Larkhall & District Volunteer Group Board
Anne Alston - Chair
Chairing LDVG since 2017, Anne has enjoyed the challenge of seeing the charity expand and move into larger premises. She worked for 32 years as a civil servant in DWP and has qualifications in Business Admin and Guidance. Over the years Anne has served as a member of committees; Playgroup, Scouts and work-based groups. Alongside her current role as Chair, Anne has been an elder at Chalmers Parish Church since 2016. Her involvement with LDVG began as a volunteer for call line, then went on to include lunch clubs and as an escort, and she continues to help with call line and lunch clubs. She enjoys this interest during retirement and values her involvement in the community.
Grant Riley - Finance Trustee
Grant currently works in Strategic Communication at North Lanarkshire Council. He has a Bachelor's degree in film and media; a diploma in digital marketing and another in leadership and management. Grant is also involved in a variety of other roles including secretary of the Townhead Parent Team, a steering group member of Digital North Lanarkshire and a member of Scotland's Town Partnership. He is looking forward to working as part of the board after joining in November 2021, and taking on the role of Finance Trustee from 2022.
Jim McCann
Jim spent 40 years in the motor trade, 22 years as General Manager. He has been volunteering as a driver for about 6 years, latterly with LDVG. Jim has been on the Board since 2017 and is still active as a volunteer driver.
Ronnie Nisbet
Ronnie has been self-employed for over 40 years and gained rich and varied experience in business and financial management, as well as people management. Whilst still operating as Managing Director for his own firm, he has combined volunteering for several years, mainly as a driver. Ronnie takes great interest in the work of LDVG and wanted to become more involved in the management side of things, and has been on the Board since September 2018.
Stuart McDowell
Stuart joined the Boared in 2020 and has a background in financial services. During his 30+ years in the sector, Stuart managed teams across Europe and held senior positions in Terex. Stuart is a local lad having been born in Quarter and is also the president of the Lanarkshire Leagues Bowling Association. He is looking forward to working with LDVG and in furthering it's development and growth within the community.
Fredin Varghese
A strong interest in the financial sector, coupled with a desire to contribute to the community, motivated me to pursue the prestigious ACCA qualification. Building upon a strong academic foundation establised at UWS, I furthered my knowledge by obtaining an MBA in Business Management. Prior to this, I completed a BA(Hons) in International Business and Finance,equipping me with a comprehensive understanding of finanical principles and business operations. My involvment in various organisations has fostered a well-rounded skill set. As a Property Committee Member at the Church of Scotland, I gained valuable experience in budget management and resource allocation. Additionally, leading a team as a Squad Captain at Olio Exchange honed my leadership skills. My participation in the National Service Scheme (NSS) in India further instilled the value of community service and teamwork.
Rakesh Pagadala
Distinguished expert in corporate accounting, auditing and ERP, with 17+ years of experience across corporate landscapes, mastering the implementation and management of sophisticated accounting and auditing system. Adriot in coordinating annual accounts, effectively liasing with statutory and tax auditors to facilitate seamless year-end closures. Expertise in ERP implementation, adeptly coordinating with teams to address departmental needs and ensure successful rollouts. Expert in strategic partnership development, providing insighful advice to aid decision-making processes. Rakesh posses a Post Graduate in Business Analytics and a Bachelor's Degree in Commerce. He is in the process of securing a job in the UK, and learned about LDVG through VASLan. Rakesh is keen to contribute to the community and their well-being as a Trustee since he joined in September 2023.
We are always interested in recruiting new members for our Board. If you are interested in fnding out more about being a Trustee on our Board and think you have something you could offer, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more informaiton.