Chief executive
The British Dyslexia Association has announced that Nick Posford will be joining as chief executive from today.
He joins the British Dyslexia Association from CICRA where he has led the team in the role of chief executive since 2017.
He said: “I am really looking forward to starting work with the British Dyslexia Association team and its’ partners. I have seen the impact on individuals and those who support them when schools or workplaces are not dyslexia-friendly. I am keen to help drive improvements across our society to benefit people with dyslexia.
“It is more important than ever that schools, colleges, universities, employers and businesses are dyslexia-welcoming, to draw on the widest range of talent and abilities. The aim of the British Dyslexia Association is to ensure that people with dyslexia are supported to reach their full potential, and it will be an honour to lead the Association in continuing to make positive change happen.”
Asthma UK and the British Lung Foundation has announced that Sarah Woolnough will take over as chief executive from December 2020, as the current chief executive, Kay Boycott, moves to a long-planned portfolio career.
Woolnough joins from Cancer Research UK, where she is executive director of policy and information, as well as serving as a trustee of MQ: Transforming Mental Health and the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI).
She said: “It’s an honour to be appointed chief executive of Asthma UK and the British Lung Foundation. Respiratory health is a cause I care deeply about, and it’s been inspiring to see the extraordinary lengths that they’ve gone to in supporting people with lung conditions over many years, and most recently during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It will be a real privilege to join the charity at such a crucial time, and I look forward to being part of a team committed to making real change for the 12 million people in the UK affected by lung disease.”
Boycott said: “It’s been an absolute privilege to have served people with lung disease as the first chief executive of Asthma UK and the British Lung Foundation, and to have led Asthma UK before that. I’m extremely proud of what we’ve managed to achieve together, including proving the value of the merger. Leaving such a dedicated and committed team will be a big wrench, but I’m thrilled to be handing over to a leader of Sarah’s calibre.”
St Ann’s Hospice in Manchester has announced the appointment of Rachel McMillan as its new chief executive.
McMillan, who is the organisation’s current deputy chief executive and director of clinical services, will take over the role from the current chief executive Eamonn O’Neal in October.
O’Neal will remain part of the organisation, taking on a new position as director of strategic initiatives, a role which will help to drive forward the charity’s plans for a new hospice building in Heald Green, Greater Manchester.
She said: “It’s such a privilege to be taking on this role, especially as the hospice reaches its 50th anniversary next year, and enters a new chapter in its history. I’m honoured to work with such a fantastic team, and incredibly proud of the reputation St Ann’s has in our local community.
“It’s been a challenging time for the hospice, as we’ve had to adapt to continue providing specialist, personalised care to our patients throughout the pandemic, but I’m so proud that our teams have embraced the challenges that have come their way, and have proactively sought solutions that mean the very best for our patients.
“The needs of the patients and their families are at the heart of everything the hospice does and that is so important to me. I know that even as we enter a period of change and exciting developments in our history, that ethos and purpose will always remain the same. I am really looking forward to leading the organisation through this next exciting chapter.”
The Robertson Trust has appointed Dr Jim McCormick as chief executive. He joins the trust on 26 October 2020 from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation where he served as associate director in Scotland since 2018.
The announcement comes as the Robertson Trust prepares to launch its new ten-year strategy in September.
McCormick said: “At a time when the coronavirus pandemic has caused heartache and hardship to many, and with the risk of poverty deepening and inequalities becoming ever more entrenched in communities across Scotland, the role of policy makers, third sector and grassroots organisations and independent funders is more important than ever.
“I am delighted to join the Robertson Trust, an organisation I have respected and worked with for many years, as we embark on delivering a focused and bold strategy, with a clear vision to support organisations and address the root causes and impacts of poverty and trauma on the lives of people in Scotland.
“Now more than ever, the trust has an opportunity to utilise all of its resources to affect change, to transform systems and the way we address poverty and trauma. I relish the opportunity to lead an organisation that has set itself such an ambitious challenge and look forward to working with the board of trustees, the staff team and partners, to affect real and lasting change.”
Mercy Corps has announced Tjada D'Oyen McKenna as its new chief executive.
McKenna will start the role at Mercy Corps on October 15 2020.
“Mercy Corps is rightly recognised around the globe for innovative, bold responses to the world’s toughest challenges,” said McKenna. “It’s an honour to join this organisation and in particular this remarkable global team of nearly 6,000 innovative leaders.”
McKenna previously served as the chief operating officer for two international non-profits, CARE and Habitat for Humanity International. McKenna also spent more than a decade in roles with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the US government, specialising in food security and working to end world hunger.
Directors
Home-Start UK have announced that Christine Carlin will join as the charity's Scotland director, starting today.
Carlin has previously been chief executive, Salvesen Mindroom Centre (SMC) and director Scotland for the MS Society, as well as third sector lead for the Scottish government.
Carlin said: “I am very honoured to be joining Home-Start, an incredible organisation that makes such positive difference each year to the lives of thousands of families with young children across the UK. In these very challenging times, Home-Start's work has never been more important and I am looking forward to working with the Home-Start network across Scotland and the UK.”
John Puzey the director of Shelter Cymru will stand down this autumn after over 30 years at the helm.
After setting up a successful advice agency in Hull, he came to what was then Welsh Housing Aid with a vision to ensure that everyone in Wales would have access to housing advice. From early beginnings in the 80s with advice surgeries in five local authority areas, he will leave Shelter Cymru providing all-Wales coverage of housing advice, advising and supporting some 20,000 people a year.
Puzey stated: “Leading Shelter Cymru over the last 30 years has been an enormous privilege. I have learned so much and personally grown as a result and I hope made a contribution to its success. Thanks to a committed passionate staff group the charity has made a major impact over that time, transforming the lives of thousands of people and influencing the policy and practice landscape for good.”
His successor will be announced in the near future.
Fiona Colley is to join Homeless Link as director of social change.
She will start in the role on 7 September 2020. She joins Homeless Link from Lewisham Council, where, as director of strategy and communications, she was responsible for its communications, corporate strategy and strategic partnerships, as well as being a member of the senior leadership team.
Colley said: “I’m excited to be joining Homeless Link at this key moment – a time when the only certainty is change. Our challenge is to seize this moment and ensure this is change for the better, for people experiencing homelessness and our member organisations who support them.
“I’m looking forward to bringing my passion for social justice and experience in politics, campaigning and government to lead bold, powerful and effective campaigns focused on influencing policy makers and decision takers across central, regional and local government.”
Chair and board
Help for Heroes has appointed Nigel Boardman as its new chair of trustees.
Boardman has significant family connections to the Armed Forces, and will start with the charity in September 2020.
He replaces interim chair professor Veronica Hope Hailey and joins Help for Heroes with a successful career as a lawyer and practice leader with Slaughter and May.
Melanie Waters, chief executive of Help for Heroes, said: “His diverse experience and commitment to our cause will, I’m sure, help steer us through the challenging time ahead, enabling us to keep our promise to support wounded veterans and families for as long as they need us.”
The RNLI has a new deputy chair, Janet Cooper.
Cooper’s role is to support the chairman, Stuart Popham, in providing direction and leadership to the RNLI board and council, enabling the trustees and council to fulfil their responsibilities for the governance and strategic direction of the RNLI.
She is currently the senior partner of law firm Tapestry Compliance, following 20 years as a partner at global law firm Linklaters.
She has been a part of the RNLI since 2011 when she joined as a member of the RNLI resource committee, a role which she held until 2014. She was then elected to the RNLI Council and appointed a trustee. Since October 2019, she has also been the chair of the RNLI Remuneration Committee.
Scientific research charity, FRAME, has recruited Dr Lesley Gilmour, the named training and competency officer (NTCO) at the University of Glasgow, as a trustee.
FRAME is committed to replacing the use of animals in scientific experiments.
Gilmour said: “Despite the fact that my academic career and current role involves the use of research animals, I believe that the use of animals for research can and should change towards the use of non-animal alternatives where possible.
“In my current role, I successfully led an initiative to change rodent handling practice from tail-handling to non-aversive methods, which resulted in a new policy on handling being endorsed by the Animal Welfare Ethical Review Board (AWERB) and Establishment License Holder in 2019.”
Battersea Dogs & Cats Home has appointed Paul Baldwin as its new chairman.
He succeeds Amanda Burton who steps down in October, after a ten-year tenure as trustee, vice-chair and for the past four years, chairman.
Baldwin recently retired as chair of World Animal Protection and is a council member and non-executive treasurer of Fauna & Flora International, one of the oldest conservation organisations focusing on biodiversity preservation across over 40 countries.
He spent nearly 20 years working in the banking industry for Union Bank of Switzerland, Kleinwort Benson, Goldman Sachs, and most recently as a managing director in global markets at HSBC.
He said: “I’m honoured and excited to have the opportunity to join the superb team at Battersea. Being passionate about animal welfare I have always admired the important work done by Battersea, each year giving thousands of dogs and cats the chance to live where they are treated with compassion, care and respect. I know Battersea has an ambitious and challenging strategy to further increase its reach and impact, and I very much look forward to playing my part in delivering its future plans.”
Jane Portas has been appointed trustee at Centre for Ageing Better .
Portas is a chartered accountant with over 30 years’ financial services and business advisory experience, currently an insurance partner at PwC.
She took up the role at the beginning of August.
Portas said: “I am delighted at my new appointment as trustee at the Centre for Ageing Better. I am looking forward to continuing the excellent work to deliver Ageing Better’s priority goals to ensure everyone is able to enjoy a later life.
“I look forward to using my experience in policy and business advisory roles to support Ageing Better in its important mission in ensuring no-one misses out on a good later life.”
