Executive Director

Hello,

I tend to get a bit over-excited when I write these sort of letters! There are usually loads of words like ‘unique’ and ‘exciting’ and ‘ground-breaking’ and other superlatives. So in writing this note I thought I would pause for a second and really think about what this role means for our organisation.

Quite honestly, we are facing massive challenges that are matched by massive opportunities:

• Today the UK is crying out for a radical reframing of primary care that works in equal partnership with the vital grassroots community support services that underpin good health for individuals and families. With a pandemic of loneliness and poor mental health sweeping across our most disadvantaged communities in the wake of COVID-19, a pre-existing catastrophe has just got a whole lot worse. We need a total revolution in our thinking and practice that takes into account the reality that social factors are far more important in determining health outcomes than medical ones. And they must be addressed urgently.
• The Bromley by Bow Centre has understood this problem for many years. Not only that, it’s been busy pioneering effective new approaches in real-time over three decades, by combining direct action to alleviate social needs, alongside providing high quality clinical care. The key to our approach is starting with the community and building our approach collectively with local people.
• Our work is focused on building relationships. Over three decades we have witnessed the power and impact of connecting human beings and creating spaces where people feel safe and at home. We deliver real impact through delivering projects and services. But, over the years, we have delivered so much more by simply connecting people with each other and enabling people to make friends, strengthen their networks and their resilience. And believe in themselves. Often for the first time. Often using the arts and creativity to tap into that human spirit. We need candidates for this role who passionately believe this.
• This is the most important appointment we have made in a very long time. The new Executive Director will lead all aspects of programme delivery, our income generating efforts and our in-house research and knowledge share teams. I think that makes it an unconventional role. I guess my hope is that it attracts interest from a broad range of people. Some of whom may be unconventional or bring a fresh perspective and approach to this type of role
• We have spent two years focused on stabilising our finances and creating a firm foundation to expand our work. We are now embarking on the redevelopment of our three acre site in East London. It’s potentially a £10 million project, but in so many ways it’s the manifestation of a more profound and bigger vision. We have been encouraged to think about our model as a national blueprint for building healthier and stronger communities. The Bromley by Bow Centre is going to be a dynamic and fast-paced organisation over the next few years.

We are very aware that we need to recruit someone with the requisite skills and experience to fulfil the tasks we’ve outlined in the job description. But to be honest, that’s a given. We are really looking for someone who has a heart for this work, who will feel that coming to work in our organisation feels like landing in a place they’ve always hoped to be and who have a deep passion for the challenges we are addressing and the approach we are taking. And who has the capability to help lead us into the next chapter of the Bromley by Bow story.

Thanks for your interest in this role.

Rob Trimble
Chief Executive
Bromley by Bow Centre

The Bromley by Bow Centre is a pioneering and vibrant community charity in East London globally- renowned for its radical approach to health and wellbeing. It was founded 36 years ago and sits in a beautiful three-acre community park.

At its heart is a partnership between a diverse community, a locally-rooted charitable organisation, a research team and one of the most progressive primary care health teams in the UK.

The charity supports families, young people and adults of all ages to learn new skills, improve their health and wellbeing, find employment and develop the confidence needed to achieve positive outcomes they may not have dreamt of. We work with the most vulnerable people in our community, those who are isolated, facing physical or mental ill health or who are lacking confidence, skills or qualifications.

The Centre delivers a diverse range of projects based on a unique model that combines social entrepreneurship, the arts, learning, social support, horticulture and holistic and integrated health programmes We work alongside people to support transformative change in their lives and their neighbourhoods and we provide a wide variety of integrated services. This link gives an overview of services running currently under pandemic conditions Directory of services

Our work is based on people’s individual needs, because we know that health is primarily driven by social factors, not medical ones. Our model is based on community empowerment and people taking control of their lives. Our executive team sits at the heart of this work.

We have created a much-admired blueprint to generate sustainable, healthy, positive outcomes in deprived areas. Our approach has been adapted and adopted by organisations internationally and our Centre has been visited by politicians, radicals and pioneers alike who share our vision that people and communities are capable of remarkable things.