Campaigning for social change: The role of trustees

On 14 July 2014, NPC and the Clothworkers’ Company held a seminar on the benefits and risks of charity campaigning and the role of a trustee board.

This paper highlights the main discussion points of the day, summarising advice from our speakers and drawing on the broad experience of those in attendance.

The seminar was chaired by Rob Abercrombie, Director of Research & Consulting at NPC. The panellists focused on the following themes:

  • Sara Llewellin (Chief Executive, Barrow Cadbury Trust) explained how charity campaigning can improve society at a structural level, and the role played by trustees.
  • Stephen Lloyd* (Senior Counsel, Chairman BWB ventures, Charity & Social Enterprise Department, Bates Wells Braithwaite) outlined the regulatory guidance on charity campaigning activities—what the legal risks are and how trustees should seek to manage them.
  • Philippa Lowe (Chair of the Communications and Campaigns Committee, Rethink Mental Illness) gave a personal account of her involvement in the Time to Change campaign.
  • Catherine Howarth (Chief Executive, ShareAction and trustee of Green Alliance) defined four important factors in running an effective campaign and how trustees can support this.

For more on charity campaigning, download our paper Closing in on change which offers guidance on how to measure the effectiveness of your campaigns.

*Stephen Lloyd very sadly passed away in August 2014. He was much admired and a great friend to NPC; we have tried to give a faithful recording of his contribution in this paper.

 

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