The BBC announced that Fiona Ellis will be moving up from vice chair to chair of its Appeals Advisory Committee.

The Appeals Advisory Committee (AAC) is a collection of independent experts, separate from the BBC who advise on policy matters, specific fundraising projects such as Children in Need and Comic Relief, and on the allocation of charitable broadcasting time on BBC television and radio. All 15 of the experts have a variety of experience within the charitable sector and voluntarily give their time.

Ellis has over 20 years of experience in the fundraising sector, combining her working life with a variety of voluntary positions such as vice chair of Navca, trustee of the Nationwide Foundation and member of her local village hall committee.

She was chair of the NCVO Funding Commission a few years ago and has been vice chair of the AAC since 2009.  She has also been a Charity Awards judge since 2009.

Sally Flatman, the BBC Charity Appeals adviser, said that “as a member of the Committee she has demonstrated her deep knowledge of the charitable sector”.

Ellis said she looked forward to “continuing and developing the AAC’s role in helping ensure that the relationship between the BBC and AAC is excellent and productive”.