Community Impact Award
Pep Cipriano
Pep Cipriano is Chief Operating Officer at Peterborough Positive, the city centre’s Business Improvement District.
A well-known representative of the city, Pep is an award-winning communications professional with more than 30 years’ experience leading projects at senior and strategic level.
Pep has worked in both B2B and B2C, private and public sector backdrops and in sectors including local government, leisure, hospitality, finance, education, heritage, tourism and placemaking.
His career began managing PR for the UK’s first pizza delivery business – Papa Luigi. He then joined Peterborough United and worked his way up to Head of Communications before embarking on a PR role for Fens Tourism. His next challenge was to lead marketing for a sub-prime mortgage packager.
Next, he joined Peterborough City Council where he eventually became Marketing Manager. He started the decade heading up communications at City College Peterborough before his current role at Peterborough Positive in June 2022.
Pep’s solid knowledge of Peterborough, combined with his strong connections and unquestionable passion and enthusiasm for championing where he lives made him the perfect candidate to lead Peterborough Positive. This summer, Pep and his team secured an overwhelming vote of confidence from city centre businesses, with 94% of an impressive 60% turnout voting to secure Peterborough Positive for a second five-year term.
Dr. Azhar M. Chaudhry MBE
From arriving in the UK as an International Medical Graduate with no GMC registration and no job, to achieving MRCGP, becoming a GP Partner and Trainer, being awarded FRCGP, receiving numerous local, regional and national awards and recently being honoured with an MBE, my journey has been both extraordinary and deeply humbling.
Alongside my NHS career, I’ve dedicated my time voluntarily to improving the health of local communities. Through the British Islamic Medical Association and by establishing the Mosques Health Champions Network, I’ve led community health education programmes since 2018, promoting cancer screening, CPR, cardiovascular health, diabetes prevention, mental wellbeing and vaccination uptake in mosques and community settings. This work has helped increase bowel cancer screening uptake among Muslim patients in my practice from 35% to over 80%.
I remain grateful for the opportunity to serve and to help build healthier, stronger and more connected communities, both locally and internationally.
Dr Aminul Chowdhury
Dr Aminul Chowdhury is a community leader, civil engineer, and Chartered Water and Environmental Manager. As Chairman of the Peterborough Bangladesh Welfare Association (PBWA), he has worked tirelessly to strengthen community cohesion, celebrate cultural heritage, and promote education, health, and wellbeing. He has organised regular sports sessions to support physical and mental welfare, arranged community health consultations, led Eid celebrations, and recognised GCSE and A Level high achievers with community awards. His commitment to greener neighbourhoods includes promoting gardening, establishing the annual Sapling Festival, and introducing the Gardener of the Year Award. He also initiated the publication of Bijoy, Peterborough’s first Bangladeshi magazine, documenting the community’s history and achievements. Professionally, Dr Chowdhury has over 30 years of international experience in flood risk management and water resources engineering and currently works at Mott MacDonald.
Steve Coleby
Steve has previously worked in the FE Sector as Head of Capability and Head of Training & Quality for two large scale aerospace organisations. A former Vice-Principal and Operations Director for a Technical College, Steve is also a qualified teacher and has worked with the Construction Industry since 2014, where the innovative Technical School opened its doors to the Built Environment and Construction Industry to attempt to encourage more young people into the industry.
Carol Collier
I joined NSPCC Peterborough Business Support Group in 2002 and have since organised tie events including 8 Strictly Come Dancing style events, Black Tie themed balls and have raised over £250,000 to support local children
In late 2014 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I received great care and treatment at Peterborough City Hospital so I started to raise funds for the Breast Care Unit by holding a Ladies Lunch. This became an annual event and has raised £150,000.00 so far. These funds have helped pay for vital new surgical equipment as well as advanced courses for the staff and improvements to the Breast Care Unit clinic areas.
Chris Collier MBE
The NSPCC PBSG was formed in September 1996, and I was appointed Treasurer of the group. On 1st. January 1998 I became Chairman- a position which I held until 31st. December 2024.
During the last 30 years we have raised over £1 250,000 holding at least 150 events in that time. The success of the group has been to have a strong committee, several past and present members are in the cathedral this evening, and the magnificent support we have received from the Peterborough Business Community.
I was the conduit for the group, organised several of the events, and am proud I completed The London Marathon in Two different centuries.
I was also a judge for The Peterborough Telegraph Business Awards, which has 10 categories. from 2005 to 2025, and was Chairman for the last 10 years. We have some great companies in the area. I recommend businesses to consider entering, as this helps raising profile and is good for staff morale.
Iain Crighton MBE
Iain Crighton is a Peterborough businessman and community leader whose decades of work have shaped the city’s business and sporting landscape. Previously the owner of a local garage and cycle shop, he built a reputation for civic engagement alongside his commercial career. He was part of the team that led the merger of the Peterborough and Cambridge Chambers of Commerce into the formation of the current Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce as Chairman for seven years before becoming Honorary President, championing local business growth. As Chair and founder of Living Sport, he expanded access to sport across Peterborough, including inclusive facilities for children with disabilities, now as Chair of local charity Little Miracles. He also chaired Inspire Peterborough and is currently working as a Business Start-Up Coach and Strategic Engagement Lead at Allia Future Business Centre in Peterborough, mentoring entrepreneurs. In 2012 he was one of the Olympic Games torch bearers in Peterborough and in 2016, he received an MBE for services to Sport in Peterborough, recognising a career devoted to strengthening the city’s business community and sporting opportunities alike.
Dan Edwards
Dan was responsible for leading Marshall Skills Academy through a period of sustained growth, turning the business from a small internal cost centre, into one of the most dynamic and influential training providers in the UK and abroad. Dan has a passion for addressing social inequality and through his relationship with DWP, has a skill for finding creative ways to give under-represented people opportunities for sustainable employment.
Phil Elmer
For more than fifty years Phil has combined professional excellence with an unwavering commitment to serving others leaving a lasting impact across the city and wider region. Phil began his career in surveying progressing from Surveyor to Senior Surveyor and ultimately Partner. He was elected a Professional Associate of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in 1975 and a Fellow in 1983. Throughout his career he played a key role in major developments including Peterborough Freemans Mail Order the Peterborough Regional Swimming Pool and J Sainsbury’s Bretton development.
He later became an Equity Partner in a leading London Chartered Surveying practice overseeing projects including London J Sainsbury stores and Savacentres across the UK. After serving as Managing Director of a Construction Management Company and leading his own development business he joined CBA in Peterborough in 1998. He became Managing Director and subsequently Chairman of the CBA Group CBA Asbestos CBA Environmental and CBA Projects positions he continues to hold today.
His contribution to the business community has also been significant. As Chairman of the Construction Sector of Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce and later a Board Member he worked to support local businesses encourage collaboration and promote economic growth across Peterborough and Cambridgeshire. Phil has also devoted considerable time to charitable fundraising. He served as Quizmaster for Barnardo’s fundraising events between 2009 and 2015 for NSPCC events from 2016 onwards and for Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce since 2008 helping raise valuable funds for important causes.
What makes Phil’s contribution exceptional is not simply the number of roles he has held but the consistency dedication and voluntary service he has demonstrated throughout each one. His leadership has strengthened clubs charities and businesses; his fundraising has supported individuals facing adversity and young athletes pursuing their dreams; and his vision has helped build organisations that continue to benefit Peterborough today. For more than five decades Phil Elmer has embodied the values of service leadership and community spirit. His impact can be measured not only in the organisations he has led but in the countless lives he has touched through his generosity commitment and dedication. He is a truly deserving nominee for the Community Impact Award.
Harrison Fuller
Harrison has over 15 years’ experience working across the arts, education and community sectors as a creative producer, business development manager, lecturer and fundraiser.
He supports charities, community organisations and public sector partners to secure funding, develop innovative projects and create lasting social impact. Combining strategic expertise with a creative approach, Harrison empowers organisations to strengthen communities, unlock opportunities and deliver meaningful change.
Combining strategic development with community engagement and project management, his work includes securing grant funding, building partnerships and producing initiatives that widen access to the arts and create lasting social impact.
Drawing on a background in theatre alongside experience in organisational growth, Harrison brings together creative vision with practical delivery to develop sustainable, ambitious cultural and community programmes.
Mandy Geraghty
Mandy began working in the domestic abuse sector in 2004 for the Probation Service. Her first role was facilitating Perpetrator Programmes in Prisons and the Community. Mandy spent the next 14 years at Probation in various roles, all focussing on domestic abuse. During this time Mandy wrote victim and Perpetrator Programmes, policies on domestic abuse, and ended her career with Probation as Deputy Director for Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. Mandy then progressed into the third sector working for Refuge in Cambridgeshire, and then moved on to oversee several VAWG services in London. Mandy is now the CEO at Peterborough Women’s Aid. PWA has grown over the last 4 years and now provides specialist outreach services, safe accommodation, children and young people’s services, a women’s centre, group work and a countywide service for medium risk victims.
Lindsey Holmes
Lindsey Holmes has spent the last five years working on the Lottery funded Your Community Greenspace project for Nene Park Trust, encouraging more people to connect with greenspace and the wellbeing benefits it offers. Lindsey is a published author and a qualified teacher, with a Masters in Costume for Performance and fashion curation from London College of Fashion and a PHD in Arts and Wellbeing.
Alan Jeffrey
Alan “AJ” Jeffrey is a Peterborough gym owner and co-founder of Tiny Heartbeat Heroes, a charity created alongside his partner, Bernie, following a life-changing experience with their son, Leo.
At just seven weeks old, Leo stopped breathing at home, leaving AJ and Bernie to perform CPR until emergency help arrived. Determined to turn that terrifying experience into something positive, they launched Tiny Heartbeat Heroes in November 2025 to help other families feel prepared should they ever face a similar emergency.
In less than a year, the charity has already made a significant local impact, providing completely free infant and child CPR and choking workshops, delivered by medical professionals, and training more than 100 parents and carers.
Alongside running AJ’s Gym Peterborough, AJ continues to grow the charity with Bernie, with a shared ambition to make lifesaving education freely accessible to families across Peterborough and beyond.
Kelly Joiner
As a proud Peterborian, I support children and young people to make the most of the opportunities our amazing city offers. I am driven by a deep commitment to removing barriers and creating opportunities for our city’s young people to develop their character, find their passion, and truly thrive.
Working at Thomas Deacon Academy, my belief is that schools sit at the heart of communities and opportunities for personal development continue outside of the school day. Creating an impactful after school and holiday enrichment programme to enhance children and young people’s development.
Guided by values of social justice and collective action, | work with Peterborough Citizens and serve as a Trustee at national level for Citizens UK, uniting local communities and civic voices to generate meaningful systemic change. This work fuels my passion to build sustainable, relational partnerships that strengthen and uplift our local communities and empower our next generation.
Michelle King
Al Kingsley
Al has been the CEO of NetSupport for over 30 years, taking the company from selling a single product to one that now offers six solutions for schools and businesses worldwide, with a total installation base of over 21 million in over 120 countries.
Not only a speaker at global education events on how the latest digital developments (e.g., AI and digital strategy) are impacting education, for many years, Al has put his heart and soul into improving education here in Peterborough. His roles include being Chair of the Board of Trustees at Hampton Academy Trust, the Independent Chair of the SEND Executive Board, and former Chair of the Employment and Skills Board – where he used his experience to demonstrate how industry and education can work together to provide local opportunities for students and businesses.
In 2025, Al’s career experience and achievements were recognised at the highest level when he was awarded an MBE in the King’s New Year’s Honours for his services to education.
Clare Marshall
As a founder member of the Friends of Peterborough Lido group, Clare combined her background in community development, diversity and cohesion, training, welfare and counselling with a deep personal passion for celebrating the lido. As Vice Chair and Chair, she built strong relationships with management, council and lido networks countrywide, establishing a partnership model between community and management. Volunteering alongside operational staff and encouraging others with her positive, supportive approach, Clare helped lay the foundations for the lido’s current volunteer scheme. Her engagement with lido visitors, photographs and quotes raised awareness of the lido’s rich heritage through community voices, highlighting the importance of its preservation for Peterborough and future generations. Clare played a key editorial role in the production of the book 90 Years of the Lido, slideshow, Life at the Lido museum exhibition, media features and 90th anniversary celebrations. Her creativity and community spirit shine further through her involvement with Peterborough Community Gospel Choir and Peterborough Art Society.
Paul McLean
Pauline Moorhouse
Prior to retirement I had a career in early years education and supporting vulnerable children and families across a range of charitable organisations, I have always been passionate about making a positive difference in people’s lives. Alongside my professional work, I have volunteered within the community for many years, including several years at Landmark Theatres, where I now proudly serve as a Trustee. I am a strong advocate for those who are unable to advocate for themselves and believe everyone deserves the opportunity to be heard, valued, and included. My greatest passion is supporting people with additional needs, helping them build confidence, access opportunities, and become active members of their communities. Through both my professional and voluntary roles, I remain committed to creating inclusive environments where everyone has the chance to thrive and reach their full potential.
Mary Neighbour
Mary qualified to teach in London in 1980 then moved that year to the fledgling Orton township as a keyworker in the drive by PDC to attract people to live and work there.
She dedicated her career to education in its broadest sense whilst aiming to have an impact on children and their families through developing partnerships with parents, curriculum and environmental projects and community links.
Mary held numerous roles across Peterborough and Cambridgeshire schools for almost forty years finishing as Head of Centre for students excluded from mainstream education.
She still lives in the Ortons, and her sense of community stems from her instinctive kindness to others and her continued wish to make a difference. Her positive relationships and high regard for social responsibility have permeated through her professional and personal life, from a simple interaction with a stranger on a bus, to helping those in need and by supporting a range of community initiatives, which she has continued to do during retirement.
As Winston Churchill said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
Margaret Osker
For 38 years, my nursing career in Cambridgeshire has been dedicated to delivering compassionate care to patients and families across our community. I began at Peterborough District Hospital in Intensive Care, before joining Peterborough’s original Night Service. Following District Nursing training at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, I worked within city-centre practices, spending much of my career at North Street Surgery.
I was privileged to help pioneer Peterborough’s innovative Hospital at Home service, enabling patients to receive hospital-level care, rehabilitation, palliative and end-of-life support within the comfort of their own homes.
My role also involved providing specialist community nursing for children under the care of Great Ormond Street Hospital, supporting children with complex needs while enabling them to remain at home with their families.
Alongside clinical practice, I trained and mentored numerous nurses, became one of Peterborough’s first nurse prescribers and Community Matrons, and lectured nationally. Above all, it has been an immense privilege to care for generations of local families.
Dave Poulton
Dave Poulton is the Co Founder of Up The Garden Bath CIC and UNITY, an award winning community enterprise dedicated to creating opportunities, supporting local businesses and making sustainability accessible to everyone. What began as a simple idea to upcycle old bathtubs into planters has grown into a nationally recognised organisation that has generated over £1 million in sales for small independent businesses while delivering free educational and community activities for more than 35,000 families. Through innovative initiatives such as Goal2Grow, which makes football kits affordable while reducing waste, Dave continues to champion environmental responsibility, social inclusion and community collaboration. His vision is to create lasting change by proving that business can be a powerful force for good, leaving a positive legacy for Peterborough and beyond.
Liza Raby
Liza Raby is the founder of Spencer’s Hair Salon and co-owner of LH Hair Design and Burghley Hair & Beauty Academy.
With 40 years in the hair and beauty industry, she is passionate about developing people, creating opportunities, and building businesses that make a positive difference.
Inspired by her son Spencer, who has severe learning disabilities and epilepsy, Liza has made inclusion and community impact central to her work.
Alongside her teams, she has helped raise more than £225,000 for charities and local causes while creating welcoming salons and an academy that supports learners of all backgrounds to gain skills, confidence, and careers.
Liza believes that great businesses should do more than succeed commercially, they should inspire people, strengthen communities, and change lives.
Dejit Singh
Del Singh (Deljit Singh) is a Peterborough-born community advocate, businessman, storyteller, and accidental historian. Raised on Cromwell Road growing up in one of Peterborough’s pioneering Sikh families; his parents opened Rathore Continental Store in 1964, recognised as the city’s first ethnic minority-owned shop.
A university graduate with a 35-year career in the IT sector Del has combined his professional life with a personal passion for people, music, community, and storytelling.
Gaining recognition through his Magical History Tours of Peterborough. Short films in which he shares personal memories and the changing history of the city. Viewed globally by over half a million people. As a filmmaker, DJ, presenter, and community activist a part of his richly entertaining life story is being turned into a theatrical play, “Bat Out Of Peterborough”.
Del considers himself a proud “Son of Peterborough”.
Faustina Yang
Faustina Yang is an award-winning community leader, Chartered CIPD professional, and founder of several influential community organisations across Peterborough and Stamford. Passionate about social harmony, inclusion, and equality, she has spent more than a decade building bridges between diverse communities and public services, reaching over 25,000 people each year through her voluntary and professional work.
Faustina founded the Chinese Community in Peterborough, Chinese Women in Peterborough, Peterborough Mums UK, Hampton Tiddlers, and the Community Champions Alliance, creating opportunities for connection, wellbeing, volunteering, and community participation. Her organisations have received both the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service and the King’s Award for Voluntary Service.
Alongside her leadership roles within health, research, and community governance, Faustina is a passionate advocate for integration, wellbeing, and empowering underrepresented communities. Her work has earned numerous honours, including Chinese Woman of the Year, multiple High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire Awards, multiple civic awards, including the most recent Lifetime Achievement Award from Peterborough City Council.