Hello Felix, thanks Matthew

Gareth Morgan wrote, to all VSSN members:-

As you will know from announcements in the spring, VSSN went out to tender for provision of an Executive Officer role needed to support the Network.  The outcome was that we entered into an agreement with the Association of University Administrators (AUA) to provide this, and Matthew McClelland was the named Exec Officer - his work began from 1 April this year.

Since then, Matthew has made a huge contribution to the work of VSSN. Many of our procedures are now streamlined through the AUA office, and he has contributed greatly in helping the VSSN Steering Group itself to be more effective.  He has done a great deal in contacting people (as a result of SG suggestions) to build links and grow the membership.  The infrastructure is now there to allow VSSN to engage effectively in growing our activities and participating in new initiatives that will support the community of voluntary sector researchers.

AUA advised us at the start of this month that Matthew was leaving AUA to take up a post at Queen Mary, University of London, which means he also has to step down as VSSN Executive Officer.  We are very sad to lose him, but the VSSN Steering Group was very happy to approve AUA's nomination of Felix Mussell to replace him.   Apart from the support to VSSN, Felix holds the role of Membership Services Manager at AUA - he also has a good deal of interest in the sector having held significant voluntary roles in two different voluntary/community organisations.

Felix and Matthew are working closely on the handover arrangements, and Felix will formally take over as VSSN Executive Office from today, 1 October, although you will see his name on the VSSN membership subs renewal letters which have just gone out.   Felix will take over the VSSN e-mail and telephone number, so the contact details for the VSSN office remain unchanged, as shown on our Contacts page.

Both Matthew and Felix were at the recent NCVO/VSSN Researching the Voluntary Sector Conference, and no doubt many of you may have met one or both of them in the various sessions.