We are all local people with a passion for bringing communities to life through kindness, compassion and mutual respect.  As a group we bring lived and worked experience from Health, Housing and Social Services ,as well from the Business, Voluntary, Finance, Social Care and Tech sectors.

 

Nicola Marshall – Chief Officer

Nicola has worked in the heart of the community for over 10 years and is passionate about supporting people and helping to make a difference.

Prior to joining Knutsford Together, Nicola was a Community Connector in Crewe.  She worked with people in crisis and helped them find the right support to get to the root cause of the problem.  She is thrilled to be part of Knutsford Together, working alongside residents in further strengthening the incredible community spirit that already exists.

Nicola is also passionate about voluntary work and is Run Director for her local Parkrun, which is where you’ll find her most Saturday mornings!

Alison Chew – Deputy Chief Officer

Alison joined Knutsford Together in June 2025 and is committed to supporting and empowering people in the community to promote their wellbeing and health.

With 20 years experience working with Looked After Children as a Social Worker and also being a qualified Learning Disability Nurse, Alison has a wealth of knowledge and skills that she can put to good use for the benefit of our clients.

Passionate about enabling people to access the local community, support and services, Alison is looking forward to launching our Befriending Service to reduce isolation and loneliness in our area.

David Briggs CVO, MBE, KStJ – Trustee

David was Lord-Lieutenant of Cheshire until retirement in 2021. In this role David met people in poverty and discovered how difficult it is for those in real need to find the help they need. Very often the support needed does exist, but it is not easy to find.  For those who need more than one sort of help there is sadly little or no existing connection between different helping organisations. With the experience of setting up a successful Connection Service in West Cheshire, David had the idea of bringing this new charity to his hometown of Knutsford.

“Over the last three years I have been delighted to see the charity expand and to see it help many of those in need in the town. Perhaps the biggest surprise has been to discover how, for many, the biggest issue in their lives is loneliness and so I am delighted that we have recently begun a befriending service – so if you would like someone to visit you just for a cup of tea and a chat do let us know. 

We now have many friends across the town and surrounding villages – please let us know if you think we might be able to connect you to that person who can be of help – no problem is too big or too small. Our objective is that everyone should live a  happy and fulfilled life. “

David (2025)

Rayna Jackson – Trustee

Rayna is a chartered accountant and former partner in PWC. She has been a non-executive director of 2 NHS hospitals and a trustee of a number of not for profit organisations.

Now retired, Rayna kindly offered to bring her wealth of finance and administrative experience to help sustain and enable Knutsford Together to flourish.

Rayna is delighted to be able to share in the enthusiasm and dedication that The Team foster, and is uplifted by stories of the positive impact that  our has, and continues to make, in the community. 

Sarah Flannery – Trustee

Sarah has a media and marketing background. Educated in Ireland, she moved to Cheshire after graduation and has done much for community life in Knutsford. She has served as a parish councillor and is a huge advocate of the value of community volunteering as the glue that holds our town together.

Locally, she is best known for her work with the Knutsford Hosts, having founded and chaired the scheme which has been running for 12 years. The Hosts are the backbone of most of the town’s events and activities and were honoured with The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2019. Sarah was awarded a Civic Award in 2021. Sarah also was the driving force behind the hugely popular Knutsford Promenades and its Knutsford Heritage Open Days events. She works part-time in property and is involved with numerous organisations in the town.

Dr. Paddy Kearns – Trustee

Senior Partner, Knutsford Medical Partnership

Having been born and brought up in South Manchester, Paddy studied medicine in St Andrews and Manchester Universities, before working in Manchester, Glasgow and New Zealand prior to settling in Knutsford. In addition to being senior partner at KMP, he has also held several associated roles: GP trainer, Responsible Officer, and Chair of Vernova Healthcare CIC the local GP federation.

He feels privileged to live and work in a great place and is proud of the amazing work that people do for the town. He passionately believes that by working together across all boundaries we can achieve great things.