12 Oct 2026

Who’s Moving in the UK Charity Sector – September 2026

Your monthly round-up of leadership moves, appointments and departures across the UK voluntary sector.

ncoming CEO, joining in November. Sacks-Jones has only recently become CEO of Young Women’s Trust (March 2026) but moves to lead the disabled children’s charity, succeeding Katie Ghose, who joins Refugee Council. Helen Ellis serves as acting CEO in the interim.

Mesothelioma UK welcomes Hannah Moody as chief executive, succeeding founder Liz Darlison after a carefully managed succession. Moody joins from Breast Cancer UK where she was director of research and engagement. Darlison remains involved during handover.

The Medical Research Foundation has appointed Victoria King as its next CEO, taking over from Angela Hind who steps down after two decades. King joins from Barts Charity on 30 November, bringing a PhD in biochemistry and previous senior roles at Wellcome.

The Church Commissioners for England has confirmed Rosie Slater-Carr as permanent chief executive, having served as interim since March. Previously COO, she joined the Church Commissioners in 2020.

Cripplegate Foundation and Islington Giving have jointly appointed Victoria Benson as CEO, succeeding Sarah Benioff after seven years. Benson was formerly CEO of Gingerbread and spent over a decade at Macmillan Cancer Support.

Painshill Park Trust appoints Huw Davies as CEO from 1 October, joining after 11 years as deputy managing director and business development director at the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Launchpad has appointed Jude McKee as CEO, succeeding Jill Murray who retired at the end of August. McKee brings leadership experience from St Mungo’s and 11 years at Strides, where she rose to CEO.

Brainkind has appointed Andy Cole as CEO, joining in November from Royal Star & Garter where he is currently chief executive. Cole previously led Bliss and held senior roles at Leonard Cheshire.

The British Library welcomes Paul Bate as chief executive from 4 November, succeeding interim Jeremy Silver. Bate was CEO of the UK Space Agency from 2021 to 2026.

Lincolnshire Rural Support Network has appointed Lisa Gibson as CEO, joining on 21 September from Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and South Lincolnshire Mind.

Missing People has appointed Katy Vaughan as CEO from 5 October. Vaughan was most recently CEO of St George’s Hospital Charity — which itself appointed Frances Longley as interim CEO to succeed her.

Avenue (Scottish support charity) has appointed Seona Shand as CEO, bringing experience across business, education and the third sector.

AFK (disability charity) has appointed Katie Cavanagh as permanent CEO after nine months as interim, having previously been director of fundraising and communications.

Adult Literacy Trust has named Stevie Tyler as its first permanent chief executive. Tyler was previously CEO of the Aplastic Anaemia Trust and brings almost 20 years of sector experience.

Charity Digital has appointed Imran Sanaullah — founder of the Patchwork Foundation — as CEO, succeeding Maria Timon Samra who served as interim for 20 months.

Phoenix Community Trust has appointed Shane Ryan as CEO, following his leadership of the charity’s transition team. Ryan previously served as senior adviser at the National Lottery Community Fund and global executive director of the Avast Foundation.

Action for Humanity CEO Othman Moqbel steps down after eight years, having transformed the organisation from Syria Relief into a globally recognised humanitarian charity. The board has appointed Wassim Khmaja as acting CEO while a permanent search is undertaken.

ShelterBox has appointed Roger Yates as interim CEO, replacing Sanj Srikanthan who stepped down after nearly seven years. Yates joins from Plan International in October and will lead for approximately six months.

Launchpad note: see above — this was September’s second interim-to-permanent CEO appointment of the month.

Directors and Senior Leadership

Turn2us has appointed Matthew Wilkley as director of income and external affairs from 7 September, joining from the National Literacy Trust where he was director of development.

Ambitious About Autism has appointed Bethia McNeil as director of national programmes, joining from YMCA England & Wales where she was director of quality and impact.

RNID has made two senior hires: Rajit Gholap joins as chief operating officer (previously director of finance at Prostate Cancer UK) and Sam Morris joins as director of community services, having been chief volunteering officer at Scouts.

Leeds Women’s Aid has appointed Keira Burns as director of services and engagement and Sarah Martin as director of income generation and business development.

Home-Start UK has announced that Eliza Waye, former CEO of Home-Start Edinburgh, joins as strategic lead for Scotland from October, overseeing a new £1.2m Scottish Government-funded partnership.

Maudsley Charity has appointed Michael Regan as head of development — a newly created role — with over 15 years’ fundraising experience including seven years at LandAid and UnLtd.

Paul Hamlyn Foundation has hired Adam Rahman as head of communications, joining from IntoUniversity.

FOUR PAWS UK has appointed Neil D’Cruze as country director as the charity marks its 20th UK anniversary. D’Cruze spent nearly two decades at World Animal Protection.

RSPCA has named Charlotte Beckett as chief veterinary officer, succeeding Caroline Allen. Beckett first joined the RSPCA in 2012 and progressed through clinical and strategy roles.

The Ripple Effect has appointed Phil Kerry — former CEO of New Horizon Youth Centre — as strategic advisor.

Chairs and Trustees

Action for Children has appointed business leader Jeremy Newman as chair, succeeding Sarika Patel. Newman brings 30 years of leadership experience including as global CEO of BDO.

Lupus UK has appointed Ricky Chotai as chair, succeeding the late Elaine Holland. Chotai has served as trustee and vice chair and has lived experience of lupus.

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People has appointed Harry Hayer as chair of trustees. Hayer also serves on the NHS Birmingham, Black Country and Solihull Integrated Care Board.

Mission 44 (Lewis Hamilton’s foundation) has appointed Hayaatun Sillem — former CEO of the Royal Academy of Engineering — as chair.

It’s Time (parental loss charity) has appointed Lynette Thorstensen as chair. Thorstensen was CEO of Greenpeace Australia and most recently chair of Fairtrade International. Founder Dave Jacob-Lloyd moves to a strategy role.

The Girls’ Network has appointed Amy Whittall as chair, succeeding Sue Rimmer-Wilson after 10 years. Four new trustees also join the board.

Access (social investment foundation) has appointed Daniela Barone Soares as chair designate, succeeding Nick Hurd. Barone Soares previously led impact investment fund Snowball and venture philanthropy organisation Impetus.

AFK has appointed Miriam Deakin as chair — the first woman to hold the role in the charity’s 30-year history.

Classics for All has appointed Andrew Copson — CEO of Humanists UK since 2010 — as its next chair from early October.

Nesta has selected three new trustees: Tamara Finkelstein (CEO of the Royal Academy of Engineering), Swarna Ramanathan and Shaunak Mazumder, all starting three-year terms from 1 September.

Stick ‘n’ Step has appointed Jo Davies and Lauren Landry to its board, bringing digital, commercial and legal expertise.

Victorian Society has appointed four new trustees: Tom Ashley, Anna Dewsnap, Sarah Flew and Andrew Willetts (finance trustee).

Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust has appointed Vicky Ellis to its board in a new digital role.

Visualise Scotland has welcomed Sophie Rhys-Jones, Duchess of Edinburgh, as royal patron.

Ambassador

Refuge has announced that broadcaster and former England footballer Eni Aluko will serve as ambassador, focusing particularly on technology-facilitated abuse.

Departures

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