Cancer Research Charity Reveals Former Army Major as New Chief
Hope Against Cancer has appointed former army major Paul Desborough as its new chief executive, succeeding Nigel Rose after a 12‑year tenure. Desborough brings 35 years of leadership experience, including service in the British Army (1985‑2016) and senior roles in the Ministry of Defence and private sector. He will work alongside Rose during a transition period until May and will steer the charity’s 10‑year plan to evolve into a regional cancer‑research partner. The hire signals a strategic shift toward disciplined execution of the charity’s growth vision.
Regulator Engages with Sentebale as It Files Defamation Case Against Prince Harry
Sentebale, the Prince‑Harry‑founded charity for vulnerable youth in Africa, has filed a defamation lawsuit against the prince, alleging a coordinated media campaign that damaged its reputation. The UK regulator for charities has opened a dialogue with Sentebale to assess the...
Alzheimer’s Society Policy Head to Lead Kidney Research Charity
Kidney Research UK announced Fiona Carragher as its new chief executive, succeeding Sandra Currie after 13 years. Carragher joins from the Alzheimer’s Society, where she served as chief policy and research officer, and brings a background in NHS science leadership and policy....
Culture and Events Charity Chief to Step Down
Claire Whitaker announced she will step down as chief executive of Southampton Forward, the culture and events charity that drives festivals, tourism and regeneration in the city. Whitaker, who has led the organization since 2023 and delivered a three‑year cultural...
Government Launches £1m Scheme to Encourage Wealthy to Donate to Disadvantaged Areas
Britain’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) has unveiled a £1 million (approximately $1.27 million) initiative designed to spur high‑net‑worth individuals to donate to deprived communities. The scheme will create a network of regional philanthropic ambassadors tasked with connecting wealthy...
Dementia Charity Appoints New Chief
The Eric Liddell Community, a dementia‑care charity in Edinburgh, has appointed Megan Veronesi as chief executive effective 1 April. Veronesi arrives with over 15 years of senior voluntary‑sector experience, including roles at Royal Trinity Hospice, Firstport and Edinburgh World Heritage. She replaces...
British Heart Foundation Receives Largest Donation
The British Heart Foundation received a £6 million (≈$7.7 million) donation from the Garfield Weston Foundation, the charity’s largest single gift ever. The money will bolster the BHF’s Centre of Research Excellence in Advanced Cardiac Therapies, a joint venture with the Medical...
Domestic Abuse Charity Reveals Interim Chief
SafeLives, the UK domestic‑abuse charity, has appointed Tracey Bleakley as interim chief executive following Ellen Miller’s departure for personal reasons. Bleakley, formerly co‑chair of NHS England’s National Palliative Care Programme Board, previously led Hospice UK and the Association of Police and...
Time Running Out for Micro Charities to Apply for Free Entry to Third Sector Awards
The Third Sector Awards 2026 are opening a free‑entry lane for micro charities with annual incomes below £100,000 (about $125,000). Interested organisations must register their preferred category by 22 April, after which any oversubscription will be settled by random draw. A...
Leader to Step Down After 20 Years with Development Charity
SolarAid chief executive John Keane will step down at the end of June after two decades with the charity, including five years as CEO. Keane joined at SolarAid’s founding in 2006 and oversaw the launch of SunnyMoney, a social enterprise...
Faith-Based Organisations Must Apply Appropriate Safeguards to Their Fundraising, Regulator Urges
UK’s Fundraising Regulator has warned faith‑based organisations that religious giving – from tithes to member appeals – falls under the Fundraising Code of Practice. Many charities fail to recognise such activities as fundraising, exposing them to non‑compliance risks, as highlighted...
Charity Drops YMCA Branding to Reflect Broader Services
Liverpool’s long‑standing youth charity YMCA Together has rebranded as You Matter, a change aimed at reflecting a broader service portfolio. The organization provides over 800 supported‑accommodation spaces across Liverpool, Sefton and Knowsley, tackling homelessness, addiction, mental‑health issues and domestic abuse....
Regulator Clears Charity Falsely Accused of Telling Children to Send Valentine’s Day Cards to Asylum Seekers
The Charity Commission cleared City of Sanctuary UK after false accusations that it urged schoolchildren to send Valentine’s Day cards to adult asylum seekers. A detailed review found no evidence of wrongdoing or inappropriate political activity, confirming that only generic...
Mind Charities Merge to Boost Access to Support
Hertfordshire Mind Network and Mind in Mid Herts merged to form a single charity that will rebrand as Hertfordshire Mind later this year. The combined organization reported roughly £7.6 million in income (about $9.7 million) for the year ending March 2025. On 1 April, 33...
YMCA Charities Merge
YMCA Milton Keynes and YMCA Northamptonshire have merged to form YMCA South Midlands, with legal completion last week and full integration slated for September. The combined entity brings together £4.6 m (≈$5.8 m) in income and 80 staff from Milton Keynes with...
Christian Social Care Charity Rebrands and Changes Name
The Brothers of Charity Services has rebranded as Best Lives, positioning itself as an independent charity with a modern identity. The organization, which has operated for over 90 years, provides specialist supported living, nursing, and domiciliary care to more than...
Major Grantmaker Restructures Staff to Better Deliver Upcoming Strategy
A leading charitable foundation announced a comprehensive staff restructuring to align its workforce with a forthcoming multi‑year strategic plan. The reorganization consolidates program teams, creates a new impact‑measurement unit, and adds senior roles focused on partnership development. Executives say the...
Former Children and Young People’s Commissioner to Lead Learning Disability Charity
Internationally recognised human‑rights lawyer Bruce Adamson has been appointed chief executive of the Scottish Commission for People with Learning Disabilities (SCLD), taking the post on 27 April. Adamson, who served as Scotland’s Children and Young People’s Commissioner from 2017‑2023, brings three...
Pride in London Boss Sacked After Allegations of Bullying and Financial Mismanagement
Pride in London’s chief executive was terminated after internal complaints of bullying and alleged financial mismanagement. The board stated the dismissal was due to breaches of fiduciary duty and a toxic workplace culture. The move has triggered scrutiny from volunteers,...
Housing Charity Workers Strike over Pay Dispute
On April 1, social‑care and housing support staff at Scotland’s Blue Triangle Housing Association walked out, protesting a "pitiful" pay offer of 2 percent for 2024/25 and 1 percent for 2025/26. The strike, backed by Unison, spans 36 services across 12 local authorities,...
Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust Announces First Head of Reparations
The Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust has appointed Keon West as its inaugural head of reparations, tasked with designing a programme to address the colonial roots of the trust’s endowment. West, a leading race‑equality researcher from the Runnymede Trust and visiting...