Communities 1st’s Annual Conference for charities, groups and volunteers
We are delighted to invite you and your volunteers to our Annual Conference for Communities 1st Annual Conference for charities, groups and volunteers, taking place on Thursday 9 July 2026. This event is set to be an exciting and motivational day for all, featuring insightful workshops, expert speakers, and plenty of chances to network.
The programme is packed with a variety of workshops and speakers specifically tailored to be useful to organisations and to your volunteers, focusing on topics such as how to protect your charity and beneficiaries from fraud and scams, building diverse funding streams, preparing for local government reforms, volunteer safety, using digital tools and AI as a volunteer, and more!
The agenda for the day can be found here. Please note that this is subject to change.
Highlights of the Conference
- Workshops and Speakers: The programme is packed with a variety of workshops and speakers specifically tailored for organisations and volunteers.
- Networking Opportunities: Connect with peers and see first-hand the incredible work carried out by our member organisations.
- 1:1 Funding Advice Surgeries: Bookable 20 minute sessions to sit down with local funders for advice and guidance.
- 1:1 Advice Surgeries: Bookable 20 minute sessions with experts who can provide advice on various topics such as bid writing, demonstrating impact, trustee and volunteer recruitment and more.
- Information Stands: If you wish to secure a free information stand, please express your interest by emailing memberservices@communities1st.org.uk
Event Details
Date: Thursday 9 July 2026
Time: 9:30am until 2:00pm
Venue: The Vineyard, Unit 7, Brick Knoll Park, Ashley Road, St Albans, AL1 5UG
Lunch: Complimentary light lunch will be provided.
Facilitated Panel Discussion - Holding Communities Together in Unsettled Times
We’re delighted to be hosting a panel discussion as part of this year’s conference programme. We’re currently confirming our speakers and topics, and will update this page as soon as everything is finalised.
Speakers
Chris Cloke, Communities 1st Trustee
Ann joined the Communities 1st Trustee Board in 2019. She has a background in IT and business process consultancy in Hospitality, Leisure and retail organisations. Following retirement in 2017, she wanted to support a local charity and was attracted to Communities 1st because it is such a practical organisation and aims to help the charity sector work together to create thriving communities. Ann lives in St Albans, is volunteer with Communities 1st, and enjoys opportunities to walk and cycle in the surrounding countryside.
Jason John, Chair of Trustees, Communities 1st
Jason was a trustee of Community Hertsmere prior to becoming a trustee of Communities 1st, following the merger between Community Hertsmere and Community Central St Albans. He became Chair of the Trustee Board in September 2020. In his working life, Jason has been a management consultant for over 25 years and is currently a partner at Deloitte UK, focusing on digital transformation within the Financial Services industry. Jason has lived most of his life in Hertfordshire.
Duncan Lewis, Emmaus
Duncan joined St Alban’s based homelessness charity Emmaus Hertfordshire as CEO in May 2021. Emmaus Hertfordshire provides up to 39 people who have experienced homelessness with a home for as long as they need it, tailored support, companionship and work opportunities. He is also Chair of the South East region of Emmaus in the UK and sits on the boards of Emmaus Europe and Emmaus International, helping to oversee the work of more than 450 communities in 45 countries.
Prior to that he was Marketing and Fundraising Director at the youth sports development charity, the Lord’s Taverners for just under five years.
He spent two spells working at Commonwealth Games England, heading up marketing, commercial and fundraising activity for Team England at the Glasgow 2014 and Delhi 2010 Games. In between he also spent two years as Group Marketing and Development Director of Age UK.
Duncan was Group Marketing Director at FTSE 100 property developer Land Securities between 2006 and 2009.
He held a variety of senior marketing and operational roles at Barclays from 1999 to 2006 and his early career was spent in the travel industry at retail chain AT Mays, RCI Europe and Thomson Travel.
Michael Martin, WENTA
Biography coming soon
Alan Mordey, Herts Cyber Protect, Hertfordshire Police
Alan Mordey joined Hertfordshire Constabularies Serious Fraud and Cyber Unit as an Investigator in December 2014. In October 2024, he changed roles within the department to a Cyber Protect & Prevent Officer. Alan delivers awareness, education and prevention advice to businesses, charities, schools, and local communities to increase cyber resiliency and reduce the cyber threat against both the public and businesses, collaborating with partners in both the private and public sector, including peers at a regional and national level.
Annie Stevenson, Age-Friendly Ambassador
Annie Stevenson is passionate in her role as Lead Ambassador for Age Friendly:Live Better Herts and St Albans District. She was born and brought up in East Hertfordshire and settled in St Albans. She is aged 68 and is a carer for her mother aged 102. Annie is aware that they are both technically in the ‘older people’ box but are actually a generation apart!
Her entire career has been working with and listening to, people of all ages, originally as a hospital social worker and manager in London. She then focused on best practice for older people for 20 years in the voluntary sector, notably as Care Policy Manager for Help the Aged for ten years until it became Age UK. She remembers reading the WHO report on Age Friendly communities in 2007 and being inspired by the content which she is now thrilled to be applying in her home county and place. In 2023-24, she was Mayoress of St Albans and District with her partner, the Mayor for that year, Cllr Anthony Rowlands. Their theme was All Ages Together, connecting the generations to challenge loneliness and isolation and they highlighted the many organisations that achieve that whilst encouraging more to do likewise.
Aimee Venner, South West Herts NHS Health and Care Partnership
Register Your Place
This is an excellent opportunity to engage with the local charity sector, share your experiences, and gain new insights. We look forward to your participation and hope you will join us.