Christopher Pollard Email & Phone Number

My working life has revolved and evolved around relationship and business development.  In my early career, 30 years in the fashion textile business, I traveled extensively throughout Europe, to New York and The Far East sourcing textiles.I gained a rich, and useful knowledge of global business cultures, which I use to this day.In 1994 I worked for a UK Textile Agency. Within two years I took over the agency, invested in technology, embraced change and learned how eastern business is executed, further developing as a successful collaborator and mediator.In 2003, for my health, I stepped away from the Textile Business to live up a mountain in SW Turkey for 6/9 months each year. Over the following 7 years, I learned about an Eastern culture, their language and gained peace of mind only returning to the UK early 2011 for family health reasons. I decided to re-engage with the world of business with a variety of charity ambassadorial roles and realised my passion for relationship building was even more important. With a brief spell as a partner in a telecoms partner, a business sector that was not for me, I was introduced to an educational charity in 2017 and appointed to their board and subsequently appointed CEO in 2019. The charity was in financial difficulties but with the support of an excellent SMT, within 2 years, we turned it around.Having completed our goals to financially stabilise the charity, I stepped down in July 2021.In October 2021, I was invited - on a voluntary basis - to help co-ordinate a bi-monthly Cancer Support Group Kent - a role I still do.In January 2022, for a division of Breast Cancer Now - 'Someone Like Me', I took on a 2nd voluntary role and I was trained to become a Volunteer Telephone Supporter to men who's partners are going through Breast Cancer. Both roles are extremely rewarding and being a good listener is key, as it is in life generally. Also, in January 2022, I started to explore the opportunity to develop a new Charity in the Rother district of East Sussex.A Befriending Service - 'Friends Altogether in Rother' - for the over 65s, focusing on Friendship, Fellowship and Fun. I hope to have this registered as a CIO by the end of 2022 and initial funding in place for early 2023. and finally, I recently applied and was accepted as a panel member for the Adult Social Services Panel for Rother District Council with a view to encourage and action much needed change and development of local Social Services.