Meet the Team

I was delighted to join Offploy after a long and varied career as an RAF Officer, including service in Iraq, the Falklands, and the USA. Unfortunately, I served a short prison sentence but that experience taught me a lot about myself and those close to me, and opened up many opportunities to help others from less advantaged backgrounds than me. Helping fellow prisoners write letters, learn to read, and just survive day-to-day, showed me that more needed to be done.

After contacting Jacob Hill I started on a path of volunteering with Offploy on a project to provide more help to military and police veterans who have experienced the criminal justice system. I became part of the wider Offploy family and came to see that this is an inspirational organisation that I really wanted to be a part of and that I have a lot of experience that can be used to help ex-offenders back into work. I am now a Team Leader and I enjoy using my experience to support colleagues to help ex-offenders move back into secure and sustained employment.

In my spare time I have a lot of interests which keep me busy. In the past I have been in many musicals, sung in choirs and I still love to go to the theatre to see shows old and new. I collect all sorts of things such as stamps, coins, and militaria, and I can often be found sorting and cataloguing my collections. I also spend a lot of time on my garden and walking “Eddie”, my little Parsons Russell terrier.

I would like to nominate Rik He has shown some great leadership and support across the projects team with not only managing the legacy CLLD and Groundworks programmes but also with the introduction of the new Kent based programme. Rik is always there when support is needed and actions anything you need very quickly and effectively. It was great to work with Rik this month where he met some of our Leeds based candidates which and added some valued support to their journey.

Nominations for

Colleague of the Month

He’s a good team leader always helps when you need it and he made the process of joining the team easy 

My nomination this month goes to Rik.  Rik has an absolute mind of knowledge when it comes to IAG Information Advice and Guidance. The support and helping hand when needed is second to non. I have done this role for many years, yet the information on ‘out of the box thinking’ is always truly grateful coming from Rik with new ideas, and he never seems to be put out of his way by anything. Heart of gold and a joy to work alongside, I know if I need support or guidance, I am able to pick up the phone and discuss this with him, and he always leads me in the right direction.

Rik is an outstanding Team Leader, who is an overall wealth of knowledge, gives the best advice and never fails to deliver. He strives on teamwork and has excellent ethic in all areas. Rik goes out of his way, explains what needs to be done, makes you feel great at what you do and consistently praises where needed. Calls to Rik are always happy and helpful and I know that I can call anytime and he always picks his phone up. A fantastic leader who just gets better and isn’t afraid to go out, smash those presentations and do this with pride.

Rik For his excellent work on delivering disclosure training to Maximus. Rik has taken his knowledge on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and put together a training guide which is immensely useful especially for those who lack suitable knowledge of the subject matter. Feedback has been great which is positive and this has resulted in further opportunities.

I would nominate Rik as he has been a great and supportive manager and shows he really understands how to support his colleagues when they need it most.

My nomination this month is Rik.  I have enjoyed so much support from him since I joined his team, and I am more than grateful.  He has worked hard to achieve the Veterans Silver Award for Offploy (even if he did break it!) and is a credit to this organisation.

Please could I nominate Rik on account of his excellent work in Employers Services

I would like to nominate Rik.   Rik is a constant support to my growth.

My COTM goes to Rik who has done two and a half jobs while running a team and building employer services. Rik can turn his hand to candidate support, leadership and delivering stellar sessions to frontline staff in the social sector. He’s versatile, caring and exemplary!

He is just a lovely human who cares about his team, candidates and Offploy. He always has a solution to a problem.

I want to nominate Rik. Thank you, Rik, for all the constant reminders to drive safe.

I would like to nominate Rik. He gives unrivalled support to his team and is there whenever you just need to bounce something off him. Whenever you email him with an issue, he answers promptly with the wisdom of years of experience.

Nominations for

Colleague of the Year

My nomination for COTQ is Rik.  Rik has gone above and beyond this quarter.  Apart from being a great manager and bringing on new colleagues, he has successfully steered Offploy to Silver status with the Veterans Programme and managed to find time (and energy) to visit a whole load of offices to deliver really well received information and training on disclosure.  Nothing is ever a daft question for Rik.  He’s a great colleague and I hope friend.

I would like to nominate Rik, for being a good team leader, always available for advice and support and gives good useful and constructive feedback and also for employing me.

Rik has been a rock since I started, always sharing information, skills and care. Now I have the pleasure of being on his team and feel like I can take on the world, knowing Rik is by my side.