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Newbridge Memo & Siobhan Saunders, Barclays Partner Finance

Board Bank

The Arts Organisation: Newbridge Memo

The Memo was founded by miners to bring culture to Newbridge and the surrounding area. As a venue, it has always been at the heart of the community, evolving over time to reflect local needs. Today, it houses a number of community-focused tenants and presents a mixture of events and activities, including clubs, classes, comedy nights and live music.

The Challenge:

The Memo re-opened in 2015, following a major redevelopment. Since then, it had struggled to operate sustainably and faced an imminent threat of closure. The charity required crucial business expertise to enable it to navigate this unprecedented crisis and the Heritage Lottery asked A&B Cymru for its urgent assistance. As part of the resulting recovery plan, an Advisory Panel of industry leaders was established to provide crucial advice and guidance.

The Adviser: Siobhan Saunders

Siobhan is a Senior Finance Business Partner at Barclays Partner Finance. She joined the Professional Development Programmes to expand her knowledge of the third sector, seeing it as an opportunity to test her expertise and share it with a charity that could benefit from it.

The Results

For: Newbridge Memo

Siobhan Saunders joined the Advisory Panel to support the Memo through its crisis and identify a route to sustainability.  She was instrumental in steering the organisation’s financial management, laying the foundations for a sustainable future.

As the situation stabilised, Siobhan joined the Memo’s Board. Her collaborative spirit, unwavering commitment and genuine passion for the organisation’s mission inspired her colleagues and contributed significantly to the team’s cohesion and morale.

Siobhan’s oversight of key financial operations has:

  • Ensured fiscal responsibility
  • Fostered an environment of trust and transparency
  • Applied analytical acumen and strategic foresight to enable the charity to navigate financial complexities with confidence.
  • Led to the organisation achieving its first surplus in eight years.

For: Siobhan

Being a part of the Memo’s Board benefited Siobhan, both personally and professionally. It provided her with a sense of accomplishment, purpose and has given her an opportunity to make a tangible difference to a local community. As a Trustee she has:

  • Expanded her network
  • Refined her financial management skills
  • Enhanced her strategic planning and fiscal oversight capabilities.
  • Gained significant experience in the non-profit sector

The Endorsement:

Siobhan Saunders has made an indelible mark on Newbridge Memo through her exceptional professional and personal qualities. Her direct oversight of key financial operations has ensured fiscal responsibility and fostered an environment of trust and transparency. Her analytical acumen, coupled with her strategic foresight, has enabled Newbridge Memo to navigate financial complexities with confidence. Her collaborative spirit, unwavering commitment, and genuine passion for the organisation’s mission have inspired colleagues and contributed significantly to the team’s cohesion and morale

James Clayton Jones, Chairperson, Newbridge Memo

 

Being a Trustee of Newbridge Memo has been fulfilling both personally and professionally, it has been wonderful to see the charity’s revitalisation, growth and become part of the community. I have been able to apply my expertise in a different sector by becoming Treasurer and directly supporting the development of the charity. I have learnt much about the wider organisation and third sector, things I would not experience in my day job. This has contributed to my personal growth and enhanced my problem-solving skills, resilience and adaptability. I have met some great like-minded individuals from a variety of backgrounds and importantly it has been a fun and enlightening opportunity.

Siobhan Saunders, Senior Finance Business Partner, Barclays Partner Finance