News

Andrew Flanagan to leave NSPCC 2

Governance | Celina Ribeiro | 1 Oct 2012

The NSPCC chief executive will step down from his post in March next year following four years in the role.

Andrew Flanagan announced to colleagues that he has given six months notice and thanked them for their patience during a period of change and difficult finances. Over the past four years NSPCC has undergone multiple restructures, regional service centre closures, waves of redundancies and spent more than it earned every year since 2008.

Flanagan’s decision coincides with the charity being without a director of fundraising from today. Mike Parker, appointed interim in March this year, left at the end of September, leaving Flanagan responsible for fundraising at the charity until a permanent fundraising director is appointed.

In an email to colleagues, Flanagan said the NSPCC had achieved “amazing things for children” in the past four years, including an increase in calls to the ChildLine helpline, and broadening its services on the internet to help children in need in new ways.

“I believe that it is now time for someone different to take things forward and champion your work, my leaving allows this to happen,” said Flanagan in an email seen by civilsociety.co.uk.

In an official statement, Flanagan said: “It has been an immense privilege to have led the NSPCC for the last few years and I am very proud of what my colleagues, staff, volunteers and supporters have been able to achieve on behalf of children. Not only have we created some of the most pioneering and innovative services for children in the UK but we have broadened our ChildLine services online and into primary schools while ensuring every child contacting us gets an answer anytime, day or night. We are helping more children than ever before.”
 
Mark Wood, NSPCC chairman, praised Flanagan for setting NSPCC on a sound path, financially and in terms of charitable mission.
 
“Andrew has had a tremendous impact on the NSPCC in his time with us,” said Wood. “He has created a clear direction and focus for us to achieve our ultimate aim of ending cruelty to children while ensuring the financial health of the NSPCC through difficult economic times – so important for a charity which depends largely on the generosity of voluntary donations from the public. We extend our thanks to Andrew and wish him every success for the future.”

Directory: NSPCC | National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC)
Who's Who: Andrew Flanagan