New Chair and Vice Chair for the Community Empowerment Network

Hackney's Community Empowerment Network (CEN) has elected Mary Cannon, interim chief executive from Hackney Marsh Partnership, and Bisi Ojuri, managing director for Hackney Voluntary Action as its new Chair and Vice Chair. Both take a seat on the Team Hackney Board, a role previously held by Les Moore.

Bisi (left) and Mary.

Hackney's CEN is a group of representatives from Hackney's voluntary and community sector (VCS), whose role it is to support the sector to participate as fully as possible in decision-making and shaping local services. Each representative sits on the various Boards and Sub-Boards of Team Hackney.

Ian Lewis, Director of Partnerships at Hackney Council, paid a tribute to the outgoing Chair, Les Moore, and endorsed the elections, saying: "I am delighted to welcome two such experienced, committed and hard working people into executive positions with the CEN.  With their help all partners in Hackney will work together to raise the profile of the community and voluntary sector, to ensure that its voice is heard at the highest strategic level and that we achieve better outcomes for the people of Hackney."

"I would like to thank Les Moore, the retiring Chair, who led the CEN for five years from its inception to its current position as the key partner co-ordinating the VCS voice in Team Hackney."

As a CEN, the representatives meet regularly to discuss issues pertinent to the voluntary and community sector and work to increase the strength of the voice of the VCS in local decision making.  Last year, they secured £750,000 of small grants for the sector.

Mary and Bisi, who stood together, said: "It is a privilege for us to be elected to represent the sector. We look forward to building on the accomplishments of the CEN in the last few years under the expert guidance of Les Moore, the outgoing chair, and to do this we rely on the continuing support, goodwill and commitment of the CEN executive and the wider network of voluntary and community organisations in Hackney".

Mary Cannon is interim Chief Executive of Hackney Marsh Partnership, a community development organisation, and she has led on user involvement in health and social care on behalf of the then Health and Social Care Partnership Board.  Mary has chaired and led a number of organisations, including the Hackney Social Care Forum, re-established in 2000.

Bisi Ojuri joined Hackney Voluntary Action in 2000 and has been Managing Director for the last two years. Bisi was born in Hackney and her family returned to Nigeria while she was still a baby.  At 16 she was back in Hackney, at Haggerston School, and she lived in the borough until three years ago when she moved to Enfield Lock.  Her three children were all educated at Hackney schools.

For enquiries about the CEN or to join the HCVS mailing list and receive regular updates on funding and news, contact Gillian Trevethan at HCVS on 020 7923 8186 or Gillian@hcvs.org.uk

Visit www.hcvs.org.uk to find out more.

05.11.2008