Our Development Team based at Head Office in Honiley

Stephanie Flower

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Stephanie Flower is the CEO of Ryder-Cheshire Volunteers

The impact of disability on social opportunity is something I have championed since childhood, and unsurprisingly, why I chose to move into the disability sector in 1999.

I was delighted to join RCV, in June 2009,  to lead the organisation into the new decade.  Having been tasked with developing both the infrastructure and capacity of the organisation, I intend to ensure that we move toward our Silver Jubilee year in 2011 as the leading provider of leisure and learning opportunities for adults with a physical disability in England.

Our plans for growth will see us more than double in size in the next 3 years.  During this period of capacity building, I am keen to ensure that we become trailblazers - leading the way as a best practice provider in the field of physical disability.

RCV has an enormous role to play in facilitating change, shaping lives and creating bright and promising futures - futures that won't necessarily involve us, but will be all the more richer for our involvement.  RCV adds colour, creates  pathways of opportunity and enables individuals to recognise their own potential. 

Ryder-Cheshire Volunteers was established in 1986 with an initial project in Wallingford, South Oxfordshire.The success of this first project, and the subsequent requests from other areas, lead to the development of other projects in surrounding areas. Today, RCV extends across the 7 counties of Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Warwickshire, Northamptonshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire.

Our vision is to reach as many people as possible in the future; something we intend to achieve through the development of RCV Branches in new geographical areas.  Our plans have been determined not only by our many successes in making a difference, but those people whose lives we are yet to reach, but whom have identified a need for future support.

For further information on our plans for your area, please email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call: 01926 485446.

Development Officers Imelda Richardson, Paul Linekar and Lorraine Murphy

Imelda Richardson

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I started my career as a hydrogeologist sinking wells in rural villages in Malawi. This kindled my interest in Third World Development. I had a number of jobs abroad before eventually heading WaterAid’s Overseas Programme supplying water, sanitation and hygiene education in 12 African countries.

When I married Chris I moved to the Midlands and began working for the environmental network, Groundwork. I ran a local Trust but was also involved in the strategic development of regional and national programmes.

I took a career break while my children were small and volunteered in my local community. Latterly I worked as a volunteer development advisor to community groups with my local CVS before joining RCV in May 2008.

Paul Linekar

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I've been married to Carol for 32 years and we have two grown up sons. I spent the first 25 years of my career working in Customer Service for two major utilities. British Gas & Severn Trent Water where I undertook a variety of middle management roles and played a key role in Severn Trent Waters preparation for the Year 2000. I then took on a senior management role for two years in the Financial services sector with Charles Schwab, again concentrating on Customer Service before moving to Britvic Soft Drinks IT department as a Project Manager, initially as an employee but for the last 18 months as a Consultant Contractor.

In May 2008 following the completion of my contract with Britvic the position of Development Officer with RCV gave me the opportunity to cut my working hours to allow me to spend more time with my family, including my young grandson and also fulfil a desire to "give something back" by working in the "third sector"..... and I haven't looked back !.

Lorraine Murphy

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I have worked in the Leisure Service industry in the Midlands for ten years, holding posts in the private and public sector. Most recently I worked for British Waterways as a Leisure and Development Manager across the West Midlands. In 2007  I joined RCV to assist the implementation of the Development Strategy.

Leisure continues to be an important driver for me, working in the development team we work to establish new branches, offering the RCV service to more people.