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Welcome to the Team page, the team at New Hope send a meaningful and warm welcome to everyone who takes the time to visit the site and shop. The main aim of this page is to give you an insight of the team. Here you can find a more personal insight to each member but not only will you find information on the staff but also information on the Trustees.

Gordon Taylor is the managing Director and founder of New Hope Llantwit Major. Gordon is a retired building contractor, and he has been involved with charity work since 1998. He has undergone many local charity work which also includes overseas projects as far as Sri Lanka, and of course Nicaragua. Gordon and his wife Heather formed the charity shop in Llantwit Major in November 2002 which was formerly known as Peace and Hope Charity Shop before being becoming independent and altering the name to New Hope Llantwit Major. Gordon has been involved with Peace and Hope since 1998 and still keeps in regular contact with Peace and Hope. In Gordon's early days he served on active duty with The Royal Welsh Fusiliers in the Malayan Emergency, he also served with The Royal Engineers in the Suez Crisis. In 2004 Gordon received an award from the Rotary for his service to international charities.

Hollie Billington started off as a performing arts student where she gained an NCFE, BTEC, HND and BA HONS degree for Performance Skills, Musical Theatre, Community Theatre, and Performing arts and Theatre Studies. Hollie was studying for six years. Whilst there she learned the business side of the performing arts business where she learned how to manage, promote and publicize and finance the performing arts which she helped form a theatre company with three others called Theatre Electriq. Hollie graduated in 2009 with honours and joined the New Hope team in 2010. She started on a scheme which lasted six months, but was asked to stay on permanently. Hollie provides creativity, presentation, customer service and a modern approach. Hollie travelled with the team to Nicaragua and met the Nuevas Esperanzas team and learned about the hands on work that the team do every day. Nicaragua was an eye - opening experience for her and it really hit home at how little they have. It was a fantastic experience! Hollie has since become Co - Manager along with her friend and colleague Megan John and is office Manager to New Hope where she manages emails and does all the paperwork for New Hope. She also communicates with the IT Consultant her long time best friend Leanne Weston who has an ICT Degree (BA Hons). Hollie brings flair, creativity, humour, and has a shoulder for anyone who needs it. Hollie finds her new role very challenging and is always learning new things all the time to fulfil her role to the best to the ability. Hollie enjoys her work and is always keen to help and make a difference to the community and to the people in Nicaragua.

Megan John started off studying public services for 2 years in college, where she gained a BTEC national diploma. After gaining a place in a customer service course, she began volunteering for The British Heart Foundation Charity Shop where she gained much valued experience in the charity shop business from sorting and pricing donations, to maintaining the books and other departments, to researching and pricing valuable collectibles. After 18 months and being trained as a key holder, Megan left to become part of the New Hope team. Megan joined New Hope Llantwit Major Charity shop in July 2010, while participating in a government scheme called The Future Jobs Fund for 6 months, she was then asked to stay on permanently. Megan has worked up to become Co - Manager of New Hope over the last 2 years, along with her friend and colleague Hollie Billington. Megan hopes to travel to Nicaragua sometime in the future to get a better understanding of the place and poverty involved in South America and other places like it. She also looks forward to seeing the different projects and hands on work that New Hope and the Nuevas Esperanzas team have put into place to help relieve these people as much as we can. Megan brings nearly 4 years of charity shop and customer service experience. We have also enlarged our book department in our new extension, in which time Megan has become the head of the book department in which she is responsible for developing and maintaining its transformation into a completely organised 'book room' at the rear of the shop. So if there is ever anything you can't find please ask for Megan she will always be happy to help.

Barbara "Babs" Hasson - New Hope Volunteer. As one of the many volunteers at New Hope it is an honour that I have been asked to write a section based on the work we do in the shop. So this is my story. I have been working here for a number of years. I feel so privileged to be able to give something back to the community in helping the charity shop with the fantastic work it does! I thank God that He brought me to the shop and also Gordon and Heather for allowing me to work there. I worked for the Bank of Wales/Scotland for sixteen years and was made redundant with many of their employees some ten years ago. I lived in Cardiff and moved to St Athan where I brought my own house. It felt quite lonely and isolated as my family lived and worked in Cardiff, and so, therefore, being a part of this shop has helped me to make new friends and colleagues in staff and customers, thus opening my life in a wonderful way and breathing in confidence. The people I work with, staff and volunteers are so helpful and caring, it's opened my life up and I just love coming into work here, it's like one big family! The Volunteers pride themselves on helping and accommodating customers with their purchases. They coincide with the management team to keep the shop looking clean, tidy and welcoming and keeps the shop functioning. They are always keen to assist in any way they can. It also gives people a sense of purpose and belonging as they interact with different people. It also gives volunteers a chance to learn new skills and gain a higher self - esteem and confidence within themselves.

Mike Boorah Accountant, after A Levels I went to Southampton University to study Mathematics and Oceanography. I obtained a BSc Hons in Mathematics in 1974. Joined a large firm of accountants in 1974 and in 1978 qualified as a Chartered Accountant. Now a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). During the next 25 years or more worked in Industry in many different sectors of British business, including the entertainment, retail, public services and computer sectors. Ultimately I fulfilled Financial Director roles and after finishing with those roles started my own business providing financial, tax and administrative services to private individuals and businesses. I became involved with New Hope in 2008 and I provide Accounting, Legal, Administrative and General Business expertise to the Trustees of the Charity including all financial and legal filings to Companies House and the Charity Commission. New Hope’s work and mission is challenging, especially in the current economic climate. Looking to the future the Charity will explore new methods of connecting with the general population to increase donations to continue and expand the work being funded for the under privileged in Nicaragua. We will also explore vigorously the possibility of funding from larger funders. I am looking forward to this exciting challenge.

If you want to find out more about the Trustees please click here to meet the Trustees.