Community First, Swindon and Wiltshire’s Rural Community Council, has appointed Lynn Gibson as its new chief executive.
She replaces Philippa Read, who retired last month after eight years in the role and 23 years at the organisation, a charity that aims to help improve the quality of life and economic well-being of people and local communities throughout Wiltshire and Swindon. 
Lynn joined Community First in 2008 as assistant chief executive to oversee its merger with Youth Action Wiltshire. Since then she has developed programmes dealing with financial exclusion, improving health, skills development and learning and supporting the elderly.
Community First celebrates its 50th anniversary this year – a landmark that will prove itself to be one of the busiest in the charity’s history. It plans to redouble efforts to sign up volunteers across its range of services and expand its work and learning so the most vulnerable can be better supported.
Having recently moved into new premises at Hopton Business Park in Devizes, Community First can now expand its activities and run more development programmes for a range of community groups.
Lynn said: “I am delighted and proud to have an opportunity to lead such a fantastic charity, one that I believe in and which does such great work locally. I want to thank the committed group of Trustees at Community First who have shown faith in me to lead at this important time.
“Meeting the identified needs of Wiltshire’s communities at a time of reducing public services has considerable implications for Community First. It will require us to be streamlined and efficient in the way we operate to provide maximum benefit to the local communities that we serve.”
Chairman of the Trustees Dr Martin Hamer added: “We were all delighted that Lynn has accepted this role. We are confident that she can build on and develop all the resources of Community First to the benefit of the many diverse and disparate groups that we serve.”
