Alison Blayney
Alison is the Executive Director for KWC. The main function of her role is to strategically implement the projects promoted by the centre, support the KWC staff team and provide back office support to the Board of Directors regarding business planning and development, income generation and governance. Alison is responsible for compliance matters, awarding/exam body registration, project development and implementation and finance, administration human resource management.
Alison is a former Chairperson of the Kilcooley Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership and previously was an Independent member of the Police & Community Safety Partnership. She currently sits as current Vice Chair of the Ards North Down Peace Partnership where she represents the women's sector. She works strategically with the other 13 women’s centres across Northern Ireland and lobbies for improved services, funding and resources for women, children and families in Ards North Down. She has secured major funding/tenders for KWC from various sources including Peace 4, European Social Fund, Department for Communities and Erasmus + and Public Health Agency.
Alison has worked across the UK in the charity, public and private sector including banking, retail and council. She promotes European Mobility for everyone through the Erasmus Plus programme enabling socially disadvantaged communities avail of life changing opportunities through training abroad. She is the mother of two grown up sons. She was awarded Business Person of the Year 2018, by Bangor Chamber of Commerce, Bangor Business Awards. Alison is currently leading the team in the development of the Gifted Trust of the Ards North Down, which will use training to enhance the lives of women, children and families across the East of Northern Ireland and develop a major capital project for Bangor, supporting social enterprise development. Alison was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) in HM Queen Elizabeth's Honour List for 2019 for her work supporting women, children and families in Bangor.
