Deborah Oddy has a wide range of experience in the voluntary, charitable and public sector.  Prior to becoming an independent consultant, Deborah worked as the General Manager of Bakewell and Eyam Community Transport in the Peak District from its inception in 1989 through to 2005. During this time, she oversaw the organisation’s successful development, introducing two volunteer car scheme operations, one funded exclusively in partnership with the Primary Care Trust. On leaving, she left a successful enterprise with a strong asset base, 30 employees, over 150 trained volunteers, 3 operating centres, and an annual turnover of more than £500,000.

Deborah has worked at local and national level to assist other organisations, particularly with regard to rural transport and capacity building within rural communities. She has been actively involved with Derbyshire County Council, Derbyshire Rural Community Council, and the Peak District National Park in the development of Rural Transport Partnerships, Local Strategic Partnership Access Groups, and campaigning groups such as two rural Councils for Voluntary Service, and the Peak District Deprivation Forum. 

Deborah has also worked with a range of older people’s groups including luncheon clubs, support groups, day centres, sheltered housing schemes as well as with the providers such as Age Concern and Anchor Trust.

Whilst at Bakewell and Eyam Community Transport, Deborah was successful in an improved awareness campaign with acute hospitals led by Ministers about the Hospital Travel Costs Scheme; developed NVQ accredited training for CT Driver Trainers; and successfully petitioned her local MP, Patrick McLaughlin who was selected for a Private Members Bill in 1999 and chose the subject of the extension of the Fuel Duty Rebate for all CT services (refer: http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1999/mar/12/bus-fuel-duty-exemptions-bill). This last endeavour, accompanied by a publicised ‘convoy’ of accessible vehicles from Derbyshire to the Houses of Parliament and the delivery of a substantial petition to Number 10, was the catalyst for the introduction of BSOG (the Bus Service Operators Grant) for CT operators.