After operating for 10 years and having run the first Flourish Hub for a year with a second one opening soon, we knew that 2024 would be a big year for expansion and team development!
We are pleased to announce that our staff team has now grown from a team of 1 full time and 3 part time staff, to 4 full time and 6 part time staff with an ever growing pool of specialist coaches and associates.
“It has been a privilege to grow and diversify the talent pool to better meet the needs of our network, community and women changemakers. This expansion ensures we are a leading organisation dedicated to strengthening support for flourishing, vibrant, sustainable and impactful social economy.” – Nickala Torkington, founder and Managing Director of Flourish Together
Thanks to a 3 year investment from Reaching Communities and through securing new and repeat contracts and commissions from a range of partners including; The GMCA, Natwest, Manchester City Council, Salford CVCS, the WEA and others, here at Flourish we have been able to grow and diversify our programmes, activities, events, training and innovative support to reach people across all boroughs of Greater Manchester. Although, particular focus this coming year in Stockport, Manchester, Trafford, Salford, Bury, Wigan and Tameside.
Our programmes span across:
– Social enterprise support
– Leadership development
– VCSE infrastructure capacity building
– Social value measurement and communication
– Digital and media skills
– Accredited Holistic Therapy training and Careers in Holistic Health
Plus pioneering the resilience of woman changemakers to build economic independence. There are lots of ways to access training, learning and exciting networks of support over the coming year!
With that being said, meet our amazing Flourish team for 2024!
Anna – Admin Executive (Programmes)
Anna has been part of the Flourish team for more than 2 years and has a wealth of experience in the creative community arts sphere as well as strong research and evaluation skills. She supports with programmes, events, communications, bidwriting and evaluation work, together with coaching early stage entrepreneurs.
Fiona – Enterprise and Learning Manager and Executive Director
Fiona has been part of the Flourish family for almost 10 years managing and overseeing our Careers in Holistic Health programme. She has over 20 years experience teaching and learning in various settings in addition to owning a successful business for over 25 years. Fiona will be running the development of activities and therapist development as part of our sister project ‘Pop Up Spa & Retreat’. Flourish is thrilled to have Fiona joining the delivery team as an Enterprise and Learning Manager as well as strategically as an Executive Director.
Ayisatu – Enterprise and Learning Manager
Ayisatu has been part of the Flourish network for many years both as a beneficiary of our programmes and a mentor and coach to women changemakers. She has excellent operations, enterprise and communication skills plus has a passion for research, policy and diversifying enterprise and leadership roles. Ayisatu is an asset to our social enterprise support programmes and leadership programmes alike having started and grown her own social venture Idaraya Life CIC and has a breadth of creative, wellbeing and digital skills.
Judith – Enterprise and Learning Manager
Judith has experience in both grass roots community development, as well as strategic networking and leadership. Passionate about advocating for change, she enables marginalised individuals in our communities to lead.
Imani – Admin Executive (Flourish Hub)
Imani brings excellent communication, marketing and media skills alongside creative outreach and engagement skills to support the operational running, marketing and development of the Flourish Hub(s). With a background in TV and Media she is developing our Podcast series ‘ Flourish: The changemakers Podcast’ and is continually looking for ways to create new opportunities to champion, highlight and promote women changemakers and entrepreneurs.
Comfort – Finance and Operations Support
Comfort carried out a couple of weeks work experience with us in the spring and was too good for us not to keep! She is providing part time finance and operations support to the organisation across our programmes and also in supporting the Flourish Hub in Heaton Chapel.
Jon – Operations and Enterprise Consultant
Jon has been with us throughout 2024 providing assistance for company operations, HR and finance systems. As a part time consultant, he supports with both the planning and aiding of organisational growth by consulting on projects alongside wider enterprise support. Jon has over 30 years experience in operations management with a wealth of experience as a company director for ambitious SMEs in the private sector and he is enjoying utilizing his skills to support the VCSE sector.
Marianna – Non Executive Director
Marianna was a participant on our We Lead for Legacy programme which supported minoritised leaders to get ahead. We were instantly impressed by her tenacity, compassion, and community leadership skills both here in the UK and in her home country of Ukraine. Running United for Ukraine, alongside supporting several organisations alongside her day job at The Growth Company, Marianna a wealth of experience and community and strategic levels we can’t wait to help her unlock further.
June – Non Executive Director
With a PhD in Philosophy and a past career in Biochemistry, June unites her skills, expertise, and networks to provide innovative and holistic approach to business, workforce and community development prioritising health and wellbeing at the core of her work. June has supported several Flourish programmes and events as an associate and we are thrilled to have her join out board in a strategic leadership role.
Lyla – Admin and research support
Lyla started work experience with us in the summer of 2023 after completing her A -Levels. Thrown in at the deep end, she quickly adapted and demonstrated a range of skills from event support, social media management, to research, policy and impact measurement work. Lyla has been working for us part time remotely since moving to Glasgow to study Mathematics, however we are looking forward to having her back 3 days a week over the summer!
Nickala – Managing Director
As the Founder of Flourish Together and overall boss, Nickala has spun many plates and created several partnerships to develop the organisation to this point. With over 25 years experience working in the VCSE, public, and private sectors, Nickala has supported over 3000 people into social venture creation. She looks forward to further expansion and wider impact an evolving team allows, whilst maintaining sight of our core purpose – supporting women as a force for social change.
