MEET OUR BOARD OF ADVISERS
Councillor Franklin Owusu Antwi
Councillor Franklin is an Army veteran of the British Armed Forces and South Gloucestershire District Councillor for Bradley Stoke North Ward. He was first elected as a Local Councillor in 2015 and since then had strived to address residents' concerns on various issues; including health, housing, transportation, environment, education and championing local veterans initiatives. Franklin served with 13 Air Assault Regiment RLC in Colchester as Combat Logistician from 2006 – 2009. He was deployed to Helmand Province in Afghanistan on Operation Herrick 8 in the autumn of 2007.
It has been Franklin’s passion to bring communities together to work better together for the betterment of all residents. A Global Logistician with over 20 years experience in accounting & finance, operations management, logistics & transport operations and supply chain management. Franklin it the Founder and CEO of ASSISTPLUC CIC and has advised and supported various organisations in the UK and abroad; including UK Ministry of Defence, NATO and The United Nations. He is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT-UK). In April 2017 Franklin was appointed as member of South West Veterans Advisory & Pensions Committee by the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and Minister for Defence Veteran, Reserve and Personnel Mark Lancaster TD VR MP in furthering the interests of our veterans. Franklin was re-appointed in April 2020 for a further 3-year term by Johnny Mercer MP and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and Minister for Defence People & Veteran. He also sits on Avon and Somerset Police & Crime Panel representing South Gloucestershire Council and is also the Vice Chair of Royal British Legion-Stoke Gifford Branch and current Chair of SGC Safer Stronger Communities Strategic Partnership
Derrick Cobbinah
Derrick Cobbinah has a multi-national inspiring working experience supporting with humanitarian logistics in harsh environments. Derrick Cobbinah has over a 14 years proven track record in managing human resources, transport, customer service, inbound and outbound logistics, reverse logistics, purchasing, procurement and outsourcing. He devoted and served ten years in the British Army, whilst in the army he was awarded with two tour medals (Afghanistan service medal and the Queen’s Jubilee Medal) Derrick, now a Veteran of the British Army plays the role of Project officer, Africa for The Royal Commonwealth Ex-Services League (RCEL). Derrick’s responsibilities among a lot at RCEL is to work with the HQ RCEL and Member Organisations, to ensure that grants funds are distributed to eligible beneficiaries, Liaise and work with all levels of RCEL and external bodies. He acts as the voice for Ex-British Soldiers living in Ghana, liaising closely with the British High Commission Defence Section to support Ghanaian veterans, whilst providing liaisons between the Veterans Administration, Ghana (VAG) and RCEL Derrick played a huge role in setting up the UK-Ghana Chamber of Commerce (UKGCC) a chamber formed to facilitate trade between UK and Ghana. He held the position of Trade Services Manager and progressed to Head of Operations. Activities under his watch at the chamber was to monitor and evaluate DFID special projects- i.e. The UK-Ghana Investment Summit and the Private Sector Anti-Corruption Group (PSACG Derrick is the Brain behind Forces and Veterans Award (FAV) Award Africa. The Award is positioned as an annual gala and awards event that will be honouring Veterans and members of Security force i.e. Army, Navy, Police, and Civilians involved with the Force in Ghana and across Africa
