People Behind the Purpose: Ed Hollamby

A few weeks into his new role, Commercial Services Director Ed Hollamby has already discovered one important lesson about Age UK Lincolnshire…

"Never accept a game of table tennis on a Wednesday or Friday at Park Street unless you're prepared to lose!" he laughs. "I thought it would be a quick knockabout. Little did I know how good they are!"

The table tennis may have caught him by surprise. Working with people, however, is something he's been doing for more than 20 years.

Before joining Age UK Lincolnshire, Ed spent 23 years running his own business, supporting families, charities and community organisations through coaching, training and leadership development. With a background in sports psychology, health and fitness, he has worked with everyone from prisons to Premier League football clubs, helping people understand behaviour, build resilience and bring out the best in themselves and others.

He's even worked with some familiar faces along the way, including Ulrika Jonsson, Sir Steve Redgrave, Matthew Pinsent (and he’s met the original Gladiators!), but it's people, not celebrity, that have always been at the heart of his career.

So what brought Ed to Age UK Lincolnshire?

"I turned 50 last month," Ed says. "My wife asked me what I wanted to do next in terms of work and I realised I'd love to work within an organisation where I can make a real difference rather than working for myself with lots of organisations where I can only make a relatively small impact.“

Having worked alongside charitable organisations for around 20 years, including various Age UKs around the country, he'd already seen first-hand the passion of the people delivering services.

“I still remember meeting the person who ran the befriending service here in Lincolnshire over 20 years ago. Her passion and dedication was infectious, and I've never forgotten it. Even back then I thought, 'This is the kind of organisation I'd be proud to work for.’"

That feeling has only grown stronger.

"As my own parents and mother-in-law have got older, I've seen some of the challenges people face that I probably didn't appreciate before. It made me realise just how much need there is and how important organisations like ours really are."

Although Ed admits there's been a lot to learn in his first few weeks, one thing has stood out above everything else.

"We're a complicated organisation in many ways because we do so much. But at the heart of everything is bringing dignity and respect to people. That's what unites everyone here. Whenever I talk to colleagues, they don't just tell me what they do, they tell me why they do it."

Looking ahead, Ed is excited by the opportunity to help Age UK Lincolnshire reach even more people across the county.

"The “Commercial” in “Commercial Services” is obviously about income, but the money is a by-product of providing a great service. Any surplus goes straight back into supporting the work we do. I never want the focus to be making more money for its own sake. What excites me is helping more people, in more places, by doing what we already do so well."

Away from work, Ed is happiest spending time with his family, enjoying the garden, getting out into nature and listening to music or podcasts. With two children preparing to head off to university, he's making the most of every moment at home while he can.

And finally, he has one message he'd like to share with everyone across Age UK Lincolnshire:

"Never forget what prompted you to apply in the first place. We all get busy, we all face challenges, and we all have days where we're tired. But if you can step back and remember the good we're doing and the difference we're making, it's incredibly heartening."

With his passion for people and wealth of experience, we're delighted to have Ed on board and can't wait to see the positive impact he'll make across Age UK Lincolnshire.