A Decade of Difference
In 2016, Voluntary Action Oldham and CVAT merged to form Action Together. Ten years on, we continue to strengthen communities by providing essential development support, funding and guidance across the voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise sector.
To celebrate this significant milestone, we invited colleagues from across Oldham, Rochdale and Tameside to join us for a special celebration event at Mahdlo.
The day began with a warm welcome from Action Together Chief Executive Officer, Liz Windsor-Welsh, and Chair, Camilla Guereca. This was followed by reflections on the past decade, exploring how Action Together came to be, celebrating our achievements, and looking ahead to our aspirations for the future.
Colleagues had the opportunity to share their own experiences of working at Action Together, from those who have been with the organisation since the 2016 merger and have grown alongside it, to others who have recently joined the team and are excited to begin their journey with us.
Staff were also encouraged to discuss their ambitions for Action Together, highlighting what helps them stay well at work and identifying opportunities to further support wellbeing and maintain manageable workloads.
A Very Special Birthday Message...
Our members across Oldham, Rochdale and Tameside shared wonderful birthday messages to Action Together, thanking us for years of support and wishing many more years to come.
Thank you to all our members who sent videos in, we loved watching your messages at our celebration event!
Celebrating Together
A buffet lunch was enjoyed by all, followed by an afternoon of activities including yoga, Brazilian dance, drumming sessions and screen printing.
To mark the occasion, staff members were invited to finish work early and spend the sunny afternoon together, taking time to relax, unwind and celebrate.
Everyone also received a commemorative Action Together tote bag containing a branded notepad, a 'Plant Your Pencil' and a special anniversary badge.
Recognising Outstanding Commitment
Long Service Awards were presented to colleagues who had reached a landmark year of service:
- Camilla Guereca – 10 years
- Julie Cliffe – 10 years
- Julie Cunliffe – 15 years
- Liz Windsor-Welsh – 20 years
We thank them for their dedication and commitment to Action Together.
Goodbye Phil
We also took a moment to say a heartfelt thank you to Phil Trelease, Director of Finance and Operations, who will be retiring in the coming months.
Members of Phil's team shared their sincere appreciation for his guidance, support and leadership over the years, as well as the invaluable contribution he has made to Action Together.
Phil shared, “A brilliant day and a great high on which to finish my career. It was fantastic to be able to say my goodbyes in person and also to be able to thank everyone for their help and support over the last nine years. I shall certainly be watching Action Together's new chapter from the sidelines with great interest. Best wishes to you all.”
We wish Phil a long, happy and well-deserved retirement.
Final Words of Appriciation
Action Together Chief Executive Officer, Liz Windsor-Welsh, shared the following message of thanks and appreciation:
"What an incredible way to spend a Monday! It was fantastic to be in a room together with so many of you, celebrating our journey over the last decade and looking forward to what the next ten years might require of us all.
I was bowled over with the sense of unity and purpose that so many of you bring to your work, and the impact this has when we come together. So many of the conversations I had were people expressing their connection to Action Together and the personal journeys they have been on too. We celebrated ‘A Decade of Difference’ and it’s incredible to see the difference you make every day.
It was great to have some of our Board with us too – and amazing for them to meet you and share in the buzz of the day. The Happy Birthday video from our members was the icing on the cake. There were some emotional goodbyes to Phil, and he gave a cracking speech in thanks to everyone.
Thanks to the team of people behind the event, and to everyone that led an activity and contributed on the day. You brought fun, laughter and cake with some yoga, screen printing, and drumming in the mix. Here’s to another ten years of Action Together!"
Chair of the Board of Trustees, Camilla Guereca, also shared some words of thanks,
"I wanted to thank the team for organising such a lovely celebration for Action Together’s 10th birthday - it was a perfect mix of celebration, reflection and fun and the atmosphere in the room was inspirational.
Looking forward to many more positive times ahead."