Louise Lai

Angela Novell is Chief Executive Officer of MK SNAP (Milton Keynes Special Needs Advancement Project) and was appointed in March 2018 to lead the strategic development of the charity who support over 150 adults with learning disabilities through education, work training and life skills. Since taking up the post she has led the team to launch the first five year strategic plan for the direction of the charity involving stakeholders from across the organisation and resulting in the award of a major strategic grant of £65,000 from MK Community Foundation. The charity became winners of the ITV Peoples Project in 2018 with the charity awarded £50k sports funding and were shortlisted as Charity of the Year at the MK Business Achievement Awards 2019, Winners of the Aviva National Awards 2019 and named as the Deloitte Society Partner 2019-2023. MK SNAP went on to be named as Best Learning Disabled Support Service for Buckinghamshire for 2020 at the National Social Care Awards and won the national Business Charity Awards (Long Term Partnership) award for their work training partnership with global company Mechline the same year. Angela Novell was awarded winner Third Sector Champion at the National Business Women's Awards 2019. The charity was honoured to receive The Queens Award for Voluntary Service in 2020; the MBE for charities. Angela was appointed as Interim Joint Chief Executive of MK Dons Sport & Education Trust in November 2017; having formerly held the post of Director of Education for the trust for six years and is Founder President of Soroptimist International Milton Keynes. She worked in the banking and finance sector for 13 years as a consultant before leaving to become a lecturer teaching in the community sector of Further Education (FE). During this time Angela worked in a variety of community education settings in her role as an FE Lecturer and was responsible for managing two community learning centres. In 2007 Angela was appointed by Milton Keynes Council to lead on the strategic development of the MK Dons Playing for Success programme in partnership with the Department for Education (DFE), and played a key role in the Extended Services team; including the opening of the MK Dons Study Centre in 2007 and the commissioning of the 'Dons on Tour' education bus in 2010. In 2011 Angela was appointed to lead the development of the education offer on behalf of MK Dons Sport & Education Trust and was responsible for the strategic development of the education programme. In 2011 MK Dons SET were named as 'East of England Education Hub' for The Football League Trust (FLT) in recognition of the quality and reach of their education work. During this time, Angela led an award-winning team of qualified professionals from a diverse range of educational, youth work and health backgrounds, including Community & Family Learning, Vocational & Youth and was responsible for the Early Help commissioned parenting service for Milton Keynes; Get Set Parenting on behalf of Milton Keynes Council. In 2018 MK Dons SET were awarded Charity of the Year by MK Business Leaders for the impact of their work in the community. A proud Finalist for MK Women Leaders awards in 2015 for the category Community Leader - Professional and 2016 Finalist for category Community Leader - Charity. In 2017 she was recognised and awarded 'Highly Commended' for Community Impact - Charity. Angela was part of a small group of local women who established the group Soroptimist International Milton Keynes, officially chartered in 2015, and works to improve the lives of women and girls locally and internationally. SI Milton Keynes is part of the largest global volunteer movement for women; holding a United Nations mandate for their work to empower women. Passionate about lifelong learning, food, travel and sport!