Nina Howells,
Nina is a Social Value and Impact Delivery Specialist,
currently serving as Chair of the Greater Manchester Social Value
Network. With over two decades of experience in housing,
regeneration, and community engagement, Nina brings a
strategic and place-based approach to embedding social value
across public sector programmes and partnerships.
Nina has led Salford’s pioneering social value strategy, integrating
impact frameworks into planning policy and regeneration. Her
leadership has shaped inclusive growth initiatives, employment
and skills programmes, and the delivery of UKSPF funding.
In her role as Chair, Nina is committed to amplifying Greater
Manchester’s social value ambitions, fostering innovation, and
supporting organisations to deliver meaningful, measurable
impact for communities across the region.
Dee Lowry
Dee is the Social Value Programme Lead at Manchester City
Council, based in the Strategy and Economic Policy Team.
Dee works with colleagues across the Council and with
different organisations throughout the city to make sure
that Manchester is maximising opportunities to generate
meaningful social value. This involves developing new
tools, systems, and approaches whilst showcasing and
learning from good practice.
Dee also works closely with procurement to support teams
with training and tender guidance. Dee’s background is in
the charity sector, with roles that focused on research,
partnerships, contract management, and business
development.
Louise Logan
Louise is the Social Value Lead for the North of the UK at
NG Bailey, the UK’s largest independent engineering and
infrastructure services provider.
Much of Louise’s work is focussed in the Greater
Manchester area, driving strategic Social Value initiatives
across our projects, working with education providers and
developing wellbeing and community programmes.
Louise has had the opportunity to work on many unique
projects across the county, including Manchester Aquatics
Centre, Salford University’s Energy House, Manchester
Town Hall and Manchester Airport.
Lydia Fairhurst-Marshall
Lydia currently leads the Community Climate Fund for Greater
Manchester at Business in the Community, working for the UK’s largest
responsible business network to bridge the gap between communities
and business showing the strength of cross sector collaboration and
social value.
She is an advocate for community-led climate action, with a focus on
empowering communities to take meaningful, place-based action on
climate change that reflects their lived experiences and social issues.
Lydia has a background in environmental management, sustainable
development and community development, and is able to bring a
strategic yet grounded approach to climate resilience. Having worked
within grassroots organisations and regional programmes, helping to
shape inclusive, collaborative responses to the climate crisis.
Julie James
Julie James leads Mott MacDonald’s Social Value delivery team
and is based in Manchester. She is passionate about delivering
positive social outcomes achieved through working with local
communities and establishing partnerships with the third sector
and supply chains.
Julie has over 20 years of experience of social research and
strategy development working with clients such as TfL, Transport
for Greater Manchester, and East West Rail to support
sustainable and equitable economic growth.
Julie is currently a Regional Social Value Lead on the New
Hospital Programme working with hospitals in the North-West to
develop local value partnerships to maximise social outcomes
through the procurement of new hospital schemes, through local
collaboration and tailored supply chain support.
Cat Chrymes
Cat has worked in social investment for over a decade and
is currently the Programme Manager for Greater
Manchester working at Key Fund.
Cat has a background in social enterprise and community
development, having been the director of several social
enterprises and founding director of a few. She is currently
a director of Greater Manchester Community Led Homes.
Cat has an interest in social value and how this enables the
social enterprise sector to be recongnised within
commissioning and supply chains.
Alana Borkwood
Alana leads a portfolio of programmes at IN4 Group that help
people, businesses and communities in Greater Manchester and
beyond gain fair access tech opportunities and create lasting
economic impact.
With a background in social investment and a passion for place-
based work, Alana’s recent programmes have contributed to some
£22m in social value generated for Greater Manchester. They
specialise in bringing together the public sector, VCFSE
organisations, universities and businesses to create partnerships
that deliver real value and positive change for people and place.
They also mentor through Manchester Met’s Making Great
Communities incubator, supporting the next generation of local
changemakers.
Alana brings cross-sector connections, a tech futures perspective,
and a commitment to keeping social value grounded in what works
for Greater Manchester’s communities.
Peter Schofield, Head of Integrated Commissioning and Procurement, Manchester City Council
Peter’s experience includes strategic and operational procurement, delivery of front line council services, construction projects, major regeneration programmes, and public sector improvement and efficiency initiatives. Specialties: CIPS qualified in strategic and operational procurement, PRINCE2 Practitioner and MSP Master Practitioner, Qualified Civil Engineer with experience of managing projects and programmes. Peter has extensive experience in managing public sector street scene services, public sector improvement and efficiency initiatives including shared services, collaborative procurement, application of lean techniques and implementing new ways of working.
Geraldine Finn
Geraldine Finn is the CSR/Social Value Lead at Menzies LLP, bringing
over 30 years’ experience across marketing, business development,
and stakeholder engagement, with a strong focus on delivering
meaningful social value. Geraldine supports the development and
implementation of social value approaches that align with
organisational values and client priorities, translating commitments
into practical initiatives and measurable outcomes for communities.
Working with all types of organisations; from public sector bodies to
SMEs and charities, Geraldine takes a people-centred, delivery-led
approach that connects purpose with action. She is passionate about
social mobility and inclusive opportunity, strengthening partnerships,
championing community programmes, and helping embed social
value into everyday decision-making.
Geraldine is committed to sharing best practice across the region and
supporting organisations to turn social value ambition into
demonstrable impact.
Claire Igoe
Claire Igoe is Associate Director of Sustainability at NHS Greater
Manchester, providing strategic leadership for the system-wide
environmental sustainability agenda and delivery of the NHS GM
Green Plan.
She works across health and public sector partners to embed
sustainability into strategy and operations, ensuring alignment
with social value priorities. Claire’s experience spans the
pharmaceutical industry, environmental charity sector, and NHS
provider leadership, where she established award-winning
sustainability programmes.
She holds a master’s degree in Pollution and Environmental
Control, is a Chartered Environmentalist, and a full member of
ISEP, bringing technical expertise and a collaborative approach to
driving climate action and health equity.
Rebecca Paul
Becky has over 15 years experience working with local
communities to empower them to improve lives. Becky is
passionate about supporting people who are most at risk and is
currently working to make sure public money is used in ways that
maximise benefit to the community.
With extensive experience project managing health and
educational initiatives, Becky brings people together to turn good
ideas into positive action.
In her current role driving Social Value at Tameside Council, Becky
works across sectors to make sure contracts, services, and
spending decisions deliver real, measurable benefits for local
people. She helps frontline teams, suppliers, and decision-makers
understand what social value means in practice, translating policy
into clear tools and actions that make a difference on the ground
to the people who need it most.
Tom Lloyd Goodwin
Since 2019 Tom has been leading the development of the
policy and practice function within CLES. Tom is responsible
for overseeing the output of all policy and practice related
work and communications.
With a background in political economy and political
theory, as well as health services research, Tom is an
experienced public policy professional.
Tom has worked with numerous organisations across
academia, local government, the NHS and the voluntary
and community sector, delivering an array of research and
local economic development projects. He is an honorary
research fellow at the University of Manchester.
gmsvn.org.uk 