Alex Kittow, the Chief Executive of our community’s charity Southmead Development Trust, has announced he is to leave the organisation at the end of May to take on a new challenge in another part of the country. Although this has been very sad news for those who know and work with Alex, he leaves the charity and its workers in a very strong and hopeful position to continue their work for the Community of Southmead.
Over the last nine years Alex has built incredibly capable and talented teams at the Trust to help him develop many different projects and services designed to improve life for Southmead Residents. Alex’s dedication to serving our community has been abundantly clear in every decision he has made. He has been notoriously ‘tight’ with funding won for Southmead ensuring every penny is spent wisely and in Residents’ best interests.
Alex has championed Southmead in every corner from the very local, across the wider city, to nationally, ensuring Southmead is known for its strength and community action.
Alex led Southmead’s innovative Residents’ Community Survey and Plan, which resulted in Southmead being one of only fourteen communities in the country to attract a post-Olympic grant (’Spirit of 2012’) – £200,000 to be spent on local projects decided on by Southmead Residents.
The photo above is of Alex recently receiving an award from Locality, the organisation which encourages and supports community organisations. Alex was voted as an outstanding community leader and received a £1000 award which he has already divided up and donated to good causes in Southmead.
Many of us will miss Alex and we wish him a fond farewell and all the best for his exciting next step; we know he will make changes for good wherever he goes.
Thank you Alex for your devotion to the Community of Southmead; it is a better place because of your commitment to us and fight for us. As a leader you will be difficult to replace, but you leave Southmead Development Trust in a shipshape to continue its vital work for our community.