Jonny is our Managing Director. As a founder, he has led work on our quarterly publication, designing national programmes, and developing economic interventions that address the ‘ownership gap’. He is currently focusing on creating new democratic infrastructure, partnerships with local government, and business-led research and policy. He is a co-owner of Stir to Action, and co-founder of the New Economy Centre.

Abby is Communication Director at Stir to Action. Previously she held roles as Programme Manager and Head of Marketing at leading UK-based crowdfunding platform Crowdfunder.co.uk. With a background of project management and community management in digital marketing and creative agencies, she focuses on delivering our business programmes and annual festivals. She is a co-owner of Stir to Action, and co-founder of the New Economy Centre.

Adam is our Creative Director, providing digital and print design for Stir to Action’s training programmes, reports, toolkits, and events. Besides his design work, he supports delivery of our various projects including strategic delivery of the New Economy Centre, Stir to Action’s flagship residential training campus. Adam has a background in alternative currencies having created a research film in Catalonia, and worked with Bristol Pound and Exeter Pound. He is a co-owner of Stir to Action, and co-founder of New Economy Centre.

Dan is our Head of Fundraising, and works across strategic partnerships, business development and fundraising, capacity building and programme design. He was previously Head of Pilot Programmes at Feedback, where he directed numerous sustainable food projects including the Gleaning Network. Having also worked as a senior project manager at ActionFunder, Dan has strong experience of collaborating with funders to co-design and deliver grant-funding programmes.

Nicola is a Project Manager to help build local capacity to transform Oldham’s food system. She has 10+ years of community food growing and urban farming experience in Greater Manchester. Previously, Nicola co-authored a book for Rethinking Economics about the need to diversify, decolonise, and democratise the teaching and practice of economics. Her recent studies addressed sustainable and socially just food systems, and built on her PhD political economy research in Mexico and the US that critiqued the use of crop biotechnology.

Simon is an associate, working on business and programme development. Simon has worked in the co-operative and community enterprise sector for over a decade. He led Co-operatives UK’s community shares work before setting up as a freelance consultant, researcher and practitioner where he works with both wider infrastructure bodies and co-ops, community enterprises and charities across the UK. He’s also a trustee of Stretford Public Hall, Manchester, a community co-operative that owns and runs a heritage building as a multi-purpose venue.

Daniel is a Senior Associate, providing input and consultancy on strategic communications, fundraising and organisational development. He is CEO at consultancy Cohere Partners, and Founding Associate at non-profit the Future Narratives Lab. He has a background in community organising and social psychology, and writes and lectures on framing, narrative and social change strategy. He is a co-owner of Stir to Action.

Tom joined in 2021 to support new funding partnerships. He has a background working as a Community Project Officer at Groundwork, supporting rural communities through community ownership at the Plunkett Foundation, and Business Development Manager at Ethex. Through his other role as a consultancy coordinator at Shared Assets, Tom also works on joint projects with Stir to Action, including New Models for Farm Succession and Transforming Local Food in Oldham.

Grace is the Sub-editor of STIR, and our Communications and Research Assistant. As well as supporting the publication of our magazine, she carries out research for reports, and supports our strategic communications. Grace is an artist and writer with a background in independent magazine production.