Special Initiatives
Reaching UK Campaigners
As a small, London-based charity that aims to cover the whole of the UK, SMK has been keen to ensure that there is consistency to our support wherever someone on one of our programmes is based.
The Sheila McKechnie Foundation is pleased to announce a pilot project, Reaching UK Campaigners, which aims to enable us, to test a low-cost and potentially sustainable regional/devolved structure and strengthen the quality and equality of our support across the UK.
The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and Barrow Cadbury Trust are supporting this two-year pilot project, which we hope will help us to better reach individuals and groups, in particular those who have the least access to support or resources.
We have appointed five Freelance Coordinators to work with us one day per month to help us deliver the project in Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, West Midlands and South West England. Their biographies and details are as follow:
Ben Ballin
West Midlands
For the last 20 years, Ben has worked for educational charities in Hull, Derbyshire and most recently at Tide in Birmingham. This has included campaigning for a learner entitlement to global learning and developing the practice of teachers and educators in support of that work. During this time, Ben has worked with a huge variety of stakeholders from communities, NGOs and government - both in the UK and internationally. Prior to working in the education sector Ben ran community newspapers in Devon and Derby. He also taught at a Special School in Dagoretti, Kenya.
Ben brings with him particular expertise in network building, group facilitation and communications. He has written widely on educational issues, and has a long track record of campaigning for equalities, against racism and fascism, and in capacity building to promote sustainable development, human rights and social justice.
Contact details: westmidlandssmk@gmail.com, 07837 998 020
Sophie Cowdell
South West England
Sophie has been active in the voluntary and community sector in the South West for over 10 years. Originally as a volunteer fundraiser, she then worked with rural communities in Gloucestershire and the wider south west as a facilitator. With key skills in capacity building, facilitation and partnership development, Sophie brings her experience of working with a broad range of individuals and organisations to SMK.
Sophie is particularly interested in building the capacity of individuals and grass roots organisations to effect change for their local communities. By removing barriers and linking groups together, Sophie has strengthened the work of rural partnerhips across the South West.
Contact details: swenglandsmk@gmail.com, 07932 808448
James Magowan
Northern Ireland
James has extensive experience as an employee and consultant in the private, voluntary, and public sectors, working across a range of disciplines from agriculture, through regional and local economic development, to philanthropy. James has been active in the One Small Step campaign; chaired the Glenanne, Loughgilly and Mountnorris Community Development Association and Peaceplayers International NI, and is a volunteer ranger for Sustrans.
James will be helping encourage people from Northern Ireland to participate in SMK programmes and activities.
Contact details: northernirelandsmk@gmail.com, 07805175456
Kirstie Shirra
Scotland
Kirstie is a freelance campaigner and writer with over a decade of experience working in the Scottish third sector. Having worked for Friends of the Earth and as the head of the World Development Movement in Scotland. Kirstie now works with a range of ethical organisations to promote social and environmental justice in Scotland and across the world.
Kirstie is a Director of the Take One Action Film Festival and has previously sat on the boards of Scottish Education and Action for Development, Jubilee Scotland and Friends of the Earth Scotland, as well as on numerous parliamentary, government and coalition groups, including Stop Climate Chaos and the Trade Justice Movement.
Kirstie is also a published walker writer and photographer.
Contact details: scotlandsmk@gmail.com, 07983 364 529
Amanda Stone
Wales
Amanda has worked as a campaigner and volunteer for nearly 20 years. She has worked for Amnesty International on their 30th Anniversary campaign, with Free Tibet Campaign and the International Tibet Support Network on their ongoing human rights campaign for Tibetans, with The Terrence Higgins Trust and Positive Lives with a campaign challenging stigma in relation to HIV and AIDS, with Greenpeace Asia Pacific campaigning against nuclear waste and fossil fuels, with ActionAid International on access to testing, care and treatment for HIV in Africa and India and with Concern Worldwide on campaigns supporting nutrition and education.
She has recently left Merlin, the international medical aid agency where she led the development of their first campaign, 'Hands Up for Health Workers'.
For over a year she has worked as a volunteer counsellor with Place2Be and MIND in Wales and is a trustee of People United, a charity that campaigns to inspire kindness. She is an experienced coach and trainer on campaigning and communications and works freelance with a variety of charities and NGOs.
Contact details: walessmk@gmail.com, 01495 752103
