Alan Collard
Co-operative advisor
Ironmonger Community Advisors
Alan has provided advisory services to community groups and enterprises for the past 8 years on behalf of Plunkett Foundation.
He has worked with more than 80 groups in the pub, shop, woodland, housing and community hub sectors, mainly in rural and semi-rural areas. A banker by background, Alan worked at a senior level with one of the largest global investment banks, prior to his retirement from the industry.
He has direct experience of setting up and managing community businesses, having been a founder member of a new community shop in his Essex village (2002) and he led both the community acquisition of the last pub in the village (2012) and the creation of a community owned brewery (2015). He likes beer.
Recent successful projects worked on include:
• The Locks Inn, Geldeston, Norfolk;
• The Railway Arms, Saffron Walden; and
• The Manor Reborn in Great Holland, Essex.
Together these enterprises raised £1.25 million in community share capital alone.
'I am a firm believer in the power of localism and community ownership. These enable rural communities to remain sustainable and reverse the impact caused by the loss of key amenities that many have experienced in recent years.'
Alan is Licensed by the Community Shares Unit to award the Community Shares Standard Mark.