Ann Van Dyke MBE

Ann’s professionalism and sunny disposition are contagious. Her briefing sessions for multi professionals and Early Years providers have been extremely beneficial and well received smoothing out uncertainties and concerns. Ann doesn’t duck hard challenges that come her way. She is honest and truthful in what she delivers but puts children and families first.

Ann has been instrumental in supporting the charity, giving business advice to us and helping us to achieve official charity status in Oct 2016. She continues to support us with business planning and committee and trustee management. We completely trust the advice she gives us and are very grateful for her support.

Ann’s impact has been significant.  She has energetically, creatively and passionately supported the regional implementation of two key, significant, and impactful early years and childcare programmes.  Namely, 30 hours of childcare for three- and four-year-olds of working families, and 15 hours of early learning for least advantaged two-year-olds.  Ann’s strong passion for social mobility helped her to support and encourage local authorities to engage in the project and begin to develop places.  Ann has a reputation for her infectious positivity and passion.

Ann believes in positive action to address inequalities, and certainly showed this over the last few months.  During the COVID-19 lockdown she voluntarily coordinated several hundred volunteers to sew several thousand cloth masks, as part of a wider response to PPE shortages in Cornwall.  Ann quickly established a positively led co-operatively run team behind the scenes. The group still produces ethically produced re-usable masks today.