Your Co-op Live - Wellbeing Matters Hosts and Guests

Clinical Psychologist, Founder, ThinkAvellana

Dr Hazel Harrison set up ThinkAvellana with a mission to bring psychology out of the clinic and into workplaces and schools. Harnessing her belief that prevention is better than cure, she develops and delivers keynotes and training workshops on a range of wellbeing and mental health topics.

These include ‘How to build resilience’, ‘The upside of stress’, ‘Mindfulness matters’, ‘Learning from failure’, ‘How to recognise and apply your strengths’ and ‘The science of happiness’.

She’s worked with the BBC, Daily Mail Group, Fremantle, Royal Ballet School, Saatchi & Saatchi, The Times and Universal Music. Her local clients include Birketts, East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices, East of England Co-Op, Howes Percival plus numerous primary and secondary schools and colleges.

Partnership Manager, Public Health Suffolk

Adam Baker is the Most Active County Partnership Manager at Suffolk County Council and physical activity lead for Public Health Suffolk. Over the last 12 months he has spearheaded the Keep Moving Suffolk campaign to help and support people of all ages across Suffolk to be active during the coronavirus pandemic. Adam’s previous roles include Suffolk Project Manager for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and Sports Development Manager for Ipswich. Outside work he enjoys running, cycling and table tennis. 

CEO, Rural Coffee Caravan

Ann moved to Suffolk in 1987 from Hertfordshire and stayed at home to raise her family. She joined the Rural Coffee Caravan in 2004 as a part time manager.  At that time there was one vehicle which carried out around 40 visits during that year. Ann is now the full time CEO, with 4 vehicles and 6 team members, together with a number of volunteers.  They work hard to keep rural people connected and informed.  The Rural Coffee Caravan also run a very popular and successful network called MeetUpMondays which offers free coffee mornings in pubs and cafes, as guests of the publican or café manager/owner.  Ann is looking forward to getting back on the road and seeing people come together again as restrictions ease and we are able to be together again. 

Owner, Paul Thompson Events

Paul draws on 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, 19 years of which have been dedicated to honing his skills as a committed chef in the kitchens of hotels, restaurants and event catering companies. Paul’s career has also seen him involved in food development, where he has worked closely with some of Suffolk’s premier food producers.  

Now at the helm of his own business, Paul Thompson Events, he can be found anywhere from cooking in a field kitchen for 200 wedding guests, to a studio kitchen for international recording artists and, more recently, opening an in-house cafe for a national corporate client. 

Nikki Insley

Head of Membership, Community and Insight, East of England Co-op

Nikki has worked at the East of England Co-op for almost nine years.  As part of her role as Head of Membership, Community and Insight she oversees the membership programme and community outreach activity for the Society including the operation of the East of England Co-op Community Cares Fund.

The fund was created in response the Coronavirus pandemic. It uses grants to support community groups adapting and creating support services and activities in response to the crisis.  The first grants, totalling £75K, were shared amongst local foodbanks, Age UK and Community Foundations for Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex. In the last eight months the fund has given away more than £254K worth of grants with over £100K of these being to food banks and other organisations dealing with the consequences of food poverty. 

Helen Raven

Senior Community Manager, East of England Co-op

Helen has over 20 years’ experience in communications and marketing in the public sector and more recently for the East of England Co-op where she supported the Community Team before taking on the role of Senior Community Manager. 

Having started her career at a regional newspaper creating free websites for local good causes and charities to promote themselves and their activities, Helen has come full circle in her role helping local community groups to access funding and support.