Sara Smart – Community Development Worker

With more than 11 years’ experience in community development across the voluntary, charity and local government sectors in Sussex, Sara is passionate about bringing people and communities together and helping them create positive change in the places they live.

Having lived and worked in Sussex all her life, Sara believes communities are at their best when people feel connected, have a voice and know that their ideas and opinions matter. She enjoys discovering what makes a community unique and helping people recognise the skills, energy and enthusiasm that already exist within it.

Sara is joining AirS as part of the Villagers Connect Team, where she’ll be getting to know new communities, hearing their stories and supporting local people to turn their ideas into action. She loves bringing people together, making connections with a cup of tea and a piece of cake, and watching an idea that starts with “I wonder if we could…” turn into something that actually happens.

Outside of work, Sara loves spending time with her family and friends and getting out and about with her rescue golden retriever. She is a passionate amateur photographer, an avid reader, a lover of music and is never happier than when at a concert of her favourite artists or by the sea. She has helped to set up local community projects in her area including the Forest Row Community Fridge and the Forest Row Repair Café, where she is the Founder, Chair and Coordinator, a project she is incredibly proud of since they started in 2017. Volunteering is something she knows is vital to the success of such groups, so is a big advocate of the benefits of volunteering.