bobbi

 Hi, I’m Bobbi and I am part of  SPARK, which basically means I am essentially the behind-the-scenes organiser and supporter for successful projects. I play a crucial role in keeping things running smoothly and on track.

I have been a part of SPARK since the very start, I listened to a dream that Kim had and the reasons behind it and helped to make it a reality. 

My background is Early Years and I am really passionate about safeguarding and special educational needs. I am greatly satisfied by helping people, meeting them where they are at and making a difference to their lives. 

I have lived on Fitton Hill since I was born and I am really passionate about my community. I am a really sociable person who loves spending time with my family and friends. I am a mum of two, a dance troupe principal and a community worker. 

I always say “I didn’t choose my job, it choose me”. I love that no two days are the same, it brings me new challenges and warms my heart. 

Hey, I'm Georgie and I'm one of the team here at Spark. My job varies from day to day, from planning and delivering baby groups, to planning HAF provisions, to being lead at the HAF sessions and more, I'm more than happy to get stuck in and help out where I can, no day is the same and that's just one of the things I love about this job.

My passion in life is I genuinely just want to help people and the community. I want to help change lives and make them easier, in any way I can, and that's what I love about SPARK, we adapt to the needs of the community to make changes in the best way.

Running our baby groups means so much to me because I was once a nervous parent turning up to a group for the first time and I know how important it is to have a friendly face greet you in a safe environment where you and your child can socialise.

I am loud enthusiastic person who has a love for cleaning, socialising with friends and animals. In my spare time I enjoy going to live music events and gigs.  

 My name is Zoe and I’m a community worker at SPARK.

I have lived on Fitton Hill, all my life and I’m passionate about helping people to find a better version of themselves and adapt their lives to be who they want to be. I have lived experience and want to invest my time in others to help them to improve themselves, just like I have done with myself. 

Since working for SPARK. I have been accepted for who I am , and work has been tailored to my abilities. I would never have  thought I would have been able to plan ,help and deliver successful women's groups .But here I am, doing that. Helping myself and others is what

I'm most passionate about.
 

In my spare time I love to read , and spent quality time with my family.  And binge watch a NETFLIX show or 2.

Hi my names Clare and I am the women’s support worker here at SPARK. 

From my experience as a children’s social worker and working in statutory services, I have observed gaps in support that is available to woman, this along with my own personal life experiences, motivated me to want to make a change for the woman in my community. 

I am passionate about working with people with lived experience to develop and tailor the support that we offer. I want to create a cycle of support which helps woman to rise and flourish and in turn those women then support others to do the same. 

I am a bubbly scouser who is always up for a brew and a chat. I enjoy playing netball and watching my son play football.

 Hi My name is Kerry and I'm a community worker at spark.  I get to be part of the walking group and wow I love it not only do I get to go on lovely walks with amazing people I get to listen to people's stories and how just going on a walk has changed metal health for the better. There is one person I really  honour and look up to in my life and that my grandad he used to also run walking groups and when I was little  I would go along to walk with my grandad . He was not only kind generous beautiful soul also he always used to say to never change and always be kind it's people like you that make a difference. And I know my grandad is watching me and he would be so proud to be part of a community spark that changes people lives for the better.

Hi My names Stephanie,  but everyone calls me Stephie.
 

Here at SPARK I am community worker and no 2 days are the same but that's what I love about it.

I'm passionate about helping others as I have lived experience and I’ve been on the other side. I absolutely understand that working on yourself when your struggling makes that task twice as hard and if I can support and ease that I will. 

In my spare time I like to read and I love films especially a good horror film !✌🏾😬
 

Hi, I’m Lisa and I’m the Community Engagement Lead for SPARK Oldham.

I’ve lived in Oldham for the past 50 years but Fitton Hill has a special place in my life as its where I grew up and lived with my husband.

I have over 20 years of experience working in Communities, mainly in the Fitton Hill area but also throughout Salford and Knowsley. I love being part of a team who work to help support communities to make positive changes to lives and want to be an integral part of the journey.

Working at SPARK no two days are the same and are very varied. An important part of my day is researching and applying for funding to enable us to deliver projects and activities across Oldham. I also network and create relationships and partnerships with local social enterprises and businesses identifying opportunities to work together for the benefit of local communities.
It’s great to be able to say I love my job 😊
 

Hi I’m Amy

I am the Community Development Lead at Spark and I spend my time managing the different programmes we have running across Oldham and working closely with the facilitators to make sure our content is targeted and effective.
 

I have come from an education background and I'm really passionate about supporting Young People and equipping them with the skills and tools they need to look after their own emotional wellbeing to enable them to play a successful part in their community.
 

I love working with different people who have lived experience so that as a team,  we can really tailor the support we provide so that it can be meaningful and make a big impact.
 

I'm a mum of 2 and enjoy spending my free time with my family. I love being outdoors, especially walking the dog.
 

Hi, I’m John, 

a community worker at Spark Oldham. You’ll usually find me chatting with people, offering a listening ear, or putting the kettle on — I’m always on hand with a brew. I came to this role from an electrical background, so it’s been a big change, but one I’ve truly enjoyed. 

I love helping people feel supported, connected, and confident using our space and services. Whether it’s troubleshooting something technical or simply being someone to talk to, I’m here to help.

Hi I’m Ellie, I am the admin here at SPARK.

My role is supporting the smooth and efficient operation of an organisation. I support the team and if anyone needs any job doing involving typing, emailing, researching, reporting etc they will find me at my laptop and I am always happy to help. 

I am currently in my final year at University, studying Business & Management.

I am passionate about making a positive impact, through my work, studies and in my personal life. 

When I am not working or studying I spend my free time travelling and exploring new places.
 

Hi my name is Raz, i am a community worker for Spark. I have lived in Oldham all my life. As a youngster growing up in a challenging environment, the activities were very limited. I am from a very diverse background, which has been an education within itself. This was the tool I needed to reach out and learn different cultures within Oldham, then eventually beyond. I am a self taught linguist. This was the key for me, to take the opportunity. Growing up in various cultures and backgrounds enabled me to Communicate, learn, understand and educate myself about the multi diverse community we have here in Oldham and also allowed me to connect. This was the SPARK moment for me. Breaking down barriers, creating unity in the community.

One of my passions is Sign language and raising Deaf Awareness. This also helped me connect with the Deaf community. These skills allowed me to work in FE, Further Education. From there I have worked 28 years and counting in Secondary Schools. Another passion is to support the youth, so that they can have opportunities and lead them to a better future. I met Kim 20 years ago at the YIP, Youth Inclusion Project. This was a safe area for the youth, who were facing challenges themselves. It gave them some form of belonging and also, where they could get quality support, gain qualifications, participation, and really bring out their potential. After all those years, seeing the same building being resurrected as SPARK, The team there are truly passionate people, who understand the Issues surrounding our youth and the community. Spark gave me an opportunity to be part of the journey and I feel the next chapter will be even better. I feel energized and know that Spark has already and is continuing to make positive changes in the Oldham area.

We are the Spark Familia. Supportive, Passionate,Achieve, Re-light, Knowledge. (Spark)
 

Hi, I’m Cameron and I’ve been a young leader at SPARK since June 2024.

I’ve been raised on Fitton Hill all my life, and throughout my time here I’ve seen a lot of disparity, my own experiences with failures of the social services system, and my younger brother’s experiences with failures of the education system. Having witnessed this, I’ve gained a passion for helping young and vulnerable people within our community, and by working at SPARK I know that I’m helping to achieve this.

I help to run the junior youth club every Monday, partake in the Truth of the Youth group every Wednesday (a place for young people like myself to express our opinions and work towards a goal), and help with the HAF sessions and other bits and bobs that need some extra support. As a young person I feel that I can better communicate with people more my age, and so being a youth worker just makes sense.

Besides working at SPARK, I’m a sixth form student working towards finishing my A-levels and going to Uni to be a social worker, where I’ll be able to continue supporting the youth, and hopefully carry on working alongside the fantastic team here at SPARK, as I honestly couldn’t wish for a more brilliant group of people to spend my time with.
 

  Hello my name is Courtney

I am a community worker here at SPARK!  I have worked with SPARK since 2024 💜

Working weekly at the local Youth club, for Primary and Secondary targeted children, has allowed for the children to have a safe, stable and warm place to meet their friends, amongst being provided with a fantastic range of activities planned by myself and my lovely coworkers! In the school holidays I also support with the running of sessions that provide children of the community physical activities such as sports and crafts (my favourite! You’ll find me at the table usually full of glitter and glue) Alongside this, I am training to become a primary school teacher! I’m dedicated to making a difference in the community and creating fun, supportive spaces for young people to grow and thrive. What I enjoy most about SPARK is seeing how much confidence and creativity grows in the young people we work with — it’s so rewarding to be part of their journey!
 

Hi my name is Kim and I put the K in SPARK! (special K if you like). I am the founder at Team SPARK. 

I am originally from the Isle of Man, but I have lived in Oldham for around 20 years and I have been working with, and supporting a range of communities and groups ever since. 

My passion for starting SPARK was ignited by my desire for helping people to be the best version of themselves and observing their lives change for the better fills me with happiness. 

Since the launch of SPARK, I have seen the growth of confidence, skills and experience within the staff and volunteers which have then been positively projected to the community members they support. 

We provide a wide range of groups that support different demographics of members. It is very rewarding and makes me feel proud to witness the team excelling in what they do best- being awesome!
 

Hi, I'm Graham, one of the Directors at Spark Oldham. 

I have worked in the community for 26 years, carrying out various roles including within a housing setting, volunteering, charity, community interest companies and as a Community Worker. 

I have been part of SPARK since it was created, and the ethos has always been to support community members to be the best they can be. The team we have now has done amazing work and helped so many people, with stresses and anxieties that affect their families. It has been very rewarding to be part of something so special and I absolutely love what we do. I am mainly in the background, supporting the team to be awesome and being the SPARK in residents lives!

When you love what you do, it's never work!
 

Hi I’m Ryan. 

I am a director of Spark as well as the Multimedia Visual Designer. I assist in the creation and development of posters, marketing materials, and any promotional videos. I am interested in creating eye catching pieces of media as my passion is to help others through these advertised groups. 

I also help to deliver activities at our school holiday provision which then gave me the experience and passion to be successful in securing a job supporting children with special educational needs, which is rewarding. 

I really enjoy music, socialising with friends and family and working on my fitness at the gym.