As this week is Trustees Week – a fantastic annual event showcasing the great work that Trustees do – we thought it would be a good opportunity to bring back to the limelight all of those Trustees we have celebrated this last year.

Trustee of the Month – May

Our first Trustee of the Month began in May 2018, where we announced that Trustee Leadership Programme alumnus and Trustee of Shivia, Deepak Arora, was Cause4’s Trustee of the Month.

Deepak’s legal expertise and desire to help South Asian communities led him directly to Shivia, a charity focused on improving livelihoods in West Bengal, which quite serendipitously happened to be a charity Deepak helped set up when he was doing his training contract.

After reconnecting with familiar faces, Deepak was quickly on-boarded, and has enjoyed the substantial impact he has been able to make to date.

Deepak has found the experience of being a Trustee “incredibly fulfilling” … and says to anyone considering Trusteeship “Enjoy it. You will benefit professionally, whatever your profession is, and personally as well”.

You can follow Shivia on Twitter here: @Shiviatweets

Trustee of the Month – June

In June we announced that Trustee Leadership Programme alumnus and Trustee of Burnley Youth Theatre, Alex Mayer, was Cause4’s Trustee of the Month. 

Alex is the Deputy Director of Development at the Royal College of Music and went on the Trustee Leadership Programme in 2016.

Alex wanted to utilise her fundraising skills, as she knew that many charities were looking for Trustees with that specific expertise. After the course Alex felt confident enough to seek out a Trustee position and found that she was able to arrive and start contributing to Board meetings straight away.

Alex said “I’m really enjoying being a Trustee. It feels like there are lots of opportunities to make a difference and there’s been a lot of learning”. 

You can follow Burnley Youth Theatre on Twitter here: @BurnleyYT

Trustee of the Month – July

July saw Trustee Leadership Programme alumnus and Trustee of Peace Brigades International, Jason Hurwitz, as Cause4’s Trustee of the Month.

Jason is the Head of Strategy for a British Bank and went on the Trustee Leadership Programme in 2016.

Jason was driven to become a Trustee by the energy and will to do something more than his job, as he wanted to be able to give back and contribute something. After the course Jason connected with a fellow attendee who was a Trustee of Peace Brigades International, and subsequently joined the Board as well.

Through his position Jason has learnt a great deal about human rights which he has found very interesting.

He says the experience has been “A challenge in many ways but it is certainly rewarding in terms of spending time and effort doing something that’s different to your day job and is making a difference to people and organisations in a very different sphere”. 

Trustee of the Month – August

August’s Trustee of the Month was Trustee Leadership Programme alumnus and Trustee of Headway SELNWK, Lenna Lou.

Lenna is a Business Strategy consultant for start-ups and mature firms and went on the Trustee Leadership Programme and the first Emerging Chairs Programme in 2017. Lenna had always wanted to give something back. After the course she became a Trustee of Headway SELNWK, as she thought this was a charity that would benefit from her skills, and where she could really make a difference.

Since becoming a Trustee, Lenna has realised that everybody has something to give to a charity, and encourages everyone, no matter what background they have, to become a Trustee.

She has absolutely loved being a Trustee and was asked to become the future Chair within her first few months in the role “I really enjoy it, it’s so fulfilling, it’s amazing. I didn’t realise how much enjoyment I’d have”.

You can follow Headway SELNWK on Twitter here: @HeadwaySELNWK

Trustee of the Month – September

In September we chose Trustee Leadership Programme alumnus and Trustee of The Renaissance Foundation, Tom Gayner, as Cause4’s Trustee of the Month.

Tom is a Business Development and Marketing Manager and joined the programme as he knew that being a Trustee involved responsibilities that couldn’t just be learnt on the job. As a Trustee, Tom has linked his skills to the charity’s needs and gone on to meet ‘really interesting people’. 

Tom is loving his role as a Trustee, stating ‘the impact that you have as one person is incredibly significant’.

You can follow The Renaissance Foundation on Twitter here: @RF_Tweets

Trustee of the Month – October

In October we were thrilled to say that Trustee Leadership Programme alumnus and Trustee and Chair of
The Squad, Jessica Raza, was Cause4’s Trustee of the Month.

Jessica is a corporate lawyer and went on the Trustee Leadership Programme as she was looking for a way to give back beyond volunteering or donating. Jessica has found her experience as a Trustee rewarding and says she is looking forward to seeing where the charity goes from here:

“I’m glad I took it on, I’ve learned an awful lot very quickly, I was thrown in the deep end a bit. I feel I’ve gained a lot in terms of my own professional skills.”

Her advice for anybody taking on a Trustee position is to take your time to get to know the Board, the charity, and really understand the financial model of the organisation before you join.

You can follow The Squad, on Twitter here: @The_Squad_Club

Trustee of the Month – November

In November we chose Trustee Leadership Programme alumnus and Trustee of Omnibus Theatre, Sophie Curtis, as Cause4’s Trustee of the Month.

Sophie is a Producer who went on the Trustee Leadership Programme because she felt she had something to contribute at Board level. Following the Programme, Sophie was onboarded at Omnibus Theatre, and is delighted that she can use her ‘spare time to contribute to an organisation that I’m really passionate about and has a strong impact on its community’. 

Sophie’s advice to anyone considering becoming a Trustee is that:
 ‘your contribution can be wide and varied – know how to navigate the challenges and be able to offer your support in a variety of forms’.

You can follow Omnibus Theatre on Twitter here: @Omnibus_Theatre

Don’t forget to check out Cause4Opinion to find out who our next Trustee of the Month will be! If you would like to nominate someone you think is doing a great job, then get in touch by leaving a comment below!

]]> http://www.cause4.co.uk/2018/11/celebrating-trustees-in-honour-of-trustees-week/feed/ 0 http://www.cause4.co.uk/2018/11/cause4s-pick-of-the-month-8/ http://www.cause4.co.uk/2018/11/cause4s-pick-of-the-month-8/#respond Thu, 01 Nov 2018 09:44:47 +0000 http://www.cause4.co.uk/?p=17557 As the nights draw in and there’s a chill in the air, we’re celebrating our eighth Entrepreneur, Charity Leader, Trustee and Fellow of the Month! Here’s who inspired us this month:

Entrepreneur of the Month

At Cause4, we love celebrating transformative organisations and inspiring entrepreneurs who are working to achieve positive social change. Last week, Vida co-founder, Devika Wood, came to share her story at an event hosted by online digital learning platform, HowNow, in our shared offices at Mindspace. Vida is a private home-care specialist that leverages smart technology and takes a clinical approach to care. Vida empowers carers and clients with the necessary tools and training to deliver outstanding client-centred care that is driven by compassion. In 2018, Devika was recognised as one of Forbes 30 under 30 and was included in the longlist for Computer Weekly’s Most Influential Women in Tech. She is also a start-up mentor and a leading advocate for female founders and this month, Devika is our Entrepreneur of the month!

In response, Devika said: “Thank you so much for featuring me as Cause4‘s entrepreneur of the month, it’s such an honour. Recognition like this makes all the difference as an entrepreneur, as the journey can be tough but highly rewarding. Through a personal experience of caring for my grandmother, I started Vida to ensure families are given the right care at the right time. I love meeting my clients and seeing how we have transformed their lives, and enabled them to stay at home for longer with the help of our carers. I now want to use my experience as a female founder to inspire and lead a new generation of confident young female entrepreneurs.”

You can follow Devika on Twitter here: @DevikaWood

Charity Leader of the Month

Cause4 is delighted to announce that our Charity Leader of the Month is Karen Black, Chief Executive of Off the Record Bristol (OTR).

Off the Record Bristol opened its doors in 1965 to not only provide mental health services to young people but to act as a “mental health movement mobilised to support, promote and defend the mental health rights and social position for young people”. With its dedicated team, the charity has a big impact and aims to get everyone talking about mental health, to share knowledge and awareness across Bristol and South Gloucestershire. Its various programmes, including the drop in ‘Hubs’ and Resilience Lab, are designed to directly support as many as 3,000 young people a year.

Karen Black has been part of the Off the Record Team since 2015 and has recently been announced as the new Chief Executive. With over fifteen years’ experience working in the third sector, she has supported charities in delivering and managing services that support young people and families.

“I am proud to take on the role of CEO at OTR. The work that we do is creative and often ahead of the game. The staff, volunteers and young people are dedicated and supportive, so make this a dream job. Enhancing the offer to more vulnerable groups and seeking to support parents and carers is an area that I’m really keen to develop”.

Good luck in your new position Karen! You can follow Off the Record here: @otrbristol

Trustee of the Month

We are delighted to announce that Trustee Leadership Programme alumnus and Trustee of Omnibus Theatre, Sophie Curtis, is Cause4’s Trustee of the Month.

Sophie is a Producer who went on the Trustee Leadership Programme because she felt she had something to contribute at Board level. Following the Programme, Sophie was onboarded at Omnibus Theatre, and is delighted that she can use her ‘spare time to contribute to an organisation that I’m really passionate about and has a strong impact on its community’. 

Sophie’s advice to anyone considering becoming a Trustee is that:
 ‘your contribution can be wide and varied – know how to navigate the challenges and be able to offer your support in a variety of forms’.

You can follow Omnibus Theatre on Twitter here: @Omnibus_Theatre

Fellow of the Month

We are excited to announce that Roisin Caffrey is Arts Fundraising & Philanthropy’s Fellow of the Month.

Roisin Caffrey is Executive Producer at Stan’s Cafe, based in Birmingham. Stan’s Cafe is an internationally acclaimed touring theatre company, with an expanding artistic and creative learning programmes to work with a bigger range of audiences, artists and participants. Roisin is on the board of Little Earthquake and is the Independent Theatre Council regional rep for the West Midlands.

Talking about the Fellowship, Roisin says, “The breadth of perspectives from the speakers we’ve met and from the other Fellows has been one of the major benefits of the Fellowship for me. It’s resulted in a wealth of learning and allowed me to really examine my approach to fundraising and entrepreneurship.”

You can follow Roisin on Twitter here: @RoisinCaffrey 

This week is Charity Fraud Awareness Week and here at Cause4, we think it is crucial that the sector starts discussing the risks of fraud more widely, so that we can work together to prevent it.

Firstly, What is Fraud?

Fraud is the most reported crime in the UK. According to the Office for National Statistics, an individual in the UK is 10 times more likely to be a victim of fraud than theft, and more likely to fall victim to fraud or cyber offences than any other crime.

The definition of charity fraud according to the Charity Commission and Gov.UK is:

Dishonesty involving either: false representation (for example identity fraud); failing to disclose information; or abuse of position to make a gain or cause loss to another.

Fraud can come from internal sources (insider fraud), for example by employees and volunteers, or from external sources such as fake emails set up by hoaxers.

In the charity sector, fraud can include:

• Misuse of the charity’s bank account, fraudulent card transactions;
• Procurement fraud and fake invoice;
• Money laundering;
• Theft from cash collections and charity shops;
• Fake fundraising events, and false requests for donations;
• Charities set up for improper purposes;
• Fraudulently obtaining grants or sponsorship.

A 2017 report undertaken by the UK Fraud Costs Measurement Committee estimated that UK charities and charitable Trusts are losing approximately £2.3 billion annually as a result of fraud.

Equally dangerous is the detrimental impact that fraud can have on the reputation of the charity sector. With Charity Commission reports revealing that public trust in charities is at its lowest since records began in 2005, it is vital that we confront the threat of fraud head on.

So, What Can Trustees Do to Stop it?

The most recent report from the Charity Commission and the Fraud Advisory Panel, Tackling Charity Fraud: Prevention is Better than Cure, urges the sector to be pro-active in tackling fraud before it begins.

The responsibility for this falls within the legal remit of a charity’s Trustees. Understanding where a charity may be vulnerable to fraud; ensuring that financial controls are in place; keeping adequate records and acting responsibly in the case of fraud are all part of a Trustee’s legal duties.

Here are our top five tips to help Trustees prevent fraud in their organisations.

1.) Good Governance

• Appoint counter-fraud champions in the senior management team.
• Segregate financial duties – do not allow one or two people left unchecked to be in charge of all aspects of your charity’s financial controls.
• Discuss the potential threat of fraud widely within the organisation – particularly amongst senior management – using case studies to demonstrate severity of threat.

2.) Cyber-security and Data Protection

• Ensure that you, as Trustees, are fully aware of what forms of sensitive information your charity holds and how it is protected.
• Use the most up-to-date security software available and be vigilant with password use, particularly for electronic or online banking.
• Educate staff on the importance of cyber security, the risks of free public WIFI and how to protect sensitive information.

3.) Keeping Clear Records

• Ensure that as Trustees you receive and consider regular reporting information about the charity’s finances (and that you understand everything you are presented with!)
• Keep a register of valuable fixed assets and key charity property, and periodically inspect the inventory.
• Make sure that all separate parts of the financial records add up.

4.) Structured Policies and Reporting Processes

• Create a clear structure for reporting and ensure that all staff are aware of the process.
• Report any attempted or actual fraud to Action Fraud and report any more serious fraud incidents to the Charity Commission

Background checks and due diligence

• When recruiting staff (especially those who handle the charity’s finances); when sourcing new suppliers; or if your charity makes grants to beneficiaries and other organisations; always make appropriate background checks, carry out due diligence and take up references.

Most importantly, remain vigilant. Fraud can happen to anyone, at any time. Maintaining an ethical, transparent and critical culture – where everyone is aware of the risks of fraud and what must be done to prevent it – is vital to the health of the whole sector.

Let’s do this together #CharityFraudOut

Ambitious

United

Straight-talking

Enterprising

These are the values that we strive to uphold, and this is what we love about the sector in which we operate. At Cause4, we are always on the lookout for the best, most creative ideas that seek to make a difference through innovation and social good, which is why we decided to write a post this month that highlights the organisations, projects and fundraising methods that we think are really making a difference:

Academia Meets Social Enterprise

It’s not hard to find great causes in this world, and one that I’ve recently come across is Oxford University Innovation(OUI). This trailblazing venture has recently developed a ‘spinout’ programme, whereby it creates and launches social enterprises spearheaded by academics. Having already built a pipeline of 25 enterprises, including a cashless homeless donations app Greater Change and V-R emergency instruction platform LIFE, OUI has now created a £550,000 fund to accelerate even more ideas that will make a positive impact!

The Rise of Contactless Donation Points

Over the summer, Bristol’s Gromit Unleashed 2 became the first charity arts trail to incorporate contactless donation points. The second sculpture trail from Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal partnered with Creditcall and Payter to boost donations on the annual trail. Over 60 sculptures (with 17 contactless donation points) could be found across the city with a special few designed by high-profile artists.  This unique and innovative campaign engaged families from across Bristol and the surrounding areas, inviting them to follow the playful trail like a treasure hunt. With a total of £1.62 million raised for Bristol Children’s Hospital and St Michael’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the campaign was great fun and a major success!

Driving Stories Through Technology

Engaging storytelling is often the first thing that will interest your donors to your cause and charity. With technology playing a big part in modern society, it makes sense that digital initiatives can provide creative approaches to reaching new supporters. The Developer Society is a not-for-profit team of developers and campaigners that specialise in using digital technology to create innovative approaches to storytelling and campaign messaging for charities. Focussing on web projects, they aim to make access to technology available to all organisations and groups working to make positive change, regardless of size, budget or location.

One of their case studies is the See Now campaign from the Fred Hollows Foundation, dedicated to ending avoidable blindness. Designed as a smartphone simulator augmenting Google Street View, it allows the participant to experience what being “blind” looks like on their own streets. See Now has enabled millions to experience sight loss first-hand, providing a visual connection between online donors and the issue of preventable blindness.

Stimulating Collaboration Through Visual Mapping

Nesta positions itself as ‘The Innovation Foundation’. The charity’s fundamental ambition, therefore, is to use its knowledge, funding and skills to create, support and expand socially impactful innovation across the globe. It’s a bold ambition, but an important one for the sector. One of the ways Nesta does this is through ‘innovation mapping’. This year, Nesta released Creative Nation in collaboration with the Creative Industries Council. The project maps and measures creative innovation across the country, publishing the information not only in a standard report, but also through an interactive visualisation, allowing us to gain a visual picture of how innovation develops spatially around specific creative hubs.

One of the most important findings from this work was the need for regional competitors to start working together, with evidence showing that the growth of creativity and innovation in one location has the potential to greatly benefit its neighbours, help to pull up surrounding local economies and increase funding prospects. Collaboration is fundamental to innovation within fundraising and the charity sector more broadly and initiatives such as Nesta’s Creative Nation, are a great place to start.

‘Please don’t touch – or if you do, donate!’

A common trope that we see in museums and galleries is ‘please do not touch’– a means to preserve the past. Yet how do we preserve the past, without creating innovative ideas to ensure that funds keep coming in to do so?

National Trust for Scotland has come up with an excellent solution to this dilemma. In both Robert Burns’ Birthplace and Fyvie Castle, they have created replicas of key artefacts within – with a twist – where visitors can tap their contactless cards to donate £2 to their preservation.

Each of the doppelganger artefacts – a bust of Robert Burns and a 1766 portrait – have the slogan ‘tap the past to preserve the future’, and include the image of a contactless machine in the hand of the subject; a modern addition to the historical replica. In clever partnership with Bank of Scotland and VISA, these interactive objects ensure donor engagement at a brand-new level. In this case, National Trust Scotland actually doeswant you to touch their displays.

What have you seen recently that you think is brilliant innovation in the charity sector? Please contact us at enquiry@cause4.co.uk or tweet us @OfficialCause4

Entrepreneur of the Month

Cause4’s Entrepreneur of the Month for October is Joeli Brearley, founder of Pregnant Then Screwed.

Pregnant Then Screwed protects, supports and promotes the rights of mothers who suffer the effects of systemic, cultural, and institutional pregnancy and maternity discrimination. An estimated 54,000 women are forced out of their jobs due to pregnancy every year – including Joeli herself. Whilst working as a self-employed project manager, she was let go when she told her main client she was four months pregnant; soon learning that this remains a major issue for thousands of women across the UK.

Joeli founded the Pregnant Then Screwed campaign to fight this ongoing maternity and pregnancy discrimination – offering free legal advice as well as running an annual festival for mothers, providing sessions on confidence, flexible working, being self-employed and mental health.

Joeli says:

”Over the moon to be featured in Cause4’s Pick of the Month. Pregnant Then Screwed has been running for three years and is starting to build some real momentum. We are a grassroots campaign run by women who have experienced pregnancy or maternity discrimination who are determined to change the outlook for other working mums. We know that the motherhood penalty is at the heart of the gender pay gap and these experiences have a negative impact on women, business and our economy. It makes no sense whatsoever to side-line and force out such a large percentage of our workforce because they become mothers and losing your job at this vulnerable point in your life is such a tragedy for those concerned.”

You can follow Pregnant Then Screwed on Twitter at @PregnantScrewed and on Instagram at @pregnant_then_screwed 

Charity Leader of the Month

Cause4 is delighted to announce that our Charity Leader of the Monthis Sarah Anderson CBE, the inspiring founder and chief executive of The Listening Place.

The Listening Place is a small, volunteer-led charity that offers vital support to over 1000 people each year who are at risk of suicide. Sarah set up the charity just two years ago, alongside a group of volunteers whose experience within the health and charity sectors had highlighted an urgent need to fill the gaps in support for people experiencing suicidal thoughts.

The chronic lack of funding being invested into mental health services can mean that suicidal individuals get discharged from A&E and are left without adequate support, waiting months to gain access to the necessary services. In response to this need, The Listening Place offers a free face-to-face listening service from trained volunteers, supported and supervised by mental health professionals, for those who feel suicidal. Crucially, unlike other services, The Listening Place offers ongoing, confidential, regular support with the same volunteer.

Reflecting on the charity’s work, Sarah remarked: “It is very sad that there is such a demand for our service but an absolute pleasure to work with nearly 400 of the most dedicated and delightful volunteers who support this work so diligently.”

Prior to setting up The Listening Place, Sarah volunteered at Central London Samaritans for over 30 years during which she spent 3 years as Director. Sarah has also worked in the public and private sectors, running a number of businesses and social enterprises as well as working as a Public Appointments Assessor and as a non-executive director of JobCentrePlus, ACAS and the Commission for Equality and Human Rights.  She was the author of The Anderson Review for Government.

You can follow The Listening Place on twitter at @TLPCharity

Trustee of the Month

We are thrilled to say that our Emerging Chairs Programme alumnus and Trustee of Hofesh Shechter Company and Bonnie Bird Choreography Fund Theresa Beattie(@theresabeattie1), is Cause4’s Trustee of the Month.

Theresa is a Freelance Consultant for Dance organisations and an experienced Trustee. She went on the programme to fully understand and experience the roles and responsibilities of a Chair. On being a Trustee, Theresa says “It’s rewarding, I think it’s great learning, there’s significant gain in terms of one’s knowledge…a good Board is a really challenging place”

Her advice to those considering taking on a position:

“Don’t be scared of asking quite forensic questions, and there’s no such thing as a stupid question, particularly when it comes to finance!”

You can follow of Hofesh Shechter Company on Twitter here @HofeshCo and Bonnie Bird Choreography Fund on Twitter here @bonniebird_fund

Fellow of the Month

We are excited to announce that Mithila Sarma is Arts Fundraising & Philanthropy’s Fellow of the Month.

Starting her Fellowship as the Artistic Director at Zer0classikal, promoting British South Asian classical musicianship within the UK, Mithila is now Relationship Manager at Arts Council England, an exciting role she credits to her time on the Fellowship. She is also a Carnatic Veena player, involved in a variety of music projects.

“In the past year I have gained an invaluable overview of the Arts sector, an understanding of the current fundraising landscape. The fellowship enabled me to gain an understanding of the tools necessary not only help develop an organisations’ fundraising capabilities but to also increase its sustainability and overall success. The fellow peers I have met and the knowledge I have gained has really helped me develop over the year and I am glad to say this has led me to a role within the Arts Council which I would have not imagined being possible before the Fellowship began.”

You can follow Mithila on Twitter here: @MithilaSarma 

Charity Leader of the Month

Cause4 is delighted to announce that our Charity Leader of the Month is Jhon Marulanda,
Chief Executive of the Latin American Disabled People’s Trust (LADPP).

Latin American Disabled People’s Project (LADPP) is the only organisation in London devoted to serving disabled people from Latin America, Europe and Africa, whose first language is Spanish or Portuguese, as well as their carers, families, and communities. It aims to improve the quality of life, independence and community integration of disabled and non-disabled Spanish and Portuguese speaking people, through information, training, advice, representation, interpreting, advocacy, social and cultural events, and user development and volunteering opportunities.

Based near Elephant and Castle, where there is a large Hispanic community, LADPP supports these communities by providing services such as language lessons, mental health support and a Skills4Work programme. Despite there being a 200,000-strong South American community in Britain – with a work ethic which sees 85% of London Hispanics in employment, compared to 61% of Londoners as a whole – they are rarely recognised by a separate ethnic category, contributing to a sense of ‘invisibility’ as citizens and a low socioeconomic standing.[1] Many Latin American Londoners work in low-paid jobs, are cut off from services, and forgotten by policy makers, and 20% have poor or no English – all of which make them vulnerable to exploitation. [2] LADPP works to combat all of these things, empowering and supporting the Latin American communities in London.

Jhon says: “Thank you so much for the nomination for Cause4‘s Charity Leader of the Month. My commitment to my work and the organisation make me grow professionally every day, and the support I receive from the staff, volunteers and the community make me continue working towards improving the quality of life, well-being and community integration for the Spanish and Portuguese community living in London”

 You can follow LADPP here: @LADPP

Entrepreneur of the Month

As a B-Corp, Cause4 is always thrilled to learn about other enterprising organisations. This month we are looking at Brides do Good, a bridal shop that sells pre-loved wedding dresses to ethically minded brides, donating a third of the cost of every dress sold to Plan International and Too Young To Wed – charities focused on protecting potential child brides.

Brides do Good offers brides-to-be an ethical way to wed. Since 2016, the British-based brand has been harnessing the power of the wedding industry for good, enabling brides to choose a dress that will not only complete their perfect day, but help ensure other girls around the world have the right to a future full of choice.

The organisation’s founder, and Cause4’s Entrepreneur of the Month, is Chantal Khoueiry, whose enterprise aims to end child marriage by 2030 – in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.

Having been selected as our Entrepreneur of the Month, Chantal said:

‘I’m incredibly honoured to have been chosen as Cause4’s Entrepreneur of the Month. At Brides do Good, we aim to harness the power of the bridal industry for good; turning once-worn wedding dresses into the real, tangible opportunity for vulnerable girls around the world to choose their own paths, with the education and tools that they need to succeed, free from the dangers of child marriage. I have always believed in the importance of making a positive contribution to the world, and the power and responsibility women have to support each other. This is why Brides do Good is so important to me: it’s a movement by women, for women.’

You can follow Brides do Good on Twitter here: @BridesDoGood

Trustee of the Month

We are thrilled to say that Trustee Leadership Programme alumnus and Trustee and Chair of 
The Squad, Jessica Raza, is Cause4’s Trustee of the Month.

Jessica is a corporate lawyer and went on the Trustee Leadership Programme as she was looking for a way to give back beyond volunteering or donating. Jessica has found her experience as a Trustee rewarding and says she is looking forward to seeing where the charity goes from here:

“I’m glad I took it on, I’ve learned an awful lot very quickly, I was thrown in the deep end a bit. I feel I’ve gained a lot in terms of my own professional skills.”

Her advice for anybody taking on a Trustee position is to take your time to get to know the Board, the charity, and really understand the financial model of the organisation before you join.

You can follow The Squad, on Twitter here: @The_Squad_Club

Fellow of the Month.

 We are delighted to announce that Jack Gibbon is Arts Fundraising & Philanthropy’s Fellow of the Month. 

Jack is the Director of Antlers Gallery, a Bristol-based nomadic gallery that champions contemporary artists through innovative projects. Jack also programmes Christmas Steps Gallery in Bristol and commissions contemporary artists to work with heritage sites.

Looking back on this previous year as part of the Professional Fundraising Fellowship, Jack tells us what he has taken away from the experience:

“This fellowship year has expanded my knowledge, networks and strategic approach to fundraising and leadership. The best part has been being introduced to many inspiring people both those leading the workshops and my fellow Fellows.”

You can follow Antlers Gallery on Twitter here: @antlersgallery

Charity Leader of the Month 

Cause4 is delighted to announce that our Charity Leader of the Month is founder of the community interest company, Help4Wales Foundation, Jemma Shepherd.

Help4Wales Foundation’s Animal Safe Haven is the first nationwide pet fostering service in Wales – supporting victims of domestic abuse by caring for their pets while they access safety and work to rebuild their lives. With 89% of domestic abuse relationships involving some kind of harm or trauma to the family pet, victims can struggle to leave, due to their pet being a pawn in the coercive and manipulative behaviour they are subject to – they know their animal may die.

However, most refuges cannot take pets, meaning the threat of their pet being harmed can be a major barrier to victims escaping abuse. Jemma set up Help4Wales Foundation last year to target this issue, and it has since been in high demand, receiving 150 enquiries about temporary homes for pets in the first three months of 2018. Each animal receives a full health check, vet treatment if required, and a fosterer to provide a temporary loving home from one of its 78 volunteer foster carers.

Jemma says: It’s a great honour to be selected as Cause4’s Charity Leader of the Month. After working in the care sector for over 10 years, I wanted to set up a service that supported individuals to rebuild their lives. Animals are a huge barrier to people accessing services, as they can be a huge support to individuals and part of the family. Being a pet owner myself, I would be heartbroken if I had to rehome or leave my pet and I can fully understand why people don’t leave them. Our aim is to help as many people as we can by temporarily caring for their pets while they access services and rebuild their lives.

You can follow Help4Wales Foundation on Twitter at @help4wales.

Entrepreneur of the Month 

As a B-Corp, Cause4 is always thrilled to learn about other enterprising organisations. This month we saw that The Skill Mill, an award-winning social enterprise, has received funding from The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

In recognition of their success, Cause4 is delighted to announce that the founding Director of The Skill Mill, Davie Parks, is Cause4’s Entrepreneur of the Month.

The Skill Mill is an international social enterprise that provides environmental employment for young ex-offenders. Alongside employment, it helps young people to undertake accredited training and achieve a nationally-recognised qualification.

Not only is the work delivered by young people significant for local environmental issues, but The Skill Mill helps to reduce re-offending and increase community safety through engagement of ex-offenders in employment.

Founded in 2013, it has worked with 80 young offenders in Britain. Current Skill Mill sites include Newcastle, Leeds, Liverpool, Durham and North Yorkshire, as well as Tallinn in Estonia. Having been selected as our Entrepreneur of the Month, Davie said:

“I am very much the accidental entrepreneur, so being selected as Entrepreneur of the Month by Cause4 is at the same time very gratifying and surprising. Sometimes in life the best things happen just by accident and, having taken one or two risks, I think The Skill Mill is a great example of that!”

You can follow The Skill Mill on Twitter here: @The_Skill_Mill

Trustee of the Month

We are delighted to announce that Trustee Leadership Programme alumnus and Trustee of The Renaissance Foundation, Tom Gayner, is Cause4’s Trustee of the Month.

Tom is a Business Development and Marketing Manager and joined the programme as he knew that being a Trustee involved responsibilities that couldn’t just be learnt on the job. As a Trustee, Tom has linked his skills to the charity’s needs and gone on to meet ‘really interesting people’.

Tom is loving his role as a Trustee, stating ‘the impact that you have as one person is incredibly significant’.

You can follow The Renaissance Foundation on Twitter here: @RF_Tweets

Fellow of the Month.

We are delighted to announce that Carol Rayner is Arts Fundraising & Philanthropy’s Fellow of the Month.

Carol Rayner is now the Head of Operations at Mercury Theatre Colchester, having previously worked at the organisation as their General Manager. The Mercury Theatre is the most active producing theatre in East Anglia and is currently undergoing a capital redevelopment project. Carol is delighted to be part of the Fellowship at such a pivotal time for the Mercury. Carol also has a degree in Theatre and Media Drama.

Reflecting back on the previous year and her experience being on the Professional Fundraising Fellowship, Carol said:

“My fellowship has been a fantastic opportunity for me to develop my leadership potential and gain a wider understanding of the amazing industry in which I work”

You can follow Mercury Theatre Colchester on Twitter here: @mercurytheatre

The research was carried out by Populus, who surveyed over 2,050 adults across England and Wales, and showed that overall, public trust in charities has remained largely the same since 2016 – remaining at a low 5.5 out of 10.

Whilst previous reports have fixated on measuring the extent to which the public trusts charities, this year the Commission took a slightly different approach, focussing on what trust means for the sector, how it relates to success and what charities can do to demonstrate trustworthy behaviours.

The results have given the sector clear indicators for what is needed to be a trusted charity:

• Transparency about where the money goes
• True to your values
• Efficient in your use of resources
• Well-governed and well-managed
• Able to demonstrate making a positive difference

So what can be done to meet these needs? The Cause4 team have the following thoughts:

Transparency about where the money goes – Ed Harvey

We are now in a period where all charities will face extensive scrutiny over their spending, whether it’s salaries, fundraising costs or overheads.

In light of this, it’s been so encouraging to see many charities rise to the occasion and be completely upfront about their spending, such as through pie charts of their spending in their annual accounts or even on their website.

Charities need to have the confidence to present their expenditure to their donors, beneficiaries, stakeholders and the general public. This openness should help to encourage best practice in financial management, and I hope that it helps donors to consider the various options that they have for supporting a charity, and how they want their donation to help a charity.

True to your values – Maria Thomas

One of the key findings from the report was that the public want charities to ‘live their values’. Whilst a small number may have lost sight of this, it is still those strong values that make the charity sector what it is.

Being true to your values will result in a positive difference to your cause and will rebuild public trust in charities. Your values should guide policy decisions and when embodied throughout the organisation, this has been correlated to big increases in public donations. Here’s hoping by the next report that the public will believe in the ‘value’ of charities once more.

Efficient in your use of resources – Emily Clarke

Donors need to know that their money is being used in the best way possible. Charities have always faced scrutiny, and with leading organisations being put in the spotlight in recent times for their representatives’ behaviour, the sector must work harder than ever to show that donations are being used wisely.

With limited resources, it is important that everything is used to ensure the maximum benefit in the most economical way. Money needs to be spent judiciously, with as little waste as possible – so be sure to make sensible decisions about priorities, review your contracts with service providers and ensure that all members of staff are onboard and able to justify expenditure and cost-saving measures.

Well-governed and well-managed – Annie Jarvis

It is no surprise that good governance and management are important factors when considering charity trust. With scandals around mismanagement such as Kids Company in 2015, the public are becoming increasingly concerned about who is running an organisation and how it is being led.

Whether the organisation has paid employees or is entirely volunteer-run, charities need to have regular audits of those in charge, and to make sure they are held accountable for their role. To ensure we are meeting our obligations to the public, a charity’s Board should be diverse in its skill-set, and should complement management, allowing for an organisation-wide culture of demonstrable positive impact, transparency, and efficiency.

Able to demonstrate making a positive difference – David Johnson

Charities are truly vital assets, and they make a genuine difference to people, places and communities across the country. For charities, demonstrating and communicating your impact is vital.

Charities should take great pride in communicating their impact – and shouldn’t miss the chance to be creative. You can show the positive difference you’ve made through case studies, images, videos, reports, graphs, quotes, you name it!

Being able to demonstrate the positive difference that you make is so important because of the different benefits that it will bring, such as improving your reputation, bringing you closer to your beneficiaries and making it easier for a donor to envisage what difference their support might make.

How do you think charities can gain more trust from the public? Tweet us @OfficialCause4 and let us know!

Entrepreneur of the Month

Cause4 is delighted to announce that our Entrepreneur of the Month is Emmy Brunner, founder of WomanToWoman.

WomanToWoman provides grant-funded treatment for women suffering with eating disorders, trauma and other mental health needs. It also develops communities and safe spaces allowing for discussion about what it means to be a woman in today’s world.

As a Psychotherapist, Spiritual Recovery Coach and Entrepreneur, and with more than 15 years’ experience working with sufferers of trauma and mental illness, Emmy recognised that there was very little treatment available for mental health sufferers and that what was available was often inadequate. Her motivation behind launching WomanToWoman was to find a way to fund further treatment for sufferers but also to celebrate the power of female creativity. What resulted is a fresh approach to treatment based upon empowering individuals to take charge of their lives and reach for the future they want and deserve – rather than reverting to social conditioning or disempowerment.

Emmy says: “I am so thrilled to be chosen as Cause4’s Entrepreneur of the month… My intention with WomanToWoman is to create a safe community of women who both celebrate and support one another. I believe that creativity is such a profoundly healing medium and many of the projects that we run offer a platform to celebrate female creatives whose work centres around mental health, trauma and recovery.

 Mental health resources are scarce, but as an empowered community I believe that women coming together have the power to action great change.”

 This month, Emmy is launching a vlog, which you can follow here.

You can follow WomanToWoman on Twitter here: @WomanToWoman

Charity Leader of the Month

We are delighted to announce that Alex Evans, Artistic Director of Kazzum, is our Charity Leader of the Month!

Kazzum is an artistic charity that creates playful experiences that engage disadvantaged young people in the arts to bring people and communities together.

The charity’s activities include creative projects with children and young people in hospitals, pupil referral units and with young refugees and asylum seekers.

Here at Cause4 we’re especially impressed by Kazzum’s provision of drama, video, photography, creative writing, storytelling, dance and music for young refugees and asylum seekers.

Having been selected as our Charity Leader of the Month, Alex said:

‘It’s truly an honour for me to be selected as Cause4’s Charity Leader of the Month.  At Kazzum we work tirelessly to look after the creativity of children who are facing the most adverse childhood experiences.  Through our work we encourage them to develop their communication and interpersonal skills, sharing their imaginative worlds and becoming happier and healthier.  It’s so encouraging to be supported by Cause4 in our vital mission.’

You can follow Kazzum on Twitter here: @KazzumArts

Trustee of the Month

We are delighted to announce that Trustee Leadership Programme alumnus and Trustee of Headway SELNWK, Lenna Lou, is Cause4’s Trustee of the Month.

Lenna is a Business Strategy consultant for start-ups and mature firms and went on the Trustee Leadership Programme and the first Emerging Chairs Programme in 2017. Lenna had always wanted to give something back. After the course she became a Trustee of Headway SELNWK, as she thought this was a charity that would benefit from her skills, and where she could really make a difference.

Since becoming a Trustee, Lenna has realised that everybody has something to give to a charity, and encourages everyone, no matter what background they have, to become a Trustee.

She has absolutely loved being a Trustee and was asked to become the future Chair within her first few months in the role “I really enjoy it, it’s so fulfilling, it’s amazing. I didn’t realise how much enjoyment I’d have”.

You can follow Headway SELNWK on Twitter here: @HeadwaySELNWK

Fellow of the Month

We are delighted to announce that Amy Simcox is Arts Fundraising & Philanthropy’s Fellow of the Month.

Amy Simcox is the Development Manager at Derby Museums which manages three free access city museums. Amy has been responsible for creating the organisation’s fundraising strategy and for implementing and leading Derby Museums’ fundraising activity. She has championed the approach of putting fundraising within the centre of the organisation and is so proud of what the team at Derby Museums has achieved.

Discussing her past year on the Professional Arts Fundraising Fellowship, Amy reflects on her personal development and the future for Derby Museums:

“I have absolutely loved being a Fellow. The programme has highlighted the amazing work that is happening in the sector and has fuelled my ambition to do more. Through innovation, reflection and team work, Derby Museums has already achieved so much, but I cannot wait to see where we will go next.”

 You can follow Derby Museums on Twitter here: @derbymuseums

Having spent some of my childhood living in a rural Gloucestershire village, I thought it would be a great opportunity to promote one charity that is helping those who feel isolated, lonely and in much need of support in the region: Cotswold Friends.

Living in a village of around 200 residents, the majority of whom were over 65, meant I experienced first-hand how valuable a close community and support network means to those in the area, particularly those who are elderly and vulnerable. Against a backdrop of decreased local public transport^[i], social isolation^[ii] and the largest proportion of people aged 65+ in the county^[iii], there is an increasing need for the services that Cotswold Friends provide.

I got the opportunity to ask Cotswold Friends CEO, Amanda Howard, a few questions about what impact the charity has on its beneficiaries.

Tell us more about your charity

Cotswold Friends is a charity based in Moreton-in-Marsh, which provides four community services supported by over 350 volunteers to over 2,000 older and vulnerable members of the North Cotswolds community (64 rural hamlets and villages and 5 market towns).

Our community services are:

• Community Transport – 9,000 journeys a year for 1,200 registered members, of which 62% support a medical need.
• Community Activities Programme – 20 activities across the area (Men in Sheds, Walking Football, Walking Netball, Gentle Walking groups, Craft and Chat, Community Singing and an extensive Lunch Club Programme in pubs, cafes, village halls and a school. 660 people attend activities a month, often supported by the Community Transport Service.
• Befriending – supports 120 older and vulnerable, mainly house-bound people, living alone with long-term conditions including dementia, respiratory and heart conditions, limited mobility, arthritis and older age frailty. Clients receive a weekly visit and support to attend quarterly community events.
• Carer Respite – 30 full-time carers receive weekly half-day respite allowing them to stay well themselves and continue in their caring roles. Clients receive invitations and support to attend quarterly community events.

All services are preventative, reduce loneliness and isolation and support independent living.

What is the most rewarding part of your work?

Matching volunteers to recipients and seeing their relationship and friendship thrive, with both parties being equally rewarded by the experience as well as seeing someone’s physical and mental health and wellbeing improved because they are supported by the charity.

What do you think the strengths of being a small charity are?

Knowing the community really well, understanding local issues and pressures and being able to offer proactive solutions.

What demands are there on your services?

Waiting lists and increasingly higher need referrals from GP’s, Social Prescribers, Community Agents and Gloucestershire Adult Services (such as health visitors, social workers and occupational therapists). There is a lack of resources in the North Cotswolds with a basic lack of some community services.

What do you feel are the biggest challenges facing small charities?

Funding. Lack of good management, marketing and governance skills including financial governance and strategic planning. Also, larger charities and organisations taking credit for the work of small charities and absorbing all the funding.

What advice do you have for other small charities both locally and nationally?

Share. Learn from each other, develop support networks and partnerships to maximise scarce professional resources and facilitate comprehensive funding bids. Don’t be frightened to fight your corner in a calm and professional way!

You can find out more about Cotswold Friends on the website: http://www.cotswoldfriends.org, and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CotswoldFriends/

This is part of a series of blogs for Cause4 Opinion on Small Charities Week 2018 – let’s support them to fight the good fight!

What’s your favourite small charity? Let us know via @OfficialCause4.