Sudbury community support charity Number 72 set to begin new era as founders retire after 17 years at helm

The retiring founders of a Sudbury-based charity say it is wonderful to see the difference their service has made over the years, as they pass the baton to new management.

Tim and Joy Ayrton have announced they will retire from Number 72 – The Family and Community Network next month, following 17 years at the helm.

The Acton couple have led Number 72 since its foundation in 2007, having set it up to expand their outreach, after three years running a support service out of the Sudbury Baptist Church.

Named after its address at 72 North Street, the charity offers free, confidential advice and practical help to individuals and families struggling with a variety of personal challenges.

Tim said that, with the right team in place to take Number 72 forward, they felt now was the right time to step down.

“It’s wonderful that we have been able to make a difference,” he told SuffolkNews.

“We’ve had letters over the years from people who have been very thankful, and we’ve seen development in people’s lives and positive changes in families.

“That gives you a real encouragement and makes you want to keep going.

“I think age comes into the decision to retire, but also the fact that we know there are others who can do the job effectively, who are already in our organisation.

“The difficulty for founders is they can sometimes stay at the top for too long, and it’s important that we allow others to thrive.”

Reflecting on his time leading Number 72, Tim stated that, while there was always a need for their service, it had grown in ways they “could never have imagined”.

In addition to operating its drop-in centre and café in North Street, the charity has expanded to provide one-to-one support with students at local schools.

Team members currently run these sessions regularly at Thomas Gainsborough School, with plans to extend this to Ormiston Sudbury Academy.

Tim added that the Covid-19 pandemic showed the need for their service to constantly adapt to changing demands, as the aftermath saw people affected in different ways.

From July 6, Number 72 will be led by manager Lesley Mitchell and assistant manager Claire Walker.

Lesley said: “Tim and Joy contacted me 18 months ago about joining their team, and it has been a wonderful experience. Number 72 kind of runs itself, and everyone is so supportive.

“We see so many people who have been coming to Number 72 for a long time, and they see it almost like family. I don’t think we will be looking to change what we do, but things evolve over time.

“Mainstream services are so overstretched, and we get a lot of people coming to us via word of mouth, from services who haven’t got the capacity to deal with them.

“As always, there’s a slight worry when you’re taking over from people who have been here for a long time, but there’s more excitement as to where we can go from here.”

To find out more about the charity and its services, go online to www.number72.net.