Our Trustees: Leading with Passion and Purpose

Trustees are a charity’s directors for company law purposes and trustees for charity law purposes. They serve voluntarily and receive no remuneration, dedicating their time and expertise to strengthening community spaces across Northampton.

Meet Our Current Board:
Jessica Pilkington, Chair – Head of marketing company Pilkington Communications, Jessica brings strategic communications expertise and a collaborative leadership style that’s helping steer the organisation through transformation and growth.

Toby Birch (Chair until April 2025) – Co-founder with extensive community development experience, Toby helped establish the organisation’s foundations and continues to contribute his deep knowledge of community engagement

Jane Birch – Co-founder with expertise in community engagement and stakeholder relations, Jane plays a vital role in maintaining strong partnerships with councils, parish councils, and community organisations.

Damon Boughen – Drawing on years of community sector experience, Damon provides valuable insight into grassroots engagement and operational challenges

David Knight (appointed April 2025) – Bringing financial expertise to support our finance and audit processes, David is helping strengthen our financial management systems and oversight during a critical period of organisational development.

Martyn Wheatley (appointed January 2024) – With property and facilities expertise, Martyn leads our ambitious building development projects, working closely with West Northamptonshire Council and local councillors to secure significant improvements across our community centres.

Gary Youens – Our longest-standing trustee, Gary’s community sector experience and institutional knowledge provide continuity and wisdom as we evolve.

Why Join Our Board?
This is an exciting time to become part of Community Spaces Northampton. We’re embarking on major facilities improvements at Southfield, Rectory Farm, and Bellinge Community House – projects that will transform how we serve our communities. We’re also reimagining our organisational structure and exploring new partnership models that will extend our impact.
Our trustees work collaboratively, bringing diverse skills to address real challenges and seize genuine opportunities. Recent meetings have focused on everything from securing council-funded building improvements to developing strategic partnerships with local charities – meaningful work that directly benefits Northampton’s communities.

We’re Looking for New Trustees
We welcome enquiries from individuals who share our commitment to community spaces and can bring relevant skills and experience. We’re particularly interested in people with expertise in:

Community development and engagement
Legal or governance matters
Marketing and communications
HR and people management
Fundraising and income generation

We are committed to ensuring our Board reflects the diversity of the communities we serve.
Interested in joining us?
Contact: bookings@communityspacesnn.org
Or contact our Chair Jessica Pilkington directly: jessica@pilkington-comms.co.uk