This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it is a self-employed Community Economic Development Advisor with over 25 years’ experience in community and economic development. Since 1995 he has worked as a part-time International Fund for Ireland consultant in disadvantaged areas of Belfast.

In the 1970s, he was a voluntary director of the Shankill based Clothing Co-operative, the first workers’ co-operative in a Protestant area of Northern Ireland. His experience on the Shankill later led him to become a founding member and secretary of Community Business Northern Ireland.

He was the founder and manager of East Belfast Development Agency, the community business agency for the east of the city and the inaugural chairman of East Belfast Social Economy Company.

Sammy has also been involved in a number of important publications, including ‘Community Development in Protestant Areas’ and ‘Poverty Amongst Plenty’. He has written a number of feature articles for the Belfast Telegraph, Daily Ireland and Andersonstown News. He also had a weekly column in the East Belfast Observer.

Educated at Kelvin High School, University of Ulster and The Open University, Sammy is currently undertaking a Master’s Degree in Local and Regional Economic Development.

In 2003 he was awarded an MBE for services to the community and received a commendation for outstanding leadership from the US Department of Commerce.

This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it has 25 years’ experience of developing and managing not-for-profit organisations, most recently as Chief Executive of the East Belfast Partnership, where he had overall responsibility for management and strategic development.

Maurice is also one of the most experienced social economy practitioners in Northern Ireland, having been directly responsible for initiating and managing a number of community businesses over the past 15 years, including an espresso bar, home care service, community transport scheme, weekly newspaper and a property company. During the 1990s, when the social economy was in its infancy in NI, he chaired the East Belfast Development Agency, which delivered the innovative community business programme in the east of the city.

Now working full time on the management and development of the Partnership's social economy companies, Maurice has much more capacity to make his experience available on a consultancy basis through Avec Solutions. His key areas of expertise include strategic management, organisational business planning, team leadership, corporate governance and group facilitation.

With primary degrees in theology and social studies, Maurice has completed a number of post-graduate qualifications in organisational management, human resource management and business improvement.

This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it is managing consultant for Avec Solutions, overseeing the company’s Information and Communication Technology consultancy and other computer services. Geoffrey combines extensive hands-on experience of Windows network systems with strong management and communication skills, enabling him to offer Avec’s not-for-profit and social enterprise clients strategic ICT and business advice to meet their organisational needs.

Prior to joining the East Belfast Partnership and Avec Solutions, Geoffrey worked as a small business computer consultant, a secondary school teacher, and in a number of computer and administrative roles within a corporate environment. He has been on the East Belfast Partnership’s senior management team for many years and has played a key role in developing the Partnership’s range of social economy enterprises.

Geoffrey hails originally from Canada, where he obtained degrees in Economics and Mediaeval Studies (BSocSci) and English Literature (BA) at the University of Ottawa, in Education (BEd) at the University of Western Ontario, and in Theology (BTh) at Saint Paul University in Ottawa. He has also carried out post-graduate studies at Holy Cross Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts.