A Bridgwater children’s charity has appointed a new Chief Executive after more than a year without this role. bibic which provides training and support to the families of disabled children has appointed their former Trustee, Geoff Cummins, to take up this role with immediate effect. Cummins had been providing interim support on a voluntary basis to the charity’s team of senior managers since March.

The charity which is celebrating its 40th Birthday this year has experienced financial difficulties in the past two years, caused largely by cuts to funding, so this appointment is viewed by the Board of Trustees as confirmation that bibic has finally turned the corner.

Barbara Scruton, Chairman of the Trustees explained “We have faced extremely challenging times but we have learned a lot from the past two years. We are now in a much stronger position and able to develop exciting plans to expand the life-changing service we provide to families, ensuring that we are here for every child who needs us. Geoff has already played a key role in ensuring bibic’s survival through his role as a Trustee and he will, I am sure, be a committed and dedicated Chief Executive”.

Mr Cummins joins bibic with over 35 years experience in the financial sector. He became a Trustee in 2009, motivated to help families of children with brain-related conditions by the tragic death of his son Iain who acquired a brain injury when he was just two years old. Geoff said “Until his accident there was no reason to think that Iain wouldn’t have led a normal life. As a parent how do you prepare for that? It turned our world upside down.

“I know that bibic would have changed his life and it would have made an incredible difference to have had access to the support and advice that they provide. Each year thousands of children are born with or acquire a brain related condition. It is my mission is to make sure that bibic is there for every single child who needs us”.

Mr Cummins has relocated from London to live in Compton Dundon so that he can be based at bibic’s National Assessment Centre in Bridgwater.