Scott Darraugh BSc MSc FRSA | Chief Executive

Scott Darraugh is the Chief Executive of health and wellbeing spin-out, Social adVentures. He is a leading social entrepreneur and an influential voice in the social business sector. Scott has been active in pioneering change in public health services for over 10 years. Scott was a Project Director in NHS Salford for over eight years, delivering innovative, community based programmes to some of the UK’s most deprived neighbourhoods.

In 2010 Scott became Chief Executive of Social adVentures after leading his team of Public Health Specialists out of the NHS in Salford to create one of the country’s first NHS Social Enterprises. Since launching Social adVentures, Scott and his team have worked to diversify the business and decrease reliance on single contracts. In addition to the health and wellbeing centre, Social adVentures co-own a community garden centre, Garden Needs, and have launched a series of social enterprise childcare nurseries, Kids adVentures.

Scott has a high profile nationally and has been supporting the Cabinet Office’s public service mutualisation agenda acting as an officially appointed ‘Mutuals Ambassador’ and providing insight to the journey he and his team have embarked on through public speaking and workshop facilitation. In 2011 Scott was one of the UK’s Top 100 Young Social Entrepreneurs.

Christian Loftus BScBusiness | Operations Director

Passionate about making change within the community healthcare sector, Christian has been instrumental in identifying new projects for Social adVentures to diversify into. Christian has led on securing new funding streams and has took a significant role in driving forward the launch of the UK’s first not for profit LLP, a way of working which could revolutionise the way public services are delivered in the next few years.

Before joining Social adVentures Christian owned an independent business management and marketing consultancy. He is a member of the National Social Marketing Centre and holds a degree in Industrial Management. Christian was the Director of OWM, a private recycling and waste management firm based in Cheshire for seven years and was previously Head of Marketing for a homewares distribution company.

Audrey Meade | Finance Director

Audrey is the Finance Director for Social adVentures. She is a qualified accountant with the ACCA and has had a long financial career across many sectors from food distribution, internet start-ups and advertising agencies to hotels, energy companies and banks. Most recently she has spent over 10 years working in an accountancy practice for primarily the charity & voluntary sector.

Kate Simpson | Service Director

Kate is the strategic lead on all services delivered by Social adVentures including the Healthy Living Contract, Mental Health and Horticulture, Social Prescribing and Forest School Educational Training.

Additionally Kate heads up the marketing and communications across all aspects of the organisation including planning marketing campaigns for the social businesses and leading on employee engagement.

A former business journalist and communications specialist, Kate has worked across the private sector as well as being a trustee on several boards focused on health and wellbeing.

Ruth Sutherland CBE | Chair

Chair of Social AdVentures, Vice Chair of Lloyds Bank Foundation, passionate about public health and social justice.

Following a forty-year career largely in health and social care, public and voluntary sectors, Ruth stepped down as Chief Executive of Samaritans, UK and Ireland in Nov 2020 to pursue a portfolio career involving non-executive roles, volunteering, executive coaching and consultancy.

Ruth initially trained as a Registered General Nurse but has spent most of her career in public health roles. Prior to joining Samaritans, Ruth was CEO of Relate and previously held senior executive leadership roles at Rethink, Alzheimer’s Society and Scope. Trustee roles have included a 6yrs as trustee of the Wildlife Trusts

Ruth was awarded the CBE for services to vulnerable people and the Royal College of Psychiatrists Presidents medal for services to people with mental illness in 2018. The Daniel Phelan award for outstanding achievement, UK Charity Awards, 2022.

Katie Philpot | Non-Executive Director

Katie is a qualified Solicitor with over 10 years experience in commercial and real estate law. Katie has acted for a wide range of clients ranging from FTSE 100 companies, banks, developers, NHS Trusts and private clients.

Katie has also acted as a Company Secretary of a local limited company since 2011 overseeing the company administration along with ensuring compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements.

Mike Conway | Non-Executive Director

Mike is a Chartered Project Manager, Chartered Construction Manager, Non-Executive Director, Trustee and School Governor with over 17 years’ experience working within the construction, property and PFI industries. Mike is experienced in all aspects of construction and property management and possesses significant commercial acumen with an appetite for problem solving and risk management. Mike has a good understanding of the residential sector, including HMO guidance, and previously worked for a social housing provider. He currently oversees a number of residential properties within his role as vice chair of Manchester Settlement, where the properties are being used to house young vulnerable adults.

Becky Hunter | Staff Director

Becky Hunter is our Head of Early Years with over 25 years experience in the childcare sector, throughout this time she has been a nursery manager, children’s centre assistant cluster co-ordinator with a strong element of the role on family support outreach worker, residential children’s support worker She has a passion for working with children and their families, providing opportunities for children to have the best start in life and as a family continue the journey together with a focus on health and well being. ‘’Children and young people required a home from home environment where they felt safe, supported, and listened to, my role as the key worker was to bring consistency, guidance and been an advocate for them ensuring their voice was heard when making decisions for the future.’’