ℹ️ This thread gives you access to free expert advice. Use @mention to talk to a particular expert or post a generic question to everyone. Panellists will respond to you in the comments section on 01/04/2020.

Our wonderful panellists will help you as much as possible and do their best to respond to all your questions, but please keep in mind that none of the experts has dealt with a global pandemic before – we’re all in this together. So let’s support each other, share our coping mechanisms and connect! 

🙋Talk to our experts about:

🗓When: 1st of April, anytime between 10 AM-6 PM GMT

💻Where: Online on CharityConnect, right here on this post

🤝Meet the panel: 

Zoe Amar is widely regarded as one of the charity sector’s leading digital experts. She founded digital agency and social enterprise Zoe Amar Digital in 2013. Their clients have included NSPCC, Anglia Ruskin University and The School for Social Entrepreneurs. Zoe is Chair of The Charity Digital Code of Practice. She writes for Third Sector about charities and digital issues and co-founded the Social CEOs awards . Zoe and her team produce an annual barometer of how charities across the UK are using digital, The Charity Digital Skills Report. She also co-authored The Charity Commission’s digital guidance for trustees, ‘Making Digital Work.’ Zoe has eleven years’ experience as a charity trustee. She currently sits on the board of Charity Digital Trust (formerly known as Tech Trust). She was recently voted one of the 25 most influential charity leaders by Charity Times. 

Rita Chadha is CEO of Small Charities Coalition. A membership organisation of 13,800 small charities. Prior to joining SCC is July 2019, Rita held roles at various local and national organisations, always with a focus on equalities and capacity and strategic development within the not for profit sector. Specialities: Change management, equalities and diversity, improving individual and organisational performance, start-up and pilot projects, fundraising, strategic management and repositioning and rebranding failing organisations.

Tum’s worked at HFHGB since May 2016, and been CEO since 2018. With a background in marketing and digital communications, Tum’s worked in the not-for-profit space for 16 years. Starting at national deaf blind charity Sense, he moved into the international development sector with roles at FARM Africa, and Action Against Hunger, among others. Tum has strong experience in many areas of fundraising and NGO strategy and management, and is able to work with teams to identify the best opportunities to drive mission impact and fundraising growth. He’s currently a Trustee with the Livingstone Tanzania Trust, a micro-charity specialising in education and enterprise in Babati, Northern Tanzania. A guest lecturer at London South Bank University, Tum holds an MSc in NGO Management from Cass Business School.

Sarah is the Director of BluebirdPR and specialises in communications for small and medium-sized charities. She has more than 20 years’ experience in this field and has worked with a number of causes to help them raise their profile through effective communications and fundraising strategies, using multiple communication channels including PR, marketing, media relations, digital media and website content. She enjoys working directly with internal and external stakeholders and partners to create measurable impact and is passionate about working with wonderful causes that inspire her. 

Clare Lucas has worked as a campaigner in the charity sector for almost 10 years and is currently Head of Policy and Campaigns at Muscular Dystrophy UK. Clare sits within the Campaigns, Care and Support Directorate of the charity who are playing a key role in keeping their community updated about the Coronavirus crisis and what this means specifically for people with a muscle-wasting condition and their families. Clare is interested in this topic in terms of the practicalities of how you fulfil your role during a time of crisis but also around how you best support your team. 

Joel has been in fundraising management since 1997, for ten years with international development and human rights charities (WaterAid, Amnesty International and VSO), managing large scale direct marketing programmes. The ten years from 2008 were spent leading fundraising teams in health, social care and medical research charities in the UK (United Response, Breast Cancer Campaign and two hospice charities), operating at senior level (Head of Fundraising and Director of Fundraising). Since November 2018, Joel has been enjoying the world of freelance fundraising and has held interim fundraising positions at Action on Hearing Loss, Fight for Sight, and a business development consultancy role at the College of Podiatry. Joel is currently Interim Head of Fundraising at Variety, the Children’s Charity.

Richard has worked and volunteered in the charity sector for over 25 years, and has led the fundraising function for 8 national charities. He also trains, consults, mentors and writes blogs about a wide aspect of charity management and operations, including fundraising, governance, communications and strategy. A serial volunteer, Richard is also a trustee of St Albans Museums & Galleries Trust, Co-Event Director of St Albans parkrun, and set up The Funding Network Hertfordshire.

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