Meet the BCS team

Originally I came ‘from away’, having been born in the East End of London, but I have lived in this part of the world for most of my adult life. My first career started 1975 as a nurse in the A&E department of Lowestoft hospital and later I became part of the first clinical team that moved into the brand new James Paget theatre suite, caring for patients on a 1-1 basis until they were sufficiently recovered to be safely returned to their ward.

Later in the 1980s I began teaching Health & Social Care subjects in Sixth Form and Further Education colleges, which included experiences such as setting up NVQ partnerships with third party providers, taking on management responsibilities, founding an International school within a college to receive students from overseas, and as an Ofsted inspector.

Retiring to Bungay in 2010 I joined the Town Council in 2015 and worked with others to bring about the change that enabled the Council to have permanent offices within the town and a fulltime town clerk. In addition I helped to establish a community role and responsibility in caring for Bungay Old Cemetery and took an active part in creating Annis Hill Green as an open natural space for all the town to enjoy. I am proud that as a founding member and deputy chair of the Neighbourhood Development Plan group, we achieved statutory approval in 2022.

At the time of the pandemic I was Town Mayor and was overwhelmed by the amazing response of local people to quickly unite to create Bungay Emergency Community Support. As we all know BCS is the permanent legacy of that time. The kindness, generosity of spirit and willingness to pull together that enabled us to care for one and other continues today, with residents from all walks of life happy to share their skills, experience and their time for the benefit of others.

As trustees our mission is to steer BCS so that the charity remains a central part of the community it serves and continues to adapt and respond to the changing needs of those who live in and around the town of Bungay.

Having been born & brought up on the East London/Essex border, I have a varied employment background initially being employed at the BBC External Services, firstly in HR and then as a Production Secretary, before becoming Assistant to Finance Managers in a major London Corporate Bank.

Leaving to raise our family, I started working with the local branch of MENCAP. I am a strong believer in looking at a person’s ability, not disadvantage, and in finding ways to help them achieve their potential.

In 1984 in East London my husband started his own supported employment charity to enable people with disabilities, enter the world of work. This has grown significantly & is still going strong. My role was dealing with finances and contracts, negotiating and securing Service Level Agreements & major contracts with Local Authorities & Government and European funding.

During this time, I was also Parent Governor at my children’s school for a total of 16 years, 10 of those being as Chair.

We bought our house in Ditchingham Dam in 2011 to “ease into retirement”. Whilst renovating the house, we were travelling to work at our charity during the week. Despite this part-time occupation, within 3-months we knew more people in Bungay than we did in the London street where we had lived for 17-years. Therefore, when the call went out from BECS during the Covid shutdown for people to help, I began making face-masks as a way of showing our appreciation of being part of the community. I then made the mistake of saying that with my background, was there any other way I could help………???

I am really pleased to be part of such a dynamic team of people – Trustees, volunteers and staff – all of whom go “over and above” levels of dedication to ensure the development of Bungay Community Support and its wide range of services to members of our community. A lot of this work goes unseen, and as such is thought not to be needed, but is vital to those people in our community who receive it.

I spent 33 years working for IBM UK in a number of roles including customer service engineer, instructor and software designer and developer in the UK, USA and Belgium. I then spent 12 years as a publican before retiring to Bungay. I am a member of the Royal British Legion and am former Chairman of Bungay Branch. My wife and I are Poppy Appeal Organisers for the Bungay area.

I served on the Bungay Neighbourhood Development Plan steering group and was active in the early days of Bungay Emergency Community Support. I was told to shield, heard about BECS and, with Eddie Rosier, help set up the systems which we are still using for deliveries. I am now a trustee of BCS and am still a Driver Coordinator and organise the deliveries rota. I became a Town Councillor in 2020 and was elected Mayor in 2022.

I was a trustee of the Falcon Meadow Community Trust when it was first set up and Chair of East Suffolk Country Markets. I have IT skills including website development, office systems and networking. I am also a keen photographer and videographer.

Having been born and brought up locally, I moved away for a career in the health sector. I returned with a family, drawn by my love of East Anglia and its one football team. I believe we have a shared responsibility towards our town.

Where possible we should commit to keeping Bungay vibrant, healthy and welcoming to all. I am committed to family, organic gardening and keeping active. I am a volunteer shopper and Trustee with responsibilities towards safeguarding.

Bob Prior has had a long career in a variety of senior positions across a range of industries from Agriculture & Pharmaceuticals to Publishing & Contract Services.

After moving to Bungay in 1979 with his young family, Bob has always been involved in the local community. He is very proud to have served as Group Scout Leader with 1st Bungay (School) Sea Scouts for nearly 25 years which included organising the annual Regatta. Over time he has served on the PTAs and Board of Governors at the Primary, Middle and High Schools, on the Committees of Shell Youth Club, Volunteer Centre and the fledgling Running Club (now Black Dog Running Club) as well as leading the protest against the one-way-system in the town centre. Bob still remains of the management team for the emerging Annis Hill Green Project, and he was also on the team that brought the Neighbourhood Development Plan to fruition.

Bob served on the Town Council for over 7 years, sitting on several committees, which included bringing many more assets into the control of local people and was honoured to be elected as Mayor in 2020-21. He was a founding member of BCS which fulfilled a vital need at the beginning of the Covid Pandemic. Since the time of recruiting volunteers in early 2020, and undertaking shopping and collecting medications for vulnerable people, the organisation as grown in the services and support it offers and has now established itself in its own premises in the former John Grooms butchers’ shop which Bob project managed that included recruiting specialist volunteers to remodel the entire shop and prep areas.

In summary, Bob brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise to BCS and describes himself as plain speaker, an ‘optimistic doer’ who hates negativity and ‘can’t do’ attitudes. He says that he is a compulsive volunteer with an inbuilt drive to help other people wherever and whenever he can – living by the scouting mantra ‘to think of others before yourself’.

I moved into this area from Surrey in 1979. I was qualified as a dental nurse but after marrying a farmer from the “Saints”, I concentrated on working on the farm and being part of the village community, running various events and being treasurer on the Hall committee. As my children were growing up, I became involved in schools, working predominantly in areas of special needs and physical education. I have fulfilled roles on the PTA and the Governing Body at St. Edmund’s Catholic School. I organised and set up the Junior Road Safety Officer Scheme, run by the county and ran the Walking to School events.

Over the last 15 years, I have been a volunteer worker in the West Bank, Palestine, supporting children in an orphanage with over 100 children.

Since moving into Bungay, I have been involved with various sporting clubs and at present am Club Welfare Officer at Bungay Golf Club.

I have been a volunteer driver for BCS for nearly a year and see the valuable service it does for the community and am looking forward to working alongside enthusiastic members of the charity for the benefit of Bungay residents.

I have been involved with the setting up and opening of the Food Hall at No 28, and am now running the Food Hall which opens on a Tuesday.

I have really enjoyed getting to know the trustees & wonderful team of volunteers, and now that we are up and running, meeting our Food Hall members & helping them with their weekly shop.

I have a background in catering, and am a keen cook, so I like to come up with healthy, nutritious recipe ideas for our members, and I really like to get feedback about what they are cooking at home with the produce we supply.

I hope that with the support of local businesses & donations we will be able to grow the Food Hall member numbers going forward.

Although not a local Bungay resident, I have lived nearby for nearly 17 years, so know the area well, and I am glad to be working for such a worthwhile cause.

As a member of the Bungay community with a diverse background in the catering industry and experience in production and engineering departments at a major food manufacturing company, I’ve always been drawn to fostering connections through food. Eight years ago, I was fortunate enough to embrace early retirement, which opened the door to a new chapter of giving back.

Since moving to Bungay I’ve been volunteering for local organisations, including the lunch club, and initiated in the town ‘Meet up Mondays,’ a heartwarming gathering that offers free coffee, homemade treats, and warm companionship to all. Although the pandemic put a temporary halt to our in-person gatherings, my commitment to helping our community remained unwavering.

This commitment led me to join BECS (Bungay Emergency Community Support) as a volunteer, a decision driven by a desire to continue supporting those in need. In early 2023, I took on a temporary administrative role with Bungay Community Support, working closely with the dedicated trustees, staff, and volunteers. What was meant to be a short-term endeavour quickly transformed into a longer term commitment, as I found great enjoyment in contributing to the organisation’s essential functions.

Today, I’m pleased to continue working within Bungay Community Support helping with administration, social media and other interesting projects. As I collaborate with fellow trustees, staff, and volunteers, I am reminded daily of the power of community and the incredible impact we can achieve when we come together with an unwavering commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of those around us.