Community North West is now a registered charity and it's chairman is Doctor M Ikram Malik MBE.

Community North West is a registered charity and the chairman is Dr M Ikram Malik MBE. At our AGM in October 2006, the following were voted onto our committee.

Marlene Amoo – Sports Council England, Jan Brooker - Liverpool, Hazel Catt – RENEW, Rosie Cooper – MP, Sue Dutton - Sure Start Preston, Dave Eatock – Warrington, Carl Glynn – Cumbria, Trish Hickey, Heywood New Deal, Dr Lal Khan – Bury Pakistan Welfare Assoc, Barbara Lowndes – Community Matters, Sean Moonan – Birkenhead, Sally Orrell – Cumbria, Chris Trueblood – Salford City Council, Claire Wilson – Crewe andf Andy Wynne – Manchester. Our Company Secretary is Mark Heaton of KM Accountants Burnley.

CNW was founded in May 1997. It has now developed into a vibrant Networking and Communication membership Forum for Community Groups and small Voluntary organisations in the North West, and is currently operating as a Company Limited by Guarantee and a Registered Charity. It has independent funding and is therefore able to work across all sectors.

Our intention is to keep the community and voluntary sector informed and ensure that the voice of these groups is heard when decisions are being made about the regional development of the North West; not just on community and voluntary sector issues but on a wide range of other issues - political, social and economic. Many people fear the ‘professionalisation’ of the voluntary sector and think there is a danger of smaller, less well established groups being disenfranchised and marginalised in regional policies. This major concern led to the establishment of our organisation. Thanks to the pioneering work of Community North West, Regional Bodies now all acknowledge the Community Sector and its specific and distinctive role.

All our trustees are experienced, committed and passionate advocates of the community and voluntary sectors working together to understand and influence regional policies whether or not Regional Government is introduced.

We are currently non-fee paying and, although we have a membership criteria, we are open and receptive to views and participation in our discussions. Membership is continually growing via invitations, member nominations and self-referrals from organisations who have heard of us and support our aims. Any individual or organisation wishing to become a member should contact our Administrative Office on 01282 692323. We plan to develop as a membership organisation and we have recently applied to the Charities Commission to register as a Regional Community Capacity Building Body.

Structure

Our Board of Directors (led by our Chair, Dr. lkram Malik) manage the business of CNW, oversee issues, handle general administrative matters, deal with comments/feedback and plan events and conferences etc. As and when necessary we form working groups to undertake specific tasks, such as research, networking, policy, etc.