Hillbrush chair takes on role to support victims of crime charity Wiltshire Bobby Van

The chair of brush makers Hillbrush, Philip Coward, has become chairman of crime and domestic abuse charity Wiltshire Bobby Van.
Coward takes on the role from Robert Hiscox, who has stepped down after 25 years to become honorary lifetime president. He is also set to become chairman of the Royal Warrant Holders Charity in April.
The charity, which works in partnership with Wiltshire Police, has three vans operated by former police officers who visit homes across Wiltshire and Swindon. They offer and fit home security measures and fire safety assessments for people over 60, those at risk of domestic abuse or over 18 with a registered disability. The service is completely free.
A day out with the Wiltshire Bobby Van with operative Mick Leighfield seeing at first-hand how they care for victims of crime and domestic abuse convinced him to become chairman of the charity.
“I knew roughly what the charity does but not everything and when I went out with Mick on the van I just couldn’t believe what was happening behind some quite nice looking front doors,” said Coward.
“It is reasonably straightforward go in and change a lock and give someone a panic alarm but it was the time he spent talking to the people, reassuring them and putting their mind at rest that was so much more important. He was totally brilliant at it.”
Coward marked 50 years this year since he joined Hillbrush, becoming the third generation of the family to run the firm since it was founded in 1922. He has seen the company grow to a world-leading supplier of brooms and brushes for the domestic and commercial market, exporting to more than 90 countries.
Four years ago he handed the reins over to his son Charlie and nephew Andy, who are joint managing directors. As chairman he is still involved in the business, particularly with the research and development and engineering side.
Coward’s ambition as chairman is to grow the Bobby Van’s fundraising. The charity, which helped almost 1,200 victims of crime and more than 300 people suffering domestic abuse last year, receives no statutory funding and has to raise more than £300,000 a year to maintain the service.
“We have to ensure we’ve got sustainable fundraising because that’s the most important thing, if you can’t fundraise, the whole thing dies,” he said. “I would like to reduce the six-week waiting time for visits, which is not really right. It shouldn’t be more than two or three weeks really.”