One key element of the media coverage of the death of Queen Elizabeth II last month was tales from members of the public about the times they had met the Queen.
Many of those working in charities will have their own story of meeting the Queen due to the close relationship that the Royal family has with the sector. The Queen alone was patron of over 600 charities.
King Charles said in his first televised address that he would have to cut back on his charitable commitments now that he is monarch. This is probably not surprising, but will have some charities that had Royal patronage waiting to see how these duties are reallocated among the rest of the family.
But once again, as the eyes of the world turned on the UK, charities stepped up. Thousands of volunteers and charity staff were on hand to help those that were queuing to view the Queen’s coffin laying in state.
Of course, the Queen’s last official act was to formally appoint Liz Truss as the new prime minister, after she won the Conservative party leadership election.
One of the most frustrating things about the leadership contest over the summer was that it led to a delay in any action, or even the announcement of planned action, to tackle the cost-of-living crisis.
To be fair, once elected, Truss quickly gave an outline of her strategy to tackle rising energy bills but the details of the plan were forced to be delayed due to the national period of mourning. Now a mini-budget has given more on the plans.
One thing remains clear, inflation remains a major talking point both in wider society and in the charity sector. It is the topic of this year’s Charity Finance Week and will be the backdrop against which Charity Finance Summit takes place. As a result, it is the cover theme of this edition of the magazine too.
Over the past few years, charities have demonstrated their value to society time and time again. This latest economic crisis will undoubtedly offer another opportunity for the sector to prove its worth. But, at the same time as recognising this invaluable role, it is clear that charities are going to need some help during these challenging times.
Tristan Blythe Editor, Charity Finance
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