Our structure

Footprints Women's Centre is managed by the Centre Director, Gillian Gibson, on behalf of the Board of Directors.  Gillian has worked for Footprints Women's Centre since 1993.  Footprints currently employs 38 staff and provides services for up to 500 members.  We have a Board of Directors and a Women's Committee. 

Board of Directors

The Board of Directors is comprised of 11 women, 75% of whom are from the Colin Neighbourhood.  The Board of Directors meet monthly and has ultimate legal and financial responsibility for all the activities of the organisation.  The Board of Director’s role is to maintain an overview of policy and strategy rather than being involved in the day to day running of Footprints Women’s Centre.

Footprints Trading Ltd was established in 2003 as the trading arm of the organisation, and runs a daycare business and a catering business.  Footprints Catering Ltd was established in 1997 and Footprints Trading Ltd evolved from this company when the Centre decided to open a daycare business and fully embrace social enterprise as a key strategy in sustaining the services of the organisation.

Women's Committee

Within the last year Footprints has established a Women’s Committee representative of the key stakeholders involved within the organisation.  This committee meets monthly and their role is to:

• Consider, report and make recommendations to the Board of Directors
• On core activities and services, views and interests of members;
• Promotion and protection of Footprints Women’s Centre
• Provide clarification on issues as and when required by the Board of Directors.

Members of the Women’s Committee are elected at the AFM by Centre members.

Chair

 The current chair of the Board of Directors is Isobel Loughran

Isobel Loughran was re-elected Chair of Footprints Women’s Centre in June 2009 having previously held the role of Chair person since 2006.

Isobel has lived in the Colin area since 1978 and has been a member of Footprints since 1993, becoming involved in the Women’s Sector through her work as a Trade Union activist.  She currently works as Training &Education Co-Ordinator for Women Into Politics, an organization aimed at raising the numbers of women in decision-making positions in Northern Ireland. Isobel also holds a position on the Executive Committee of the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action and has a Masters Degree in Management in the Community and Voluntary Sector.