I'm delighted to join this charity network. 

This is a pretty testing time for all of us. The pandemic has forced us to make changes to our daily lives, provided ample time for reflection and has made me think about what I would like to do following my recent experiences.

Since March, with the idea in mind of doing my bit to fight the virus, I have set up a campaign, Kit4Carers, with a group of people including doctors, clinicians, ex NHS staff, procurement and logistics people, MedTech companies, freelance programmers, a healthcare communication and PR firm, interns and others to raise money to protect social care workers by donating FREE PPE. These are pretty tough settings outside the NHS and care homes where service users are among the most vulnerable people. 

In less than 6 months we have established the charity attracted individual and corporate supporters drawn from the higher ranks of the NHS, business and tech worlds, raised £45,000 and delivered FREE PPE to children’s and adult’s hospices and care agencies in London.

We have also set up two projects in Karnataka state in Southern India where unemployed carers and disabled people are paid to make reusable, washable face masks that are then distributed to frontline healthcare workers. The results have been extremely positive and we are planning further interventions. All of which has been highly rewarding and done on a voluntary basis. 

I am a commercially savvy business director with a history in digital marketing and social media who switched to working in corporate insolvency in the City during the financial crisis (small beer compared to what’s going on now)! I then joined a private family office and nascent litigation finance organisation where among other things I have been involved in setting up a charitable foundation to utilise profits from the commercial venture to provide access to justice in countries where a fair trial is not a given.

I am keen to use my skills, network and resources in a charitable setting and believe I can help with fundraising, marketing and engagement activities. At the same time, I am keen to better understand the dynamics of a successful charity and learn new skills. 

The major issues facing charities will be securing finance for the next two years whilst having to work harder to keep existing donors and supporters positively engaged and attract new donors and supporters as we navigate our way through this uncertain world.

Very happy to share thoughts and ideas on fundraising, about how to help and support care workers, mental health and much more! Please do get in touch!