Third Sector

In August 2015, one of the country's most prominent children's charities, Kids Company, was declared insolvent. Its collapse has been followed by almost a decade of legal wrangling as the charity's trustees pushed back against regulatory findings of mismanagement.In episode one of When Charity Goes Wrong, Third Sector journalist Lucinda Rouse hears from Andy Gough, a former Kids Company centre manager, about the realities of working for the charity's charismatic leader, the late Camila Batmanghelidjh.Philip Kirkpatrick, a partner at the law firm Bates Wells, charts Kids Company's decline and questions how things could have turned out differently for the charity.And the Charity Commission's chief executive, David Holdsworth, lays out the necessary ingredients for a successfully governed charity.Written and presented by: Lucinda RouseProducer: Nav PalExecutive producer: Ollie Peart Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Emily Harle are joined by Saskia Konynenburg, executive director of voice and impact at the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, and the volunteering strategist Gethyn Williams.Saskia describes the struggles reported by charities in recruiting and retaining volunteers, in the face of a growing preference for more informal roles with less rigid commitments.She suggests ways charities can attract new volunteers by showcasing their values on social media, and stresses the importance of communicating effectively with virtual volunteers.Gethyn outlines ways in which charities can use digital solutions to grow a charity's volunteer base, improve its management systems and enhance the volunteer experience.Find out more about the Third Sector Awards here.Access the Digital in Volunteering Toolkit from the Association of Volunteer Managers, TeamKinetic and Gethyn Williams.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Dami Adewale are joined by Russell Winnard, chief executive of the care leaver support charity the Drive Forward Foundation, to discuss the introduction of a new model to guide the organisation's corporate partnerships.Russell explains how a combination of insufficient partnership income and the need for more joined-up pathways to employment opportunities for the charity's service users prompted it to rethink its approach to working with businesses.He stresses the importance of researching corporate priorities and warns of the risk of being drawn into partnership arrangements that service a company's needs more than the charity's bottom line.Find out more about the Third Sector Conference here.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Emily Harle are joined by Lynne Guyton, chief executive of John Lyon's Charity, and Sacha Rose-Smith, chief funding director at the City Bridge Foundation.Lynne describes the realities for a grantmaker that has gone from being a nice-to-have to an essential funding pot. She explains why John Lyon's Charity did not consider it responsible to pause funding and outlines the alternative ways it has navigated the surge in demand.Sacha explains how the measures taken by the City Bridge Foundation during its temporary closure to new applications will strengthen its capabilities going forward, stressing the importance of understanding its place in the system and the areas where it could have the most impact. Read our analysis about funders pausing their programmes.Find out more about the Purpose Awards here.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Andy Ricketts are joined by Dan Tickle, chief executive of the National Migraine Centre, and Peter Holbrook, chief executive of Social Enterprise UK.Dan recounts how the National Migraine Centre adopted a social enterprise model to deliver its services in the face of declining voluntary income and expanded its patient offering in the process.Peter echoes Dan's assertion that one of the biggest changes needed for a charity moving to a social enterprise model is a cultural one. He lays out various financing options for social enterprise activities, including crowdfunding and community shares.Listen back to our previous episode with St Helena Hospice and Social Finance.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Dami Adewale are joined by Ben Williamson, director of recruitment at the incubator organisation Charity Entrepreneurship.Ben outlines the different ways of modelling, tracking and evaluating the cost-effectiveness of direct delivery and systems change programmes.He explains why it can pay off to apply the risk appetite of a start-up entrepreneur to voluntary sector initiatives, and potential ways of communicating failure to donors.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Andy Ricketts are joined by Iain Heaton, deputy chief executive and chief financial officer at the Blue Cross, and Tiggy McCool, partner at the management consultancy Nine Feet Tall.Iain describes how the Blue Cross implemented major changes to its animal rehoming services, starting with the closure of four rehoming centres in response to Covid-19-related financial pressures. He recounts the charity's subsequent adoption of a new pet foster model, which has reduced the overall cost per pet in spite of a budgetary uplift to pay for new specialist roles.Tiggy explains the concept of organisational design and its use by the Blue Cross to improve service delivery. She stresses the importance of establishing communications principles at the beginning of the process to build the confidence of leaders and their teams.They both provide their tips for managing a redundancy process.Read Nine Feet Tall's guide: The role of organisational design for charities, and Nassim Taleb's book Antifragile.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Emily Harle are joined by Claire Goodwin-Fee, chief executive of the psychological support organisation Frontline19, to consider the mental health challenges facing charity leaders.They discuss recent research by Fair Collective, in which 85 per cent of participating small charity leaders said their mental health had been negatively affected by their work.Claire describes her own experiences of burnout in Frontline19's early days and shares some of the approaches she took to recover. She suggests ways of separating professional and personal life in order to manage the stresses of a demanding charity role, and calls for the sector to come together to help solve some of the systemic problems.Find details of accredited counsellors and therapists at the Counselling Directory.For immediate mental health support, call Samaritans on 116 123 or visit the Samaritans website.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Emily Harle are joined by Philip Goodwin, chief executive of Unicef UK, to discuss the realities facing international development and humanitarian charities following announced reductions in overseas development assistance by the US, UK and other European governments.Philip stresses the need to communicate with the public on the sector's achievements and explain the importance of foreign aid as an investment in domestic security, as well as advocating the government. He explains why he believes applying a child-focused lens to development work would make ODA more effective.Also in the episode, Lucinda shares clips from a recent interview with Moazzam Malik, chief executive of Save the Children UK.Moazzam puts forward his view that the aid cuts accelerate a broader geopolitical shift and changing attitudes to international development that the sector needs to adjust to.This includes increasing investment in local actors and strengthening the spirit of partnership and collaboration to solve major global issues.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Emily Harle are joined by Louise Harris, chief operating officer of the homelessness charity Crisis, to learn about successful and meaningful approaches to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in the voluntary sector.Louise outlines the importance for organisations working in the social justice space to treat DEI as a strategic issue as well as a people one, with accountability mechanisms included in monitoring frameworks to keep track of progress.She stresses the need for leaders to take time and create space to reflect and learn about DEI issues and acknowledge them as a collective organisational challenge, rather than rushing to find a solution single-handedly.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Dami Adewale are joined by Claire Gauci, public safety campaigns and programme manager at the Canal and River Trust, and Emily Rayner, senior consultant at the behaviour change and communications agency Claremont.Claire describes how a video intended to educate teenagers about water safety fell flat, prompting the charity to adopt a co-design approach involving a youth group in Wigan.She explains how the process led to a realisation that social media was not an effective way to reach the target audience for its water safety campaign, with young people expressing a preference for an interactive classroom environment.Emily outlines the principles of co-design and some common methods used in successfully co-designed campaigns. She suggests some cost-effective ways to embark on co-design in the absence of generous budgets.Also in the episode, Dami recounts his two days in court as the judicial review opened into the Charity Commission's inquiry into Kids Company. You can find guidance about co-designing campaigns from Claremont here.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Andy Ricketts are joined by Okela Douglas-Norgrove, chief executive of Sister System, which supports young women and girls who have been affected by the care system.Okela outlines how Sister System has grown since its formation in 2018 in partnership with 17 care leavers. She describes some of the challenges of co-creating the charity's strategy with its service users, including additional time and resource demands. She provides insight into navigating the often-complicated power dynamics between charity staff and beneficiaries, and suggests ways in which funders can better support projects that place a heavy emphasis on co-creation.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Acting editor Andy Ricketts and senior reporter Emily Harle are joined by Emma Guise, director of marketing and communications at Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity.Emma talks through the reasons behind the charity's first rebrand since 2017, what it was hoping to achieve and how it will measure its success. She discusses how the charity worked to update its brand for a new digital era and reveals her top tips for charities of all sizes about to embark on a rebrand of their own. Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here.Subscribe to the Third Sector Podcast on Apple Podcasts or on Spotify. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Dami Adewale are joined by Keith Wilson, director of income and engagement at the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance.Keith explains how depressed fundraising revenues during the Covid-19 pandemic prompted a major restructure that saw corporate, community and individual fundraising roles merged into supporter engagement officers.He describes how removing income targets and scaling back one-off, transactional donations, such as merchandise sales and the charity's lottery, has stimulated a culture of engagement that has increased regular giving.He outlines the practicalities of this approach in the face of a £3.6m capital appeal to build a new air base, with external targets retained for supporters and the public.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Emily Harle are joined by Mark Greer, managing director at the Charities Aid Foundation, and Charlotte Prothero, external affairs manager at Pro Bono Economics.Mark outlines the growing importance of major donor revenue to the voluntary sector and sets out the cause areas favoured by high-net-worth individuals.He stresses the need for charities to develop long-term relationships with major donors and to treat them as individuals, rather than a homogenous income subset.Charlotte describes the gap between the low tendency of wealth advisers to raise the possibility of philanthropic giving with their clients and the demand, particularly among younger philanthropists, to receive advice about making charitable gifts.Read CAF's recent High Value Giving report here.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Dami Adewale are joined by Sohail Hanif, chief executive of the National Zakat Foundation, and Taqwa Sadiq, presenter and producer of the BBC audio series Sacred Money.Taqwa explains how an individual's choice of destination for their annual zakat donation can be influenced by the emotions surrounding their sense of belonging and home.Sohail describes the role of the National Zakat Foundation in collecting and distributing zakat among communities in the UK, with donations rising in response to increasing levels of domestic poverty.He suggests opportunities for collaboration with non-Muslim charities and stresses the need to encourage grassroots community support initiatives.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Emily Harle are joined by Elliot Trevithick, principal consultant for charities evaluation and learning at the think tank NPC, and Annie Hinton, senior programme design manager at the youth support charity Right to Succeed.Elliot explains how being one step removed from a charity's service users can present difficulties when it comes to evaluating programmes that work to change the systems surrounding social problems, rather than directly addressing their symptoms.He stresses the importance of a theory of change as a foundation to measure systemic changes during the course of a programme's life.Annie outlines the challenges of evaluating Right to Succeed's programmes, which support communities to give their children and young people the best possible start in life. She describes some of the tools used to monitor the charity's work, including a shared measurement framework and a bespoke theory of change for each programme.They share their thoughts on how funders can best support systems change programmes.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Andy Ricketts are joined by Toby Porter, chief executive of Hospice UK, to discuss the charity's function as a membership platform for a particularly financially strained section of the voluntary sector.Toby explains how a reset in member relationships has led to hospices alerting Hospice UK to financial and staffing challenges at an earlier stage than previously, enabling his organisation to co-ordinate helpful media coverage at opportune moments.He identifies workforce challenges as being as significant as funding challenges, and gives his verdict on the Labour government's interactions with the voluntary sector.Also in the episode, Lucinda and Andy hear from Richard Litchfield, chief executive of Eastside People, about new research into charities' approach to environmental, social, governance strategy.Richard speaks of the importance of ESG in reinforcing public trust for charities, as well as measuring social and environmental credentials for corporate partners in the face of tightening ESG regulations on businesses. Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Emily Harle are joined by Danny Sriskandarajah, chief executive of the New Economics Foundation, to discuss his views on the need for charities to understand the economic context of the issues they work to address.Danny explains why a failure to engage with economic issues has contributed to charities often being treated as an afterthought in government-led discussions about economic growth.The former Oxfam chief also shares his thoughts about the role of more formalised charities in safeguarding the health of wider civil society, and articulates his distaste for the terms “third sector”, “non-profit” and “non-governmental” to describe civil society.Also in the episode, Emily shares some of the findings of her recent feature on the use of artificial intelligence in funding applications.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Dami Adewale are joined by Tamsyn Hanrahan, director of partnerships and philanthropy at Save the Children UK, and Beth Knight, social sustainability director at Lloyds Banking Group and chair of Save the Children UK's corporate advisory board.Tamsyn explains why Save the Children UK decided a corporate advisory board would be of benefit to the charity, and how it went about forming one a year ago, including a rigorous recruitment process for senior executives.She describes the merits of the board in providing a critical but friendly voice and helping the charity sharpen its pitches to potential new partners. Beth talks about the board's support to Save the Children UK's operations, including its use of new technology, and how it has helped bridge the cultural divide between the business and charity worlds.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andy Ricketts and Dami Adewale are joined by Kate Lee, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society.Kate provides insight into the brand work recently undertaken by the charity, with a focus on raising awareness of dementia as well as the charity's own profile.She explains how taking a more controversial approach to public messaging, including the charity's recent ‘Long Goodbye' advertising campaign, has brought attention to the organisation and coincided with increased donations.She also talks about the charity's new strategy, its DEI work and the implications of her personal connection to dementia. Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Andy Ricketts are joined by Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, and Wanda Wyporska, chief executive of Safe Passage International, to discuss some of the issues facing the voluntary sector in 2025.These include ways of engaging with local and national government, addressing the chief executive churn, and effectively balancing learned and lived experience to deliver on charitable purposes.They share their views on the need for less division within the sector, which is accustomed to a more siloed approach, and more maturity among competing charities to working together.They also share their reasons to be optimistic for the year ahead, including the prospect of charities using increasing levels of far-right activism as a rallying point to counter racist and prejudiced attitudes.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse, Andy Ricketts and Emily Harle dissect the leading stories from the voluntary sector in 2024.Lucinda delivers a speedy round-up of the year's charity news before the three discuss their selected top stories. These include the closure of the British Youth Council and the National Citizen Service, the finding that charities are subsidising government service contracts by £2.4bn a year, and the implications of a new government for the sector.They share their nominations for the year's strangest stories, namely the mystery online fundraiser set up for Trussell, the anonymous cash donations to Bristol-based charities, and the most theatrical of trustee disputes at the Actors' Benevolent Fund.They reflect on some recurring trends and learnings over the course of the year, from changing social media usage to redundancies and the need to include the right people in discussions about tackling racism.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Andy Ricketts are joined by Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, to discuss the charity's approach to fundraising, supporter engagement and advocacy.Michelle provides insight into the charity's ongoing data and digital transformation programme: a major investment that aims to personalise supporter engagement and raise the systems surrounding it to the same level as the world-leading research funded by CRUK.She stresses the importance of promoting innovation and experimentation to deliver the impact articulated in a clear organisational strategy.Also in the episode, Andy talks about Third Sector's latest Charity Pay Study, which identifies and ranks the sector's highest earners using data drawn from charities' accounts.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Dami Adewale are joined by Kirsty MacDonald, deputy principal for advancement at the Royal Academy of Music, to discuss the charity's ongoing campaign to raise £100m.Kirsty describes how the academy saw annual fundraising revenues grow from £1.5m to £18m in less than a decade, after investing in necessary systems and infrastructure including research, data and due diligence functions.She stresses the importance of fostering long-term relationships with major donors, bringing them into the wider academy family using a variety of methods including one-to-one pairings with staff in the fundraising team and beyond.The episode also features snippets from a recent Third Sector interview with Hilary Evans-Newton, chief executive of Alzheimer's Research UK. Hilary talks about changing perceptions around dementia, the controversy caused by ARUK's 2023 advertising campaign and the importance of role models for working mothers.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse is joined by Paul Watkins, fundraising director at Leeds Hospitals Charity, to reflect on the charity's delivery of a £6.8m appeal for a new motor neurone disease care centre. Paul describes the integral role of the late England rugby league player Rob Burrow, who was diagnosed with MND in 2019 and died earlier this year, in mobilising a community of some 17,000 individual supporters, who each donated an average of £35, and colleagues from the rugby world.Paul emphasises the importance of storytelling in motivating people to donate and explains how the charity, whose largest previous appeal was just £1.2m, was able to adapt to take up an immediate and time-sensitive opportunity.Also in the episode, Chris Sherwood, chief executive of the RSPCA, joins to talk about the latest report by the Charity Reform Group, which calls for greater representation of charity leaders in national debates.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Emily Harle are joined by Fozia Irfan, director of impact and influence at BBC Children in Need, to reflect on the challenges facing charities and grantmakers in the present funding climate.Fozia describes the role of funders such as Children in Need to convene networks spread across the UK and create communities of practice to provide more holistic and structural solutions to issues such as child poverty.She stresses her belief that funders should do more than simply issue grants by using their platform to empower and, where necessary, change public perceptions about the communities they support.Also in the episode, Emily and Lucinda discuss the mixed reaction to the news that the National Citizen Service programme will close in March 2025.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Andy Ricketts are joined by Zahra Hedges, chief executive of the youth empowerment charity Winning Scotland, and Helen Rafferty, senior programme manager at the education charity Shine.Zahra explains how a theory of change has helped Winning Scotland to identify and prioritise its most fruitful activities and reassure its board and donors. She provides insight into how the charity has developed a more streamlined data collection process.Helen describes how Shine is using a theory of change to make evaluation an integral and ongoing part of its programmes. She lays out the collaborative development process which enables stakeholders to reflect on and challenge assumptions.Also in the episode, senior reporter Emily Harle shares snippets from her interview with Acevo's chief executive, Jane Ide, in which they discuss pay and equality in the voluntary sector following the release of Acevo's Pay and Equalities Survey 2024.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Emily Burt are joined by Jack Boardman, head of development at the telemarketing agency Angel, and Phoebe Cooper, marketing manager in the RSPCA's donor development team.Jack describes the power of a telephone conversation in building rapport with new and potential supporters. He explains the fusion between digital lead generation and telephone conversion in response to changing media consumption habits.Phoebe provides insight into the RSPCA's Gift Aid telephone campaign, which was responsible for 98.3 per cent of new Gift Aid opt-ins in its first year.Charity Changed My Life features the story of Sarah, whose participation in the Bags of Taste home cooking programme has helped her manage the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here.Read the transcript. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Dami Adewale are joined by Nadia Alomar, chief executive of Clore Social Leadership, and Beki Osborne, chief executive of Sexual Assault & Abuse Support Service, Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes.Nadia describes the changes she has witnessed in voluntary sector leadership in recent years, from the effects of resource scarcity to an increased emphasis on inclusivity, wellbeing and personal development.She suggests how people with lived experience can be better supported to take up leadership roles and provides ideas for developing leadership skills on a limited budget.Beki shares the pressures she encountered on taking up her chief executive position aged 30. She calls for an overhaul of the structures governing third sector organisations to support innovation and make younger leaders feel more welcome.Also in the episode, senior news reporter Emily Harle provides insight into the Charity Commission's inquiry into the transgender youth charity Mermaids. She explains why its stipulations regarding the Cass Review might be perceived as controversial.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here.Read the transcript. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Emily Burt are joined by Chris Sherwood, chief executive of the RSPCA, to reflect on his six years at the charity before he moves on to the top job at the NSPCC.Chris likens the reality of navigating the RSPCA's significant public profile to operating in a goldfish bowl.He stresses the importance of stimulating engagement with the charity's extensive branch network to instigate culture change and provides his thoughts on the voluntary sector under Sir Keir Starmer's Labour government.Also in the episode, Lucinda and Emily hear from Maddy Desforges, chief executive of the local infrastructure body Navca, about new guidance for charities navigating Section 114 notices. Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Emily Burt are joined by Jayne Taylor and Matt Jones, chief executive and chair of the Elephant Group, a charity that helps state-educated students access top universities.Matt, who founded the Elephant Group in 2018, describes how his role has evolved since the arrival of Jayne as the charity's first chief executive in 2022. This has included moving away from lower level operational issues and focusing on the big strategic questions to support the Elephant Group's transformation from a start-up to an established organisation.Jayne describes the challenge of balancing her priorities of delivering on the charity's purpose while overseeing an internal operational restructure. She explains how Matt's approach has enabled her to perform her role to the best of her abilities through a space of mutual trust and safety.Also in the episode, senior news reporter Emily Harle joins Lucinda and Emily Burt to reflect on the recent pause in funding by several grantmakers in response to an overwhelming level of demand. They cite the list of funders compiled by the trust and foundations fundraising consultant Joanna Jeffery.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here.Read the transcript. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse shadows Charlotte Holmes, head of philanthropy at Leukaemia UK, to experience the day-to-day realities of a job in major donor fundraising.Charlotte outlines the range of approaches used to identify connections and nurture relationships with existing and potential donors, from individuals to trusts and foundations and corporate partners. She describes her career path, starting in the box office at Chelsea Football Club, and shares tips for anyone seeking to enter the philanthropy world. Lucinda follows Charlotte during preparations for the charity's flagship fundraising event, Who's Cooking Dinner? at The Dorchester hotel, and joins a staff and supporter visit to the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health. There she speaks to Dr Noelia Che, whose research fellowship is funded by Leukaemia UK, and Professor Owen Williams, head of the institute's cancer section.Lucinda is joined by Third Sector's editor, Emily Burt, to reflect on the visits and consider the wider climate for major donor giving. Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here.Read the transcript. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Emily Harle are joined by Manny Amadi, chief executive of C&E Advisory, to discuss the company's latest Corporate-Non-Profit Partnerships Barometer.Manny talks about how the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, which affects how companies report on their social and environmental impact, will have an impact on new corporate partnerships.He flags the gap between company and charity expectations around earmarked and flexible funding and shares learnings from C&E Advisory's use of generative AI to co-author the barometer.Charity Changed My Life features the story of Stanley Anigbogu, whose participation in the Swarovski Foundation's Creatives for Our Future programme helped grow his renewable energy start-up LightEd.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here.Read the transcript. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Emily Burt are joined by Alicia Nagar, head of people, wellbeing and equity at Mental Health First Aid England, and Samantha Stapley, chief operations and people officer at Trussell.Alicia describes the complex mental health challenges faced by people working in the voluntary sector. She outlines the need for a holistic approach to organisational support, with Mental Health First Aiders forming a part.Sam explains how Trussell is responding to the mental health needs of its staff, volunteers and food bank users as the charity grows in response to sky-rocketing demand. She stresses the importance of listening to staff rather than making assumptions about the most valuable forms of support.Charity Changed My Life features the story of Opinya Lilly Okello, whose farming enterprise in northern Uganda has become more profitable since she received training from Feed the Minds through the NGO ACSET Uganda.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here.Read the transcript. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse travels to the Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth, Devon, to meet the charity's senior statistician, Stuart Norris, and find out about his pathway to a career in data science.Stuart describes how he combined a background in ecology with his long-standing interest in computers to find his niche in the voluntary sector. He explains how his team combines open source data with internal information to create platforms that are used to inform the charity's strategic decision-making.He suggests ways in which applicants to data roles can stand out, and stresses the importance of soft skills on top of technical know-how.Lucinda is joined by Third Sector's editor, Emily Burt, to reflect on the visit. And senior reporter Emily Harle shares snippets from her recent interview with Dan Corry, outgoing chief executive of the think tank NPC.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Emily Burt are joined by Ndidi Okezie, chief executive of UK Youth, to discuss the need for the voluntary sector to overcome its siloed approach to solving systemic problems.Ndidi explains how UK Youth is pushing for a more integrated approach to delivering youth services through a new initiative called the Joined Up Institute. She shares her views on the role funders can play in generating action from evidence, and the need for bold leadership to drive an intentional process of learning between charities.Charity Changed My Life features the story of a service user who received support from For Baby's Sake, a charity that helps families with experience of domestic abuse to give their baby the best start in life.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here.Read the transcript. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Emily Burt are joined by Collette Philip, founder of the anti-racist brand agency Brand by Me, to discuss the findings of its recent audit of anti-racism work by the top 30 charities listed in Third Sector's Charity Brand Index.Collette explains why adopting a non-racist organisational approach and focusing primarily on diversity and the representation of racialised communities will never go far enough in the fight against systemic racism. She outlines the areas where progress has been slowest and describes ways in which charities can take meaningful action, starting with making a public commitment to anti-racist practice in order to promote accountability.Also in the episode, senior reporter Emily Harle talks about her recent long read, which suggests measures charities can take to enable meaningful contributions from their young trustees.Read Brand by Me's Dismantle report.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here.Read the transcript. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Emily Burt are joined by Gemma Peters, chief executive of Macmillan Cancer Support, to discuss the charity's ‘year of transformation'.Gemma explains how its new strategy will enable Macmillan to better meet the needs of people living with cancer and describes the challenges of managing the accompanying organisational turbulence.She shares her views on the responsibility of larger charities to support their smaller counterparts and warns of the risks of focusing on current need to the detriment of driving longer-term change for good.Charity Changed My Life features the story of Michael, who was saved by the RNLI in Scarborough after a winter swim in the sea went awry.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here.Read the transcript. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Emily Harle are joined by Clare Mills, deputy chief executive of the Charity Finance Group, and Mike Conroy, director of commercial finance at the banking trade association UK Finance.They start by listening to an account of contrasting experiences with two high street banks by Cat Ross, chief executive of Baby Basics and volunteer director of Rwanda Child.Clare describes recent progress in strengthening the relationship between banks and charity infrastructure bodies, as well as an uptake in digital banking services by charities. She also stresses the need for banks to simplify their administrative requirements.Mike explains why charity customers often present complications to banks, not least due to the varied nature of charity governance structures. He outlines measures to improve communication and understanding on both sides, including a new Voluntary Organisation Banking Guide published by UK Finance.Also in the episode, reporter Dami Adewale talks about his recent long read exploring how charities can contribute to the longer term response to the recent riots. Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Andy Ricketts are joined by Nathan Coyle, senior peace tech adviser at the Austrian Centre for Peace and author of the book Open Data for Everybody: Using Open Data for Social Good.Nathan explains how open data can be used by the voluntary sector to support work in areas including campaigning and influencing, completing grant applications and demonstrating charities' expertise and openness to collaboration.He cites useful open data sources, from government and police data to 360Giving, and provides pointers to guidance on accessing and using data. These include the Open Data Institute, Open Knowledge Foundation, Open Data Day and Open Data Manchester.Also in the episode, Andy and Lucinda hear from Zoe Amar, founder and director of Zoe Amar Digital, and Anj Handa, founder of Inspiring Women Changemakers. They consider the sector's response to the recent riots across the UK and suggest tangible actions that charity leaders can take to help tackle the root causes of racism and Islamophobia.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andy Ricketts and Dami Adewale are joined by Abi Long, executive team manager, and Yusuf Ciftci, head of refugee involvement at the Refugee Council.Abi presents the findings of research conducted by the Refugee Council into barriers encountered by refugees navigating the UK job market. She describes the intersectionality of challenges facing people with different types of lived experience, from homelessness to disability.Yusuf describes his own employment experiences in the voluntary sector after being granted asylum in the UK. He stresses the benefits of utilising the lived experience of staff at all levels and suggests ways of getting more people with lived experience into senior leadership positions.Charity Changed My Life features the story of Stephanie, who receives invaluable support from Zoe's Place Children Hospice in Liverpool to help care for her daughter, Robyn.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here.Read the transcript. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Andy Ricketts joined by Bekki Wilkins, special events manager at the Willow Foundation, and Sam Dimond, director of the event production company Spotlight Sound. Bekki recounts the challenges of organising events such as the Willow Ball and the London Football Awards in the face of inflated costs and lower corporate ticket sales. She suggests ways of reducing costs through contra deals with suppliers and moving to venues outside London.Sam sheds light on the types of charity approaches that are most appealing to suppliers, stressing the importance of forming long-term relationships and dedicating time to ensuring a supplier fully understands a charity's mission and event goals.Charity Changed My Life features the story of Jerry, whose participation in a community horticulture programme at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, has brought him comfort and inspiration after experiencing homelessness.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here.Read the transcript. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda Rouse and Andy Ricketts are joined by Robyn Mountain Wade, director of income generation at Martin House Children's Hospice, to find out how the charity recruited major donors for the first time to meet a £21.9m fundraising target.Robyn explains how Martin House engaged local philanthropists by inviting them to events co-hosted by their ambassador and the former England football manager, Gareth Southgate, to tell them about the work of the hospice.She describes the value of giving local businesspeople the agency to host their own fundraising events as well as providing the option of donation pledges while stressing a sense of urgency.Also in the episode, Lucinda and Andy hear from Chris Fairbank, director of communications at the headteachers' association HMC, about the possible effects on the wider voluntary sector of the government's plan to scrap VAT and business rates exemptions for independent schools.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here.Read the transcript. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Senior reporters Lucinda Rouse and Emily Harle are joined by Berenice Levenez, director of strategy, technology and transformation at Girlguiding, and Liz Gadd, environmental lead at the think tank NPC.Berenice describes how feedback from members that Girlguiding should be doing more to address the environmental crisis prompted the charity to develop a new environmental strategy.She explains how the strategy was devised and costed and why it includes a target to halve carbon emissions by 2040.Liz stresses the importance of giving service users a sense of agency in responding to the climate crisis. She suggests ways for charities to collaborate in their environmental work and the benefits of doing so.Charity Changed My Life features the story of Darrell, who so valued the support she received from the Weston Park Cancer Charity after being diagnosed with breast cancer that she volunteered to set up an affiliated choir.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here.Read the transcript. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda and Emily are joined by Rebecca Linford, senior legal adviser, and Mark Ellis, head of communications, at the whistleblowing support charity Protect.Rebecca describes Protect's role in the development of a storyline about whistleblowing for the BBC medical drama Casualty. She outlines the scripting process and stresses the need to be clear on timelines to help manage workloads.Mark explains how the charity weighed up the benefits and risks of getting involved, after being approached by the programme's producers. He describes how Protect measured the impact of its participation in furthering its cause.Also in this episode, Lucinda and Emily speak to Sarah Elliott, chief executive of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, to consider what's next for the voluntary sector under the new Labour government.Sarah advises how charities can best establish relationships with new government stakeholders, starting with offers to help achieve Labour's missions and agenda.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here.Read the transcript. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda and Emily are joined by James Dunbar, chief executive of the poverty reduction charity New Start Highland. James describes how the charity was able to move from being a predominantly grant-receiving organisation to generating three-quarters of its income through trading and contracts.He explains how he identified income-generating opportunities for New Start Highland, from furniture-making to removal services, as well as some of the risks of taking a more commercially-minded approach.He provides pointers for other charities considering taking a similar route and stresses the importance of communication with all stakeholders. Also in the episode, news editor Andy Ricketts joins Lucinda and Emily to consider Labour's landslide election victory and its implications for the voluntary sector.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here.Read the transcript. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda and Emily reflect on a recent visit to the RNLI headquarters in Poole, Dorset, where Lucinda met the charity's outgoing chief executive, Mark Dowie.Mark identifies the principal challenges of his five-year tenure as having been the Covid-19 pandemic, the cost-of-living crisis and small boats crossing the Channel. He explains how his corporate background helped him to implement operational efficiencies, and describes measures to increase female representation in the RNLI workforce.Lucinda also meets Daniel Sharp, production and control manager at the All-Weather Lifeboat Centre, for a tour of the charity's boat-building operations, and heritage archive and research manager Hayley Whiting. Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a session recorded at the Third Sector Conference, Lucinda and Emily are joined by Rhodri Davies, director of Why Philanthropy Matters, to reflect on some of the themes covered in Third Sector's recent podcast documentary, The End of Charity.These include the rise of influencer philanthropists, such as the YouTube megastar MrBeast, and their potential role in attracting a new, younger support base for charities. They discuss the need for charities to sustain the momentum in tackling historical power imbalances in the voluntary sector, as articulated in an interview clip from series contributor Chilande Kuloba-Warria. They also question the very role of charity in the modern day.Listen to The End of Charity.Read Rhodri's article in the Journal of Philanthropy and Marketing.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda and Emily are joined by David Welch, chief executive of the Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance, to consider how charities can effectively build trust with their staff, service users and donors. David describes the role trust played in enabling KSS to raise almost double its £1m fundraising target during a six-week emergency campaign. He stresses the importance of open communication and transparency with all stakeholders, in good times and bad.He also outlines the challenges of fundraising for an air ambulance service, and the need to cultivate a sense of relevance as well as raise public awareness and understanding of the vital role it performs.Charity Changed My Life features the story of Helen, whose participation in the Bristol Rovers Community Trust's football and mental health programme, Rebound with Rovers, has become a highlight of her week.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here.Read the transcript. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucinda and Andy are joined by Liz Cooke, chief executive of The Hive Avon, and Kevin Barker-Lee, a people partner at Lloyds Banking Group and chair of the charity.Liz outlines the broad range of skilled volunteer support provided to The Hive, from fundraising planning to an annual visit from a florist. She notes that the most valuable skilled support is often short term and requires careful advance planning.Kevin recommends charities make greater use of LinkedIn to recruit volunteers and capitalise on a growing appetite among professionals to provide skills-based support on a voluntary basis.They also discuss the pros and cons of corporate volunteering opportunities and instances when it is better to decline approaches from companies.Also in the episode, senior news reporter Emily Harle shares extracts from a recent interview with Alison Wyman, chief executive of the Actors' Benevolent Fund, in which she explains how the charity is moving forward from a public spat involving former trustees.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we'd like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com for further information.Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here.Read the transcript. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.