An Oxfam trustee who joined the international development charity four months ago has stepped down from the role.
Refuge chief executive Gemma Sherrington was appointed to Oxfam’s board in November alongside Andrew Tivey, replacing former chair Charles Gurassa and trustee Mitesh Patel.
Shortly after the pair’s arrival, chief executive Halima Begum left the charity in controversial circumstances, with the Charity Commission recently confirming it is considering issues raised since her exit in an ongoing compliance case.
Trustee Balwant Singh left Oxfam in protest at the manner of Begum’s departure in January and the charity commissioned a separate review of its board processes that month, which is being conducted by a senior external lawyer.
Sherrington has now left the charity “due to the current demands on the board alongside my role as CEO of Refuge, whose work is more vital than ever”.
“I am grateful for my brief time on the board and wish Oxfam well,” she added in a statement.
Earlier this month, Richard Hawkes was announced as Oxfam’s interim CEO for a 12-month period.
