partnership with the States on various charitable and community initiatives.
The Social Investment Fund is a separately constituted body, acting as a States partner, which uses public and some private funds drawn from a variety of sources to invest in the charitable and third sector, helping to build greater partnership and joint working between the States and the charitable and third sector.
After its incorporation in 2020, SIF immediately responded to the Covid-19 crisis by launching a successful appeal for donations to support local charities. SIF is now focusing on its original plans of providing grants to the charitable sector and has already awarded over £220,000 through its Small Grants Programme, with recipients of the first round of its Major Grants Programme to be announced soon.
Rachel Copeland trained as a children’s nurse in Manchester and as a health visitor in Guernsey and Southampton. She worked as a health visitor in Guernsey for twenty-five years and specialised in work with young and disadvantaged families. She developed and led the Guernsey Parents’ Partnership, an intensive home visiting programme. Rachel became involved in Guernsey community life from her arrival with her family in 1987 and has been a board member of a number of charities and organisations for many years.
She was closely involved in the founding and development of Bright Beginnings Children’s Centre and also volunteers there. Rachel was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2020 for services to families in Guernsey.
Rachel said, “I am proud to be joining the board of SIF and I am greatly looking forward to working closely with my fellow Directors in this important and exciting initiative for the Bailiwick.”
Andrew Ozanne has held a variety of community and third sector roles such as on the Outdoor Assistance Board and as a Parish Procureur, serving on the board of Victoria Hospital Incorporated and the Lloyds Bank Foundation for the Channel Islands as a Trustee for eight years, Deputy Chair for two and Chair for two.
He is a previous Chair of both the Crime Prevention Panel and Crime Stoppers and more recently as a founding member of Creative Learning in Prison and the Offenders Deposit Assistance Scheme. He has served as a non-States member on the board of the Home Department for 14 years and has also been a member of the Assessment Panel for the Queen’s Awards for Voluntary Service. Andrew was awarded his OBE for his work in both law enforcement and healthcare in 2019.
Andrew said, “I very much enjoy being part of our community’s enthusiastic support of the third sector. I am delighted to be joining the SIF and benefiting from their collective experience”.
Both Rachel and Andrew have also been members of the judging panel for the Community Awards which has deepened their knowledge of the Bailiwick’s extensive and varied third sector. This understanding, coupled with their front-line service experience, will bring valuable additional expertise to SIF’s board.
Jurat Stephen Jones OBE, chair of the Social Investment Fund, said:
“The board of the Social Investment Fund is excited to have appointed such experienced members to the board. Their understanding of the third sector and important community issues in the areas of health and law enforcement will ensure that as SIF develops it will target its support for the third sector where it is most needed”.