ABOUT BS3 COMMUNITY
About BS3 Community
BS3 Community Development was founded in 1991 to improve the lives of people living in BS3 and the surrounding area. We run two community venues; the Southville Centre and the Chessel Centre.
BS3 Community Development is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee and as a social business we reinvest surplus generated from our profitable services into educational, arts, environmental, health and wellbeing projects that we either run directly or support partners to deliver.
Our values
Inspiring: We are inspirational in the development of others. We share our knowledge and experience with other established and emerging social enterprises and community groups across BS3, Bristol, the UK and globally.
Active: We are a driving force in our community, adapting to meet ever-shifting demands. We are always looking for new and innovative ways to improve our own skills and the services we provide for others.
Trusted: As a quality provider of services, we are trusted by our community with their landmark buildings, their children, their older people, their wedding day.
Our people
Our organisation is instrumental in a plethora of vibrant community activities and services within the BS3 area of Bristol led by our senior management team. May we introduce…
Dr Simon Hankins
Chief Executive Officer
Simon joined BS3 Community in 2011. The organisation had recently been through a process of re-focusing its way of operating to embrace and develop a social enterprise approach, moving away from grant-funding to income being self-generated through trading. Through Simon’s leadership that model has been further developed, allowing the charity to achieve a better balance between its trading and public benefit work, with surplus from the organisation’s community business activities used to support charitable projects and public benefit services.
Ruth Green
Community Development Manager
Ruth joined the organisation in 2015 and the senior management team in 2017. She is responsible for developing and nurturing our relationship with our community thus strengthening our position within the community. She does this though supporting existing groups, starting and managing new groups and activities and engaging with community members connecting them with activities and services. Ruth maintains a focus on improving health, wellbeing and happiness of people living in the BS3 area with a particular focus to support older people in the community, the aim being to help reduce isolation and loneliness.
Dawn Lockhart
Head of Communications
Dawn joined the organisation and the senior management team in 2008. She is responsible for all internal and external communications. This includes the design and delivery of public events, team away-days, the staff and volunteer newsletter, the supporter newsletter to supporters, maintaining the website, writing investor communications, monthly and ad hoc news releases, social media platforms (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter), PR management, brand management, in-house design and the charity's Annual Review .
Becca McDougall
Finance Manager
Becca joined the organisation and the senior management team in 2017. She is responsible for managing all aspects of the finance department including the financial accounting systems, processes and policies, ensuring that they are appropriate, up-to-date and meet the organisation’s statutory/legal obligations. She provides financial management and other financial reports, data and information as required and contributes to the development and delivery of the strategic aims and objectives of the organisation.
Our centres
Southville Centre
The Southville Centre is a beautiful, characterful grade II listed Victorian, landmark building
Chessel Centre
The Chessel Centre is a modern, innovatively designed, feature building