About Us - Board of Directors

Paul Dinsmore is currently Chair of RCN. He worked in engineering for 8 years before moving to the voluntary sector in 1992 undertaking a developmental role to establish support services for visually impaired people through the Northern & Western Health and Social Services Board. 

He currently works with Loughside Volunteer Centre and is responsible for the operational management of the Centre throughout the South Antrim area.  In addition, he represents the Centre on the Executive Committee of Volunteer Development Agency and has been Treasurer since October 2006.  He has been involved in voluntary work for a number of years - previously with Coleraine & District Talking Newspaper, Coleraine PHAB club and Speechmatters - and currently as Chair of Antrim Youth Information and Counselling Centre. 

He has been involved from the start in the setting-up of South Antrim Rural Network (SARN) and is in his second term as Chair.  His involvement with SARN has enabled him to increase his understanding of rural issues and has allowed him to further develop support structures for volunteers in rural communities.  He has been on the Board of RCN since December 2003 and has been vice-Chair since October 2005.

After graduating from college, James developed his career in computer systems working with EMI, PWC, JP Morgan Bank, Harland and Wolf and BT before taking early retirement in 2001. He is currently a Director of both North Antrim Community Network and Antrim Glens Cottages. At local level, he is heavily committed to volunteering within his village, Chairperson of Cushendun Boat Club and Committee member of Cushendun District Development Association.

Roy has been involved in a number of community and voluntary organizations since 1991, gaining experience at varying levels in community development, youth work and cross community work, all of which has been focused in rural areas.

During this time Roy has engaged in a variety of education and training courses to complement this involvement gaining a Diploma in Community Development and Community Education and a Combined Studies degree (Sociology / Community Development) at the University of Ulster.

Roy served as Chairperson of Rural Community Network (NI) from 2001 to 2005 and currently sits on the Joint Government and Voluntary Sector Panel (as an alternate), Leader + Monitoring Committee, Rural Development Sub-Group of the Department of Agriculture’s Stakeholders Forum and North South Rural Voice.

At a sub-regional level Roy has been involved with TADA Rural Support Network from steering group stage (1996) until May 2005 and served as Chairperson from 1998 –2004. At a local level Roy sits on the Lisburn Strategy Partnership and was elected Chairperson in 2003, he is also a founder-serving member of Aghalee Development Association and has recently (July 2006) been appointed to the Rural Development Council (representing RCN). In his spare time Roy likes to relax fishing and walking his dog.

Patsy O’Hanlon has been active in community development since 1991 when he worked towards the foundation of Middletown & District Community Association and was involved with RoSA from 1992 until 2006, where he was a Board member.

He served on RCN Board for over six years and was also on the South Armagh Tourism Initiative and a member of the Cross Border IT project and the cross border Development of Infrastructure People’s Programme involving 4 halls in the North and 4 in the South. Patsy enjoys sports and supports his local sports club and all activities in the Middletown and district locally.

He is presently Secretary of Middletown & District Development Association and has always shown a great commitment to community development throughout Armagh and Monaghan. Patsy’s greatest asset is his willingness to gather and disseminate information to ensure the spread of ideas and encourage local and regional networking.

Raymond Craig, currently chair of Oakleaf Rural Community Network, has considerable experience in working in the community and voluntary sector. Founder member of Roe Valley Education Forum and is presently the chair of Limavady Area Partnership.

More recently he has worked with WELB as project manager of Limavady Learning Partnership which sought to develop and deliver innovative education programmes that encouraged lifelong learning. He has a keen interest in Third World Politics debating and social inclusion issues.

"Clare Henry is Vice Chair of Mid-Ulster Women’s Network and has worked in community development and health, both in the community and voluntary sector over the past twenty years. She has a particular interest in supporting rural people to access services and has worked with carers, parents, individuals with disabilities and in mental health promotion.

Clare worked as Project Manager during the setting up phase of Out and About rural community transport In Magherafelt District Council Area and Cookstown and District Disability Forum. Clare is a farmer’s wife and a mum of six. She is a qualified Life and Workplace Coach and has established her own business, Libra Life Coaching working with individuals, groups and organisations as a Coach, Trainer and Facilitator. She is a member of the Life and Business Coaching Association of Ireland. "

Alan Poots, a Civil Engineer and resident of Newtownards, is the Capital Projects Officer with Lisburn City Council. He is involved with many local community groups on the creation, design and implementation of capital projects and has a wide knowledge of the funding issues, capital projects, legal structures and management issues associated with such projects.

Prior to this, Alan was the project manager for Portaferry Regeneration Limited and oversaw the implementation of a major CRISP project in the village as well as other community and environmental projects in the village.  Alan was a founder member of East Down Rural Support Network and is a current board member, having served as Chairman and Treasurer. He has a strong personal interest in children’s rights and, in particular, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

CPat Ward worked in Ballynahinch for 47 years in a garage as foreman mechanic. He was also Road Safety Chairman for three terms in Ballynahinch and helped Downpatrick Handicapped Group taking young adults on trips to do conservation work.

Pat is Rural Safety Co-ordinator for two villages – Spa and Drumaness. He also represents these villages on the Housing Executive and is a member of the Rural Development Strategy Group (2008-2013).

Gabriel Darcy from Arney, Co. Fermanagh is a retired NIE engineer. Gabriel has been involved in voluntary community activity for over 30 years and is currently involved in Cleenish Community Association, Cleenish and Killesher Health Care Group and is Chair of Fermanagh Rural Community Network. Gabriel believes firmly in the benefits of networking and of involving as many people as possible in local community activity.

"Frances Spence lives in Ardess, Co Fermanagh and has been the Administrator for Fermanagh Rural Community Network since 1998. Frances is actively involved in her local Ardess Community Association and is Secretary, Memorial Secretary and Gift Aid Secretary for St Mary's Ardess Church of Ireland Select Vestry. In 2002 Frances, along with other local community representatives, started up a charity, Orphan's Hope. The main aim of this Charity is to provide workers and teachers for local orphanages in China and pay for children to be fostered out of the orphanages by local Chinese people.

Frances is a Guide Leader with 1st Magheraculmoney Rainbow Unit, Ardess and in her spare time enjoys going to concerts and walking. She is married and has two grown up children, both studying at Universities in England.

Gerard has been actively involved in community development for over 10 years in a variety of different roles and organisations both as a worker and on a voluntary basis. He was one of the founder members of Derrytresk Community Organisation and responsible for a number of successful projects including the Open Door Club and Townlands project.

Member of the Board of Cookstown & Western Shores Area Network for over 8/9 years and served a 3 year term as Chair and at present is Secretary of CWSAN and involved in a number of sub-committees i.e. Management Staff issues, also Rural Housing and Migrant Support and Portuguese Interpretation Service.

Former Editor of ‘Western Shores’ a community based magazine, also worked for South Lough Neagh Regeneration Assoc as a Cultural Researcher on ‘Skimming the Surface’ a look at life, culture and traditions on the Southern Shores of Lough Neagh. Committee Member of Loughshore Youth Forum.

Also served for a number of years on the Board of Directors of South Tyrone Empowerment Programme in Dungannon. Recently appointed to the Board of Governors to three local primary schools in the Parish of Clonoe.

"Helen O’Donnell lives in a rural area of Tyrone and is from an agricultural rural background. She spent many years campaigning, mainly on issues affecting rural dwellers, and many years working in the voluntary sector on various projects. Helen has over 25 years as a volunteer working with the Citizen’s Advice Bureau in Dungannon. She is currently a social partner on the Rural Development Programme and is a member of the appeals panel of the same, as well as currently holding the position of Vice Chair on the COSTA Rural Support Network Board of Directors.

Previously, Helen was a layperson with the Registration Inspection Unit and was involved for 14 years with the Independent Tribunal services as well as being a member of the Volunteer Forum in Belfast.

"Siobhan Doherty is the Director of Northern Ireland Rural Women’s Network (NIRWN). NIRWN came into being in September 2006 as a result of the Government Cross Departmental Review led by DSD. Until September 2006, there had been no strategic infrastructure in the rural women’s sector in Northern Ireland. Since its inception, 4000 rural women have come into direct contact with NIRWN through events, training and policy consultations.

Siobhan has a long track record of working with the community and voluntary sector including the women’s sector, both in Northern Ireland and UK wide. She has a huge amount of experience and knowledge about the sector having worked in this area for nearly 15 years. The variety of work is what Siobhan has enjoyed the most. She has worked operationally in the sector, working hands on with a number of groups across Northern Ireland. Siobhan has also considerable experience of working at a national level in her work with RNID where she worked and managed the fundraising function of the Charity across the UK. Siobhan has also implemented a number of community based projects, the largest being the Toome House, a multi purpose centre in the village, developed by the TIDAL Group. Siobhan is currently working at a strategic level on the Women’s Centres Regional Partnership and NIRWN is one of the four lead partners in this regional partnership.

Siobhan represents NIRWN and rural women on various statutory and voluntary committees including the NICVA Joint Forum, NI Policing Board’s Women’s Reference Group, the NIO Inspire Reference Group, the RDP Monitoring Committee, the OFMDFM Gender Advisory Panel and many more.

Stephen Huggett has been an elected representative for West Fermanagh since 2000. He was a Local Authority nominee to the RDC for 6 years. He is closely involved in the local government modernisation process, and is unafraid to take on tasks for which there are no votes – he is vice-chair of the LG Partnership on Traveller Issues, and is a member of his party’s Agriculture and Rural Development Advisory Group having farmed for a number of years.

He has recently been nominated onto the new Local Action Group for the RDP, the NI Biodiversity Group and been elected to chair on his local community development organisation.

"Wilbert Mayne is currently Treasurer of RCN. He has been involved in rural development for the last 17 years. He has been a member of the UFU’s Rural Development Committee from its formation and is currently Chairman; he is also a member of the UFU board and Executive and past chairman of the UFU Legislation committee. Wilbert is currently Chairman of Leader Network for Northern Ireland which has responsibility for delivering approximately £1 million from DARD’s BSP programme.

Over the past few years, Wilbert has served as a Director on Leader II, Leader + and Cookstown’s Peace Partnership – he is current Chair of Cookstown Rural Community Transport. Wilbert is the UFU rep on the Northern Ireland Rural Development Programme’s (NIRDP) Monitoring Committee and sat on the previous Leader + Monitoring Committee. He also sits on the new Leader Local Action Group for the Cookstown area which will deliver Axis 3 of the NIRDP 2007/2013 and is a member of DARD’s Rural White Paper Places Sub Group.

Education takes up an important part of Wilbert’s spare time, serving on several committees within the SELB including the Board, Youth, Children & Young People, Services and Library committees. H also serves on the Board of Governors of two local primary schools.

Wilbert has farmed in the Sandholes area just outside Cookstown for over 40 years and currently operates a beef finishing and suckler herd. He is married with two grown up children. "

Kenny McAdams is currently Honorary Secretary of RCN. He works with Disability Action, Derry, as Regional Community Development Manager working with people with disabilities to attain their full social, economic, cultural and political rights as citizens for fourteen years. He sits on the many committees including Northern Ireland Human Rights Alliance for People with disabilities, New Horizons Partnership, Organisation of the Unemployed NI, Derry Resource Centre, North West Community Recycling Partnership, Inclusive Trail, Derry Trades Union Council Branch 725 NIPSA, as well as representing the disability sector on Rural Community Network.