Welcome to our Meet The Team page! Our dedicated team is passionate about preserving and enhancing Birmingham’s parks and open spaces through community involvement and innovative projects.
Each member brings unique skills and experiences to BOSF, working together to support our mission and empower local volunteers:
Mary Kennedy
Operations Director
“As the Operations Director for BOSF, it’s my role to ensure that as a charitable organisation, we are able to fulfil our charitable objectives effectively, efficiently and to the best of our abilities bearing in mind our resources. In practise this means ensuring that our finances are robust, our team are happy and understand what they’re doing and why, and our trustees are informed as to opportunities for development. Stability ensures the future of BOSF and whilst this is frequently challenging, it is always rewarding; I get to see at first hand, the cumulative effect of every individual action and when thousands of these moments of care come together, they create a powerful, city-wide impact on our parks and green open spaces ..it is this that makes my job rewarding. Our members bring skills, enthusiasm and inspiration to others … I get to work out the numbers!”
Contact: [email protected]
Sarah Royal
Community Open Spaces Development Manager
“I have been with BOSF from the beginning and have seen us grow from a cluster of passionate Friends Groups into a force to reckoned with! We are now a Charitable Incorporated Organisation with a brilliant team of staff and Trustees, ready to help Birmingham’s open spaces volunteers to work together in a strong network.
My main roles are to help new groups set up, attend many partnership networking meetings, answer queries, questions and sign-post to other organisations and skills. I send out regular newsletters, organise our variety of socials and help spread the word of our success nationally. As part of this, I attend the National Federation of Parks and Green Spaces (NFPGS) meetings as a Trustee and also attend the Midlands Park Forum so Birmingham has a strong voice across the country.
I love to meet up with our member groups, as over the years I have met and become friends with so many passionate people with the same drive I have. I now work part time 3.5 days a week from Monday to Thursday lunchtime.”
Lizee Oliver
Membership & Development Officer
“I’ve joined BOSF with a background in communications, peer support, and sustainability. My role is to help new and existing Friends Of groups feel confident, supported and able to grow, whether they are an established group or just starting out! I know it can feel daunting when you’re just getting started, and I’m here to offer encouragement and guidance to help each group find what works for them.
I’m especially passionate about Birmingham’s green spaces, and how they benefit our health, creativity and our sense of community. I’m proud to work alongside so many volunteers whose dedication transforms their local parks and open spaces into community havens, gardens and activity spaces that everyone can enjoy.”
Contact: [email protected]
Abi Mullin
Nature Engagement Officer
“As the Nature Engagement Officer for BOSF, I aim to encourage more people to access and enjoy their local green spaces. By holding activities in 3 key areas (Nechells, Bordesley & Highgate and Balsall Heath), I hope to support local people of all ages to get to know and care for the environment around them. Nature should be for everybody, allowing safe and welcoming access for all! It would be great if new volunteer groups could be formed, benefiting both the local community and the natural environment.
I have a background in nature education, community engagement and practical conservation. In my spare time I volunteer as a youth leader across Birmingham. There’s no greater feeling than sharing my enthusiasm for the out-of-doors & natural world with others!”
Contact: [email protected]
Mat Barber
Communications & Events
“With over 10 years of experience in IT and social media, I manage the BOSF social media accounts, website and communications, along with other areas of support. I really enjoy working closely with BOSF Friends Groups and partner organisations, helping to promote their events and activities in parks and open spaces across Birmingham. I’ll also be looking after our events, including socials, workshops, our annual AGM and Conference and more.
I’ve had the pleasure of running several social media workshops for BOSF’s Friends Groups and I’m always happy to provide training on request.
Alongside my work with BOSF, I’m a qualified PRINCE2 project manager with a background in the arts sector. In 2019, I was the project manager for the BOSF pilot project Inspire with Art – Stop Litter in Parks. The project encouraged young people to get involved in their local community and raised awareness about single use plastic pollution and local litter problems through fun, creative activities.”
Contact: [email protected]
Denise Thomson
Administration
My role at BOSF originally started in 2017 with collating and processing a huge backlog of hours and payments as the work that BOSF do on behalf of our member groups was getting too big a task for the existing small team. I continue to streamline what I do to be as efficient at recording and reporting the wonderful work that our member groups do. Birmingham Council are kept informed quarterly with statistical updates and are always very impressed at these figures. Various other tasks include the management of the groups’ insurances and supporting Tai Chi & Qigong classes where necessary. There are many other admin related tasks, and I love a good spreadsheet! I have always thoroughly enjoyed being a part of BOSF, and all that they do for Birmingham’s open spaces; every member of our team are in turn supporting the work that the volunteers do.”
Contact: [email protected]