Founder of Young Charity Trustees, Alexander Swallow, has been appointed chief executive of the Small Charities Coalition.

Swallow is an advisor to the third sector across a range of skills, including social media, fundraising and charity governance. He founded Young Charity Trustees in May 2011, with an aim of encouraging and supporting people under the age of 35 to become trustees. The group now has over 800 members on LinkedIn.

Swallow, who studied at Cambridge University from 2001 to 2003, is a prolific volunteer, undertaking an array of volunteering support throughout his university years and beyond. He became a trustee at Centre 404, a charity supporting people with learning difficulties and their families in 2009, and has held a number of roles on the charity's board including over a year as co vice chair and company Secretary. He has also been a mother/toddler group volunteer, a kitchen helper and a marathon marshall in his time. 

Until July this year, Swallow was national development, communications and fundraising officer at the National Benevolent Fund for the Aged, a role he held for nearly three and a half years.

Through Young Charity Trustees Swallow has elevated his profile, meeting with senior figures in the sector such as minister for civil society Nick Hurd and Dame Mary Marsh on the matter of skills in the charity sector.

Welcoming Swallow as chief executive, Debra Allcock Tyler, chair of the Small Charities Coalition said: "We are delighted to welcome Alex on board as our new chief executive. He impressed us with his enthusiasm, and passion for and commitment to supporting the work of small charities and trustees – and his ideas and plans for the future are exciting."

Swallow will take over from Cath Lee, who is relocating to West Yorkshire.