Our Team
Run by the community, for the community
Avonway is run by a board of volunteer trustees and staff.
Derek Brooks
Trustee (Chairman)
Serving as chair of trustees of Avonway Community Centre is both a privilege and a responsibility. The role involves working closely with volunteers, local organisations, and residents to ensure the centre remains a welcoming, inclusive, and vibrant hub for the community. From supporting events and activities to helping shape future plans, the focus is always on bringing people together and creating opportunities for connection, wellbeing, and local involvement.
My involvement with the charity started in March 2023 and has built upon my previous role as headteacher of a middle school in Wimborne.
Carole Gannon
Trustee
Steve Gifford
Trustee
I have previously worked in the premises department of secondary schools to help maintain the buildings and ensure the smooth running of sites. Since moving to Fordingbridge in 2019 I have run my own domestic plumbing business, it was through this I became aware of Avonway after being asked to replace some taps in one of the toilets. It wasn't long before I was helping out at Avonway on a weekly basis with ongoing plumbing tasks and other odd jobs. This gave me a unique insight into the opportunities Avonway has to offer, and its importance as a community space that brings people together from all walks of life.
I was delighted to become a Trustee in the spring of 2026.
Alastair Jennings
Trustee
I joined the trustees in 2026 and, with the rest of the team, will work to build Avonway as a focus for the community.
I lecture in photography, TV, and film at Wiltshire College & University Centre, write for national newspapers and magazines, and run a local production and photography business. The work takes me all over, but Fordingbridge is my home, and a centre like Avonway is essential to the community. The building itself is historic and is a place that the community can use to gather, learn something new, run a group, or simply see other people. Avonway is a centre that I am grateful to be a part of.
Ade Ings
Trustee
Benjamin Player
Centre Manager
Growing up in a small local village and living there for twenty-three years gave me a real appreciation for the importance of community. I understand the value of having a place where people can come together, build friendships, support one another, and take part in activities that strengthen local connections.
I joined Avonway Community Centre in 2023 as an Administrative Assistant and have been fortunate to grow within the organisation, progressing to Administrator before becoming Centre Manager in 2026. This journey has given me a deep understanding of the centre, the people who make it so special, and the positive impact it has on our community.
As Centre Manager, I oversee the day-to-day running of the centre, ensuring our facilities are welcoming, well-managed, and able to support the wide range of groups, organisation, and services that use them. From working with our regular hirers and welcoming new users to coordinating bookings, managing the buildings, and supporting the work of our trustees. my focus is on creating an environment where our community can connect, grow, and thrive.
Clare Cox
FINANCE ASSISTANT
I moved to Fordingbridge by happy accident in 2004 and was grateful to find a strong, friendly community. I became a hirer at Avonway in 2008 when I ran my Slimming World group, the centre was our home for 15 years. Now I support the team at Avonway as a bookkeeper, with invoicing, and with other finance related tasks; a role I started in 2024.
A lot has changed since I was first a user here; what hasn't is the vital role Avonway has in the community as a place to bring people together. It is a real asset to the local area, and I'm glad to be able to play a part in its continuing development.
Sabrina De-Young Thompson
centre cleaner