About Us

History

South Wye Development Trust Ltd was formed in 2006, following 7 years of Single Regeneration Budget work in Hereford South Wye supported and administered by the South Wye Regeneration Partnership. The Trust was set up in partnership with the local authority, in order to continue to support the South Wye community and regenerate the South Wye area.

The Trust is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee. It gained the 50-year lease on two buildings through a '106 planning agreement' at the site of a new Asda superstore in Hereford.

Opening the Kindle Centre community building in March 2007, the Trust sub-lets the other building to Taurus Healthcare for the South Wye Medical Centre and dental surgery.

The Kindle Centre provides affordable meeting rooms for hire and office space for charities and non-profit organisations. In addition it has a large hall conferencing space, used for conferences, community activities and increasingly services provided to the community.

Our values, in all that we do, are to ensure that we are inclusive and participative, partnership-focused, and that we deliver valuable and quality outcomes.

What We Do

South Wye Development Trust is a charity committed to South Wye to benefit local people, making it a great environment to live, work, play and visit.

We exist to support the community, harness the creativity, heritage and diversity of the area to maintain and improve the places and spaces we look after. Through partnership working, stewardship and collaboration with every part of the community SWDT helps this vibrant part of Hereford City to continue to grow and thrive.

We will work to strengthen our links with the local community, to protect and enhance what already works on the estates and to improve what doesn’t. Our challenge is to understand the desires and needs of the local community and to use our resources in a way that best supports what the community is doing.

We will support a stronger, more resilient community underpinned by better health, economic advantage and a greener cleaner environment. We will try to improve quality of life for people living and working in South Wye, and especially for those most disadvantaged, vulnerable and socially excluded’.

Our values, in all that we do, are to ensure that we are inclusive and participative, partnership-focused, and that we deliver valuable and quality outcomes.

Meet The Team

Mandy Evans

South Wye Development Trust Chief Officer

I am the South Wye Development Trust Chief Officer and Company Secretary who leads the Charity.

I have a wealth of experience in community development and housing, and I have been working in the South Wye community since 2005, 21 years! I am deeply connected in the community and fiercely passionate about making a difference.

When I'm not at work, I love to go to the gym, run in the Herefordshire countryside and spend time with my family and my energetic grandchildren!

Elaine Walton

Finance Manager

I am a fully qualified accountant with over 26 years of experience working in practice, industry and the charitable sector, and I have worked with South Wye Development Trust at the Kindle Centre for over 10 years. I love being involved with the local community and seeing the difference SWDT makes.

My favourite hobbies are walking with my dog, cooking, gardening and music. I also enjoy travel and learning about different cultures, with visits to Borneo and South Africa being two of my favourite travel experiences to date.

Katalin Sparey

ESOL and Training Coordinator

I joined the Kindle Centre team in 2022 as the ESOL and Training Coordinator. In this role, I combine my structured background with my love for community outreach, empowering individuals who speak English as a second language and making a lasting local impact.

I hold a Master's degree in Business and Management with a specialisation in Finance. I began my career in the financial sector with Budapest Bank-GE Money Bank before relocating to the UK. Driven by a passion for helping others, I initially worked in the care sector and later served as a dedicated school treasurer for three years, successfully leading fundraising events while raising my two young children.

Susannah Jones

Community Advisor and Tutor

I have worked at The Kindle Centre as a Community Advisor and Tutor since 2021, supporting people to overcome barriers and reach their potential through learning. I love meeting people, listening to their unique stories and helping them make progress with their issues.

Before joining The Kindle Centre, I worked in manufacturing and in sales and marketing roles. I have been an active volunteer since my teens, supporting children with disabilities to learn to swim, providing in-school reading support, supporting the homeless community, supporting families through children's centre services and serving as a volunteer Trustee for a local charity.

Outside of work, I enjoy getting out in the fresh air, outdoor swimming, spending time with family and friends, and cooking.

Natalya Kolesnykova

Community Advisor

I joined The Kindle Centre team in 2022 as a Community Advisor, supporting Ukrainian refugees following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. I now support people of all nationalities, and I use my English, Russian, Polish and Ukrainian language skills in my daily work to help people overcome barriers in their lives.

I also work as part of our Facilities team, making sure The Kindle Centre is well presented and ready to welcome our community. I encourage volunteering and have helped others become part of The Kindle Centre community through regular volunteering opportunities.

Before joining The Kindle Centre, I worked for the British Red Cross, making home visits and needs assessments for vulnerable people.

In my spare time, I'm a keen gardener and have developed a beautiful, colourful garden at my home.

Janice Jones

Community Advisor

I joined South Wye Development Trust as a Community Advisor at the beginning of 2026, bringing with me a wealth of experience in helping people improve their lives in many ways, including employability, housing, benefit support, and health and wellbeing, alongside relevant signposting for all other aspects of life. My 30+ years in the industry have given me a compassionate, non-judgemental and empathetic approach, so that our clients feel supported and valued as they face many life challenges.

In my spare time, I run and play in a badminton club in Hereford, and I love to walk and spend time with my family.

Suzanne Evans

Team Facilitator

I'm one of the Team Facilitators at South Wye Development Trust at the Kindle Centre, and I have been here since 2010. I meet and greet visitors, take bookings and reset rooms, and I'm a customer service champion for everyone who comes through the doors. With previous experience in public service roles, I love working with the local community and all the challenges it presents.

When I'm not working, my favourite things to do are visiting my grandchildren as often as possible, baking, pottering in the garden, travelling around the UK and eating out.

Victoria Young

Team Facilitator

My role as part of the facilities team involves preparing the centre for business, managing bookings, and helping ensure everything runs smoothly day-to-day. Before joining the team at The Kindle Centre, I worked for an estate agent and at a large retailer, which helped me gain a strong background in customer service and daily operations.

Outside of work, I love spending time with my family, travelling, and collecting antiques. Recently, my husband and I have joined the Hereford PAWS team, which is proving to be a wonderfully fun and rewarding experience!

Andrew Bridges

Team Facilitator

Bio coming soon!

Trinny L. Perez

Team Facilitator

I joined South Wye Development Trust in 2019 as a dedicated volunteer, supporting community events and quickly becoming an integral part of the Kindle Centre community. Through my journey, I have discovered a deep passion for looking after others. In 2023, I transitioned from regular volunteer to a key staff member, working with energy and enthusiasm to make visitors at The Kindle Centre feel welcome and comfortable.

Outside of work, I love travelling to new places, especially the beach, and spending time in my garden. I'm a passionate home cook, and my favourite pastime is preparing and sharing traditional dishes from my home country of Venezuela.

Our Trustees

Jenny Tucker

Trustee

Bio coming soon!

Rhianon Prime

Trustee

Rhianon lives in the city with her husband and two cats. Before taking early retirement, Rhianon worked in various finance roles and this remains one of her key interests.

She is also a Trustee of Hereford Municipal Charities which provides almshouse accommodation and poverty relief grants to City of Hereford residents.

In her spare time, Rhianon enjoys travelling, and spends a lot of time in the summer watching Herefordshire Cricket with her husband

Nicholas Bolt

Trustee

Bio coming soon!

Chris Chappell

Trustee

After a stint in Chile with Voluntary Service Overseas, helping to run a Salvation Army orphanage, Chris worked in agriculture for several years. More recently, he was a care worker in Herefordshire.

For twenty-seven years, he was a South Wye councillor, during which time he was also Mayor of Hereford. He played a role in bringing the South Wye Regeneration Partnership to the area and was its Chairman for seven years.

As the ward councillor, he negotiated with ASDA for the building of a community centre, KINDLE.

In retirement, he enjoys reading and being in the Herefordshire countryside.

Franca Lane

Trustee

Franca has recently moved to Hereford from London, where she worked as a mental health practitioner for both the NHS and charities. She is passionate about sharing knowledge and awareness of well-being within the community to help alleviate depression, social exclusion and the many interlinked body-mind issues. She is keen to become more involved in South Wye community work, building on her past experience of creating rewarding partnerships between the public and private sectors.

Her particular interest lies in empowering individuals to become mentally, physically and spiritually more resilient. She has insight into managing depression, anxiety and psychosomatic issues through meditation and mind/body practices, and has worked in mindfulness in education, including for Oxford University in 2017 and 2018.

Since arriving in Hereford, Franca has followed the Women's Equality Group, the Happier, Healthier Herefordshire meetings and the Green Networks activities. A people person, she enjoys conversation, walks, independent cinema and retreats, and she is honoured to be becoming a trustee of the Kindle Centre, South Wye Development Trust.

Kevin Tillett

Trustee
Local Councillor for Hunderton and Hinton Ward

Kevin represents Hinton and Hunderton (the ward containing The Kindle Centre) on both Herefordshire Council and Hereford City Council.

Kevin was a science teacher and has also worked as an actor, singer, presenter and trainer. He is a trustee of RSPCA Herefordshire, lives in Hunderton and can often seen walking his dogs.

Penny Southwood

Trustee

Penny joined the Board of Trustees last year, supporting businesses to grow.

Penny has a track record in taking concept to completion bringing wider business leadership skills to support business growth and development at strategic level. Motivated and skilled at engaging with stakeholders across all sectors to identify opportunities and change required to increase existing business or access new markets and income streams.

Penny has experience in both commercial and charity sectors.

Paul Rone

Trustee

Paul Rone is a county councillor and lives in his Redhill Ward which he has represented since 2011. He describes himself as a ‘hands on’ councillor and is involved in many aspects of community improvement throughout the South Wye area.

When not involved in council and community issues, he can be seen driving his black taxi as he plies his trade as a cabbie.