Carly is the Head of the Bristol Ageing Better (BAB) programme, a £6 million National Lottery Community funded programme that works to reduce social isolation and loneliness in the lives of older people across Bristol. BAB’s success lies in its development of partnership-based work, collaborating with a diverse range of charities, agencies and individuals to benefit older people. Carly oversaw the development of this 100+ partnership and when the coronavirus crisis began, it was the legacy of this work that meant BAB and Bristol agencies were better equipped to support older people in the city.

Cary’s role entails working strategically across the city, sharing learning and knowledge with partners and influencing stakeholders to create a systems change, working with individuals and organisations across multiple sectors. A large part of her work involves making all elements of the BAB programme sustainable through developments such as age-friendly city accreditation. 

Carly has worked at BAB for six years, during which time the programme has had a measurable positive impact on 24,000 older people in the city.  Before joining the charity sector in Bristol, Carly worked for South Gloucestershire Council running the Walking for Health programme, and before then, spent two years working in research at the University of Bristol, with her career beginning at the American Cancer Society in New York, before moving to Bristol, UK.