Board of Directors

Sally Chicken - President

Sally Chicken, MSc was first elected to the Board in May 2009, serving for 8 years until 2017. She stepped down at the end of her second term of office for a year and stood again in May 2018.  

She has wide ranging experience in starting and managing credit unions in Wales and the East of England over the last 20 years, and is currently a volunteer Director at two: Eastern Saving and Loans in Ipswich, and Rainbow Saver based in Lowestoft and Peterborough. Her interests include Community Energy, and the restoration of Shotley Pier.

Belinda Bulsing - Vice President

Member of the Performance Review Committee

Belinda was elected to the Board in May 2014. She is involved in her local community as chairman of the parish council at Pettaugh and trustee of a charitable trust supporting the services of the maternity unit at Eye, Suffolk. Belinda is a qualified solicitor, and has worked in both private practise and in-house legal roles.

John Cook

Member of the Remuneration & Search Committee

John was elected to the Board in 2012. He has a background in finance and audit, but since 1996 has worked for the Labour Party in Norfolk and more recently in Suffolk. John is secretary of the Suffolk Branch of the Co-operative Party as well as being Treasurer of East of England Party Council.

Nicola Fox

Member of the Audit Committee

Nicola began her working career in the publishing industry before moving to positions in Health and Education. She has gained over 20 years experience across marketing, communications, managerial and administrative positions in both the public, private and charity sectors. Nicola is a qualified therapist and now runs her own practice. 

John Hawkins

Member of the Audit Committee

John spent his working life in local government initially as a solicitor and for the last 14 years as Chief Executive of Tendring District Council. He has experience of planning law, property and governance issues. He is now retired and working in a voluntary capacity, including for St Helena Hospice and the National Trust.

Emma Howard

Member of the Performance Review Committee

Emma began working for our co-op as a checkout assistant. Since then she has progressed through several different roles and now works in our Finance Team where she is studying accountancy.

Chris Newbury

Member of the Performance Review Committee

Chris was first elected to the Board in May 2009. He has past experience as a local councillor, school governor and community health council member.

Chris Matthews

Member of the Membership and Community Engagement Committee

Chris was elected to the board in May 2016. Chris has worked in the co-op movement since the age of 13, and is currently the Manager of our Woodbridge Supermarket.

Beverley Perkins

Member of the Remuneration and Search Committee

Bev was elected to the Board in May 2013. She has postgraduate qualifications in both Management and Environment and worked for over 20 years in a number of management roles. She is very active with a number of projects in her local community, including the popular Mersea Island Food, Drink and Leisure Festival.

Steve Shaw

Member of the Membership and Community Engagement Committee

Steve joined the Board in May 2015. He has worked in a number of different roles, including running a milk round for the former Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society in London, operating an off-licence for Roberts and Cooper and in managing a vending machine company. He now runs his own window cleaning business and volunteers at the Wolsey Theatre

Fiona Powell

Member of the Membership and Community Engagement Committee

Fiona’s background in IT led her to become a project management and software trainer and, indirectly, to her starting a magazine business. She works with project managers in organisations large and small. She organises horse sports events and is a member of Country Markets and Toastmasters International.

Judi Newman

Member of the Performance Review Committee

After a career in philanthropy and fundraising, Judi is involved in a number of business ventures including The Oyster Inn in Butley and Topthorn Equestrian Centre in Stonham Aspal. She is on the Foundation Board of the University of Suffolk, co-founded the marketing consultancy Relish and runs a small charity for off-grid energy access in India.

Richard Youngs

Member of the Remuneration and Search Committee

Richard was a career Royal Air Force Officer specialising in Finance, Infrastructure and Personnel. Subsequently he became a school bursar and has been a Trustee of a Service Charity, school Governor, and merger projct manager with a local Credit Union. 

Frank Moxon

Frank was elected to the Board in May 2018.  An economics graduate, he is an experienced board-level financial adviser and corporate financier and is or has been a director, trustee or governor of private and quoted companies, several charities, a professional body and a comprehensive school.

Mandy Errington

Mandy is a well-known, established local businesswoman and the owner of a popular fashion boutique in Ipswich. She possess key experience which spans over 30 years within the retail and marketing industries. Mandy is well versed with the Society’s operation, after her previous 14 years of service. Over this time she gained a succession of managerial promotions - which eventually led to her position as Head of Marketing for the overall Society. She has successfully pioneered a number of initiatives in the past and whilst running her own business.

Maria Veronese

Maria was first elected on the board in May 2016.  She is a qualified journalist who has worked in newspapers, radio and television in New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom.  Most of her career has been working for the BBC as a television producer and news reporter.  She also runs her own training and property businesses.  Maria’s a keen supporter of the East Anglian Air Ambulance, and has twice run the London Marathon, to raise money for the charity.