Tony Banks to join SOFII as Director, & other movers

Melanie May | 2 June 2023 | News

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• Charity People
• Recruitment / people

A raft of recent appointments, including a new Director for SOFII, and new CEOs for Solace Women’s Aid, Home-Start Cymru, and The Air Ambulance Service.

Tony Banks to join SOFII as Director

SOFII has announced that consultant, events fundraiser & #IWITOT10 winner Tony Banks will be joining as its Director in late June. Banks is currently a consultant at Think, and will be moving into the role of Associate Consultant there when he takes up the SOFII role.

Alison Davies joins Skipton Building Society Charitable Foundation as Chair

Alison Davies has been appointed Chair of the Skipton Building Society Charitable Foundation. Davies originates from Yorkshire and has a career spanning over 30 years in financial services – holding senior roles at First Direct, HSBC and at Skipton Building Society whereas Head of Digital, she created and delivered the Society’s digital strategy, growing the digital team significantly during her time at the helm. A committed volunteer and charitable fundraiser, during her tenure at Skipton, she sat as a trustee on the board of the Skipton Building Society Charitable Foundation, continuing in this role even after leaving the Society in 2022.

Out for Sport appoints 11 new trustees

Out for Sport has appointed 11 new trustees, from within grassroots sports, finance, communications, design, training and development. Out for Sport was registered with the charities commission in 2022, having first been established in 1998 with the aim of encouraging more LGBTQ+ people to get involved with sport.. The new trustees include: former Chairperson and Trustee of London Cornish Pilot Gig Club David Callaghan; co-Chair of Out for Sport Matthew Hill; Suzanna Maas, a member of Ishigaki Jujitsu since Sept 21, and co-leader of their Nike-funded project on diversity and inclusion; Onyinye Nkemdirim who has worked with Greenwich Uni, London Sport, and the GLA. She is currently the London Regional Manager at Sported; and Richard Walton, also a trustee of Metro (an LGBTQ+ charity) and who has developed volunteer sports officials and organised national/international LGBTQ+ sporting competitions.

Solace Women’s Aid appoints Nahar Choudhury as permanent CEO

Solace Women’s Aid has appointed Nahar Choudhury as Chief Executive, joining the team from 19 June. Choudhury will bring over 20 years of experience in supporting people to live safe and independent lives and meet their individual needs. She was previously Chief Executive at Hopscotch Women’s Centre in Camden and most recently, Interim Director of Housing at Women’s Pioneer Housing and Director of Operations at Hestia. During her career, she has held multiple senior roles, specialising in operational delivery and has worked across the social care and housing sector (Nacro, Southdown Housing Association, Centrepoint, Sussex Oakleaf Housing Association). She has also been a Trustee of Mitali Housing Association and Chair of MOSAIC Black and Mixed-Parentage Family Group in Brighton.

Jayne Drummond appointed CEO at Home-Start Cymru

Home-Start Cymru recently announced the appointment of Jayne Drummond as its new CEO. Drummond will drive forward Home-Start Cymru’s mission of giving every child in Wales the best start in life, as the organisation heads towards its fifth year. Previously Head of Finance/HR for three years, she brings prior experience from the corporate sector as well as trustee and governor roles.

Peta Wilkinson joins The Air Ambulance Service as CEO

The Air Ambulance Service (TAAS) has appointed Peta Wilkinson as Chief Executive. The charity this year marks the 20^th anniversary of its first lifesaving mission and implements a new five-year strategy. Wilkinson has over 25 years of experience as a CEO and Board member in the healthcare and not-for-profit sectors. She has led a diverse selection of health and social care institutions, including Willen Hospice, Enham Trust, Uttlesford PCT and The Terrence Higgins Trust and has championed change and development in all these organisations. She has also been a Trustee of Sue Ryder.

Central YMCA appoints Andrew Erwich as Director of Business Development & Marketing

Central YMCA welcomed Andrew Erwich as the Director of Business Development & Marketing on 15 May.  Erwich brings a diverse wealth of knowledge to Central YMCA. Over the last decade he has worked extensively across pre-employment and work-based funded learning solutions, notably with QA Ltd in multiple roles. Most recently, he held the position of Director of Employability and Social Impact focusing on strategic development of Apprenticeships and Skills Bootcamps. As Director of Business Development & Marketing, Erwich will form a key part of the Executive team, working toward growing all of the charity’s operations through strategic business development initiatives, robust and intelligent use of analytics, and trusts and grants. He will also strengthen brand awareness of Central YMCA by encouraging better brand narration and driving development strategies that will generate income growth while ensuring alignment of its mission and values. 

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.