About Changing Lives Together

CLT provides services across the whole of Cheshire.

Established over 25 years ago in Winsford by our founders Gary Cliffe and Deina Smith our mission is to

Find Innovative Solutions for Environmental and Social Challenges

which Benefit our Local Communities

Our Teams

Employing local people and focussed on offering employment to those most in need.

The profit we make always goes back into our local communities, not to shareholders.

CLT currently provide the following services to communities across the county of Cheshire

Help Scheme

We work with local councils to support those in emergency situations.

Community Groceries

We have two Grocery shops that can provide you with a low cost weekly shop.

Click here to find out more

Retail Stores

We have a large retail store which specialises in pre-loved furniture, appliances and paint.

Click here to find out more

ReUse Paint

Our paint department re-use paint from local waste sites, quality check and sell in store.

ReUse Electrical

The electrical team give machines a new lease of life and stops them going into landfill.

Community Transport

Provides transport to local and rural areas, making sure everyone has access to transport.

Buddy & Befriending

We provide companionship by offering regular phone calls to chat and build connections.

Click here to find out more

Mental Wellness

Help and support for people who are being affected emotionally with issues such as anxiety.

Community Sheds

A community for those who want to continue being social and active through woodwork.

Warehouse & Bulky Waste

We deliver and collect items, we also work with CWAC and WBC for waste contracts.

Family Support

Provides support to families in a school setting, we are independent of the school.

Our Values

Caring

We treat everyone with fairness, respect and dignity

We are passionate about what we do and we empower our people to deliver

We enjoy an open, honest and welcoming culture

Leadership

We look for brave, bold and innovative approaches

We strive to reduce landfill and promote reuse

We collaborate with and support partners, stakeholders and other like-minded organisations

Trustworthy

We act with integrity and deliver what we promise

We are transparent, genuine and true

We are loyal to each other, our partners and our mission

Our Trustees

Gordon Dunn

Chair

I am the Managing Director of Compass Minerals who operate the salt mine in Winsford that produces salt for de-icing the road network in winter.

We also have a records management business underground where we store archives and artifacts in specially built rooms underground. I am a Mining Engineer and spent over 20 years in Coal mining before moving into salt mining.

I have been a trustee of Changing Lives Together for over 7 years. I enjoy working with the team and look forward to the challenges in the future.

Heidi Dilliway-Nickson

Vice Chair

I am the Managing Director of Forrester (Sales) Ltd, based in Kingsley, Cheshire.

Our company is still family run and was established by my father in 1970. We are a cooked chicken manufacturer, supplying large supermarket chains; the company now cooks over 70 tonnes of chicken daily and turns over approximately £80 million per annum. I am extremely lucky to have a very talented, loyal management team, most of whom have been with us during our rapid expansion over the last 15 years. As Vice Chair of the board of Trustees at Changing Lives Together, I am passionate about supporting the charity with the skills I have gained in business, particularly around people management and finance.

I am also currently a School Governor at Hartford High and at Cransley School, a former Chair of Tarporley Parish Council, and act as chair for a local tennis organisation.

Brian Clarke

Trustee

I have a background in production and mining with an emphasis on health and safety at work until my retirement. I also spent 29 years as a Town and Borough councillor for the Wharton and Gravel wards in Winsford for Vale Royal and latterly for Cheshire West and Chester Council, where I was a member of the Cabinet until my second retirement.

Through my varied roles over my working life, I bring experience to the Charity which I hope will enrich the way in which we operate and look after people.

My hobbies include course fishing and following my football team, Manchester City (70 years).

Pete Price

Trustee

I am the MD and owner of office supplies company, Office Essentials. I moved to Northwich in 1986 and became involved in local football, eventually becoming a Trustee of Witton Albion Juniors FC where I helped them gain charitable status. I have been Chair of the Winsford 1-5 Business Improvement District for over 10 years and was Chair of Voluntary Action Vale Royal leading them into the merger to form Changing Lives Together.

Being part of the team at CLT is really important to me, I believe in supporting the local community and helping people in need.

I am most proud of my family, wife, Liz and two grown-up children and in my spare time I have completed 12 Iron Man triathlons around the world.

Sue Taylor, BEM

Trustee

I have worked in Welfare and Benefits for 40 years, at the DWP and later at Cheshire West and Chester Council.

I first met Changing Lives Together when they were known as CLIC, working together to develop the Local Welfare Assistance HELP Scheme. We also worked together during the Northwich Floods, when the charity transported the people rescued from their homes, and provided food and other emergency supplies. During Covid I was asked to be Food Lead for the Council, and with CLT helped to obtain and establish the Cheshire Food Hub in Lostock Graham, now called the Very Green Grocery.

I retired a couple of years ago, and was asked to become a Trustee, and I consider it an enormous privilege to continue to support this amazing charity. I am also Trustee of a mental health charity in Chester, which supports families, providing counselling and therapy to both adults and children in that area.

Sarah Tilling

Trustee

Born and raised in Cheshire, I have worked in a number of roles mainly in the 3rd sector and public sectors. Starting my career in sports development with the local borough council, I went onto work in a charity and subsequently working within the public sector. With a passion for sport, community development and commissioning, much of my career has centred around these areas. Having worked for the past 14 years, I have developed a strong interest in helping those in need or those who may need support in accessing services which are inaccessible.

I joined the board of Trustees at Changing Lives Together around 5 years ago and during this period we have experienced massive changes to the third sector. The constant rise in living costs has meant that more and more people from our communities are finding themselves requiring help to support their families. There has never been a more important time for a charity like CLT.

I personally hope to bring compassion, creativity and understanding to the role whilst more practically, bringing my skills around community development, engagement and marketing.

Outside of the day job, I currently volunteer my time to support those with learning disabilities to take part in sport and I am a football and netball coach. I always try to give something back to the community in which I live and work. As a mum to two young boys, I hope they too will grow up knowing the importance of giving something back and helping those who need it most.

Christina Lees-Jones

Trustee

I joined Changing Lives Together as a Trustee after the new CEO had been in post for 6 months. I bring over 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry.

I am regional chair of the Royal Geographical Society with Institute of British Geographers. I run popup cooking with the support of CWAC and West Cheshire Foodbank. My website Recipe Exchange supports Feeding Britain and foodbanks with low cost meal ideas. I support Cheshire Connect with food based projects.

My family home is in Cheshire. I’m passionate that the earth’s resources are utilised to the best of our abilities. I was pleased to be asked to be a trustee and look forward to supporting Changing Lives Together as the charity fine tunes its identity and stives to be the best and deliver on projects in a timely manner as well as see the innovative flair of the charity to reducing emissions and landfill.

Hazel Kinsey

Trustee

I joined Changing Lives Together initially as a volunteer at the Very Green Grocery before becoming a Trustee of the organisation, where I am responsible for ensuring our compliance and governance is carried out. Professionally, I have worked for a large consultancy for 20 years and am currently in the risk management section which is useful for my role as a Changing Lives Together Trustee.

From the first encounter with the charity, I was impressed by the empathetic nature of the people who work here, their passion to help others is exemplified in every aspect of the different parts of the organisation. I’m proud to be part of the team and hope that I can bring my experience and enthusiasm to the role of trustee, whilst making a difference along the way.

I’m married and live in Mobberley, Cheshire and, being ex-cabin crew, I enjoy watching the planes whilst walking the dogs on the country lanes.