Community First, a leading Hampshire charity, has appointed a new chief operations officer.

Alex Barrett has taken on the role to help the organisation grow, adapt, and support more people across the region.

Community First works with local authorities, health services, and voluntary groups to improve the lives of people in Hampshire.

The charity supports hundreds of community organisations every year, helping them access funding, recruit volunteers, develop services, and build stronger, more connected local networks.

It also runs vital services directly, including community transport, youth and wellbeing projects, training, and volunteer development across towns and villages from the New Forest to Havant and beyond.

Alex joins the team with more than two decades of commercial experience, having held senior roles at Merlin Entertainments and Quidos, a government-approved accreditation scheme for the energy efficiency sector.

He spent the past nine years helping to grow a marine engineering business.

Originally from Dorset, he moved to Hampshire in 2022 and became a trustee in his local community group, which inspired his move into the charity sector.

Alex added: "I’ve worked in high-growth businesses and built strong teams, but I wanted to apply those skills to something that really matters to people.

"Community First stood out because it’s all about making life better for everyone, and there’s a real opportunity here to make lasting change.

"My focus is making sure our wide range of services are sustainable, better connected, and more accessible, especially through smarter use of technology and partnerships.

"We want people to know what support is available, no matter where in Hampshire they live."

His appointment comes at a time when demand for support is increasing across the voluntary sector.

For more information about Community First, visit cfirst.org.uk.

Alex is keen to explore how Community First can diversify income, broaden access to services, and grow its impact, while keeping people at the heart of everything it does.

Tim Houghton, chief executive of Community First, said: "Alex brings a great mix of commercial insight and community spirit.

"We’re thrilled to welcome Alex as we take the next step in strengthening the voluntary and community sector across Hampshire."