Get to know Andrew!

Hi Andrew! Thanks for taking the time to chat to us today.

You’re very welcome!

Can we start by you telling us a little bit about yourself?

We can indeed!

I’ve lived in Poynton most of my life and love it here! It’s a fantastic place and I can’t see myself ever leaving. I live with my wife and we have three grown up daughters.

My career is in audit and accountancy, and I’ve worked with charities throughout most of my working life.

How did you come to hear about Just-Ice and how did you come to be involved?

Well, I know a lot of people who were involved in setting up Just-Ice, mainly through my connections at St George's but also other societies in the village.

I started coming in as a customer when the café opened as it's a brilliant enterprise to support. It was then that I was very kindly approached by members of the charity and asked to join, which was an offer I couldn't refuse!

As well as being a Trustee you're also our treasurer. I imagine managing the finances of a small charity is a real challenge and yet Just-Ice continues to grow which is great to see. Is there anything you're particularly proud of that we've achieved?

I wasn't involved at the beginning, but I'm particularly proud of the people who took the initiative to start Just-Ice. Setting up a charity isn't easy, but these people have shown great motivation, drive and ambition. I'm proud to work with such talented people and Just-Ice is a fabulous part of my life!

As our treasurer, you must be especially happy when it's sunny and everyone's buying ice cream! However, we all know how fickle the British weather can be, so how does Just-Ice manage out of season?

Running a charity is very tough and it's a competitive sector. There's lots of costs which aren't immediately obvious, especially for a charity café; renting our premises, utility bills and insurance to name just a few!

It's great when the weather is kind but, as you say, we can't always rely on that, and we couldn't survive on profits from the café alone. That's where donations, grants and legacies come in, and we're very blessed to have fantastic support on all these areas.

Of course, our fantastic customers are a hugely important as every purchase is supporting survivors of modern slavery. Together with the generous donations and grants we receive, our amazing community is really looking after us!

One of the benefits of being a small charity is you can see the results of people's generosity first-hand. Do you have a particular occasion that stands out where our community has made a real difference?

Oh yes! It's wonderful to see all the groups who regularly use the café and support us. We're so grateful when schools, businesses and community groups hold an event in support of us or decide to fundraise for Just-Ice, it's a joy to behold!

I've been involved with Just-Ice long enough now to see the change in the beneficiaries from when they arrive to when they leave. Their personal growth and the confidence they gain is wonderful to see!

Thanks Andrew. We'll close with a very important question, what's your favourite flavour of ice cream?

Well, when I was young it was anything but vanilla, with raspberry ripple and strawberry being particular favourites! As I've got older my go to now is vanilla, but I'll top it off with a scoop of passionfruit or mango if I'm feeling adventurous!