Born and raised in rural Leicestershire, Sam joined the RCC (Leicestershire and Rutland) in 2008. After 7 years working to develop and deliver grassroots community development projects, Sam became Executive Director of the Charity in 2015 a role he shares with a long-term colleague.  Having suffered mental health issues himself, Sam is a huge advocate for supporting community-based activity to reach and support people to improve their mental wellbeing, tackle loneliness and help people connect meaningfully with their local community.  In 2019, and in response to a call to action by the Jo Cox Foundation, Sam and his colleagues combined their love for coffee with a desire to combat rural loneliness and isolation by launching Rural Coffee Connect. Based around a Barista Coffee Van, the project travels to rural areas, connecting people over a good cup of coffee to raise awareness of loneliness and promote positive mental wellbeing.