Young Enterprise hires chief executive
Financial education charity Young Enterprise has hired Sarah Porretta as its next chief executive from November 2024.
Porretta is currently deputy CEO at Fair4All Finance and will be taking over from Sharon Davies, who has been at the charity for 15 years.
After having served as CEO for the past five years, Davies is initially planning to spend some time out.
Porretta said: “I am very excited to join Young Enterprise and build on the excellent work Sharon has done to strengthen the charity and demonstrate its impact on social mobility, something I am personally passionate about.
“Throughout my career I have seen first-hand the transformative power of listening to, collaborating with and investing in young people to set them up for future success.”
Thames Hospice appoints next CEO
Thames Hospice has appointed Rachael de Caux as its next chief executive, joining the charity on 1 December.
Currently deputy CEO of Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board, she is also a consultant in emergency medicine at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust.
She replaces Catherine McLaughlin, who has decided to retire after 40 years in a number of clinical executive leadership roles across the NHS.
Chief executive of Muscular Dystrophy UK appointed
Muscular Dystrophy UK has appointed Andy Fletcher as its next chief executive, starting in November.
This appointment comes after the charity’s previous chief executive, Cat Woodhead, announced she was leaving after eight years.
The charity’s chief operating officer, Wojtek Trzcinski, will continue to act as CEO in the interim.
Fletcher is currently CEO of children’s palliative care charity Together for Short Lives, which he joined in 2018.
He previously led Longfield, a provider of community hospice care in Gloucestershire.
Ben appoints next CEO
Automotive industry charity Ben has appointed Rachel Clift as its next CEO, effective from 1 November.
Clift is Ben’s current health and wellbeing director and joined the charity in September 2018.
She will succeed Zara Ross, who has served as Ben’s CEO since July 2016 and has now decided to retire.
Ross will be leaving the role of CEO on 31 October but she will continue to work with the organisation as transfer programme director to support the transfer of care and village services to new operators, until that is finalised.
Ben’s board of trustees plans to further treble the charity’s impact by 2030, focusing on the growing health and wellbeing needs of those who work in the automotive industry.
PSS appoints CEO
Social care charity PSS has appointed Jill Sheldrake as its next chief executive, beginning in January 2025.
Sheldrake is currently working at Together Trust as its service director and deputy CEO and has 30 years of experience in social care and education.
After almost 15 years at PSS, current CEO Lesley Dixon is taking semi-retirement in September to spend more time at her York home with her family.
Dixon leaves PSS in September, with directors Sharon Edwards and Harriet Michael-Phillips set to lead the organisation for three months until Sheldrake takes over as CEO in January.
Groundwork appoints Oona Muirhead as UK chair
Groundwork has appointed Oona Muirhead as its next federation chair, overseeing the organisation’s 14 local charities.
She will take over the role in September when current chair Graham Hartley steps down after nine years in the role.
Muirhead said: “I’m really looking forward to playing my part in growing the scale and impact of all that Groundwork does.”
Epilepsy Research Institute UK appoints chief scientific officer
Epilepsy Research Institute UK has appointed John Williams as its chief scientific officer.
Williams joins the charity with senior leadership experience across the science and research sectors.
The charity was formed in October 2023 and serves as the central hub for the epilepsy research community.
BHF appoints two trustees
The British Heart Foundation has appointed Roisin Donnelly and Mark Ashton-Rigby as trustees.
Donnelly is a business and marketing professional, having spent more than 30 years leading consumer brands at Procter and Gamble.
Ashton-Rigby has more than 30 years of experience leading technology and operations in the financial services sector.
The pair will join the BHF’s board, led by chair Karen Frank, this month.
Tony Cottee appointed as honorary patron of MND Charity
Challenging MND has appointed former professional footballer and sports broadcaster Tony Cottee as its honorary patron.
In his role at the healthcare charity, Cottee will participate in various awareness campaigns, fundraising events, and advocacy efforts aimed at supporting those living with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) and their supporting network.
Cottee said: “As someone who has been fortunate enough to enjoy a career in sports, I feel a deep responsibility to use my platform to support those who are battling this cruel disease.
“The link between high-level athleticism and MND is something that needs more attention, and I’m committed to helping Challenging MND raise awareness and funds to make a real difference in the lives of those affected.”
Refuge announces Nikita Kanda as ambassador
BBC broadcaster Nikita Kanda has joined domestic abuse charity Refuge as an ambassador and is one of the faces of its Summer Escape appeal, which highlights the rise in contacts that the charity experiences over the summer months.
Recently nominated for Presenter of the Year at the Asian Media Awards, Kanda has regularly fronted reports on BBC1’s the One Show and took part in last year’s Strictly Come Dancing.
Kanda said: “I’m extremely pleased to announce I’ll be working with Refuge on a cause that is so close to my heart.
“I know personally the impact domestic abuse can have on families and it’s so important to me to be able to use my voice and reach to talk about this issue.”
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