01984 624 666
Wivey Link Booking Line
wiveylink@wiveliscombe.com
Mon - Fri: 9.30am - 1pm
Booking Lines and Office Hours
Our volunteer board of Directors oversee the running of the organisation and they are representatives of the community as a whole.
Wivey Link is managed and supported by four part-time staff and a team of local volunteer drivers.
Wivey Link also receives further back-up from a team of experienced office volunteers.
The Team
Bec Briar
Manager
Bec Briar moved to the area in 2019 and joined us in the office as our Manager soon after. She has a background in setting up, funding and running non profits with a focus on community, nature connection and mental health.
She keeps a flock of rare breed wool sheep in Ford and is a spinner and weaver in her spare time.
Alison Sipthorpe
Wivey Link Coordinator – Scheduling Lead
Alison Sipthorpe is one of our excellent Coordinators and in charge of making sure our passengers get where they want to go. She has 3 grown up children and extended family in Wivey and Milverton.
Her experience is predominantly in healthcare and admin, a perfect combination for her role at Wivey Link working alongside our customers, drivers and volunteers.
Neil Gent
Wivey Link Coordinator – Service Lead
Neil Gent is one of our three Wivey Link Coordinators, working alongside Alison and Mel to ensure all of our drivers and passengers are well looked after and our systems run smoothly.
Neil is passionate about community and is involved in many of our local organisations from 10 Radio to Wiveliscombe Library.
Mel North
Wivey Link Coordinator – Memberships Lead
Mel North
Directors
Pauline Homeshaw MBE
Lifetime President
A Wiveliscombe resident for 33 years, Pauline has a sales and editorial background. She is Chair of the Wiveliscombe Civic and Historical Society and is also a presenter on community radio station 10Radio. She is County Publicity Officer for SSAFA Forces Help.
Pauline also runs the biennial 10 Parishes Festival, a celebration of the arts and crafts so prevalent in the 10 Parishes area. Pauline loves theatre, books and she and her husband Bob have a huge interest in gardening.
Steve Froud
Director
Andrew Smith
Director
Andrew retired in 2015 as Relationship Director Corporate Banking South West for Lloyds Bank Plc. He has lived in Huish Champflower for 31 years. He currently serves as a non executive for LiveWest, the largest housing association in the south west. Previous pro bono appointments include serving as a governor at Kingsmead School, a trustee at Hospiscare (the Exeter hospice), and treasurer of Wimbleball Sailing Club. His interests include sailing, cycling, walking, bridge and travel.
Ewan Robertson
Director
Ewan and his family have lived in Milverton for over 20 years. His first career was as an officer in the Royal Navy, much of this time flying in the Fleet Air Arm. On retiring as a Commander after 27 years in the Navy, he qualified as a teacher and spent 15 years teaching geography and games at Brymore School, Cannington. He finally retired in 2011.
He has been involved with a number of village activities, was a governor at Milverton School for 12 years (including 4 as Chairman) and he has been a volunteer driver for Wivey Link for 6 years and a Director for 5 years. Other interests include travel, walking, sport (particularly rugby), gardening and reading
Liz Hurry
Director
After 30 years of living and working in Central London, running a property management business, Liz decided to sell the business, swap high heels for welly boots and move to Wiveliscombe in 2018. She originally started driving for Wiveylink as a way to get to know the area and found that she loved meeting new and interesting people every time she got behind the wheel. After a few years of driving she also joined the board in April 2021. She is lifeguard and Chair at Wivey Pool. In her spare time, she enjoys riding her motorbike, skydiving, going to the gym and trips to the cinema.
Alan Measures
Chairman
Alan moved to Wiveliscombe in 2021, and became a Director in 2022. He is currently an HR Director with a US aerospace and defence company, having previously worked in a variety of industries including insurance, oil exploration, brewing and retail.
He also undertakes voluntary work with the Open University Students Association and since moving to the area has become a season ticket holder at Somerset Cricket club, where he hopes to learn the difference between square leg and silly mid off.
Andy Mitchie
Director
Andy has lived in the area since 2002. He has spent much of this time travelling the UK delivering Microsoft Dynamics 365 projects for numerous notable Government departments and authorities as well as businesses in the private sector.
Andy ended his career working for IBM retiring at the beginning of 2020. He started as an office volunteer beginning of 2022 and was invited to join the WAP Board November 2022. His interests are music, gardening and DIY. Andy is also the caretaker for the old property he and his wife have enjoyed since moving to Somerset.