Comic Relief appoints Ruth Ruderham as grants director
Melanie May | 19 May 2017 | News
Comic Relief has appointed Ruth Ruderham as its new grants director, to help improve how charitable funds are spent and ensure their long-term impact.
Ruderham is currently development director at Prince’s Trust International and joins Comic Relief on 3rd July, replacing Judith McNeill who left her position last year.
With 15 years of experience in leadership roles in the sector, Ruderham has worked for charities including Christian Aid, and Friends of the Earth, as well as helping to build up the Canal & River Trust when it became independent from British Waterways.
She is also a trustee of Oxfam GB, and a member of several advisory panels including the Charity Awards and Rogare, the philanthropy think tank of the Centre for Sustainable Development at Plymouth University.
Liz Warner, CEO of Comic Relief, said:
“Ruth brings the leadership, ambition and vision needed to ensure that Comic Relief has the biggest possible long term impact on people’s lives. She shares our determination that the money we raise works as hard as possible to help those who need it most. She is passionate about driving real, sustainable change.
“Ruth also recognises how new technology and digital communications can transform how we raise and spend money. And what I like about her is that she sees the vital importance of having even more dialogue with the organisations we invest in and the people we fund and work with. She believes in being collaborative and working in partnership.”
Ruth Ruderham said:
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“I am delighted to be joining Comic Relief at such an exciting time. I have known and admired the work of Comic Relief throughout my career, not just because of the huge difference they have made to issues of global poverty and social injustice through their grant making, but also because of the vital role they have played in raising awareness of these issues with the UK public.
“To join the leadership team that will review and update the way we engage – from our grant making process to our communication channels and messages – is an incredible challenge and one that I am excited to accept.”
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.