Recruitment and fundraising top the agenda at Hampshire charity think tank

Charity leaders from across the South gathered in Winchester recently for the second annual charity think tank hosted by HWB Chartered Accountants and Charisma Charity Recruitment.

The roundtable discussion at the Hotel du Vin included the cost of living crisis, difficulties of fundraising, squeezed local authority budgets, sourcing new income streams, attracting and retaining talented staff and utilising the latest technology.

Charisma MD Adam Stacey chaired the discussion, saying: “Recruitment in the charity sector remains volatile with a severe talent shortage at the moment. We are seeing more fundraisers leaving the sector and going to work in commercial or private settings.

“Also, at senior levels there is less movement than we have previously seen, meaning finding and retaining top talent is trickier and it remains a priority.

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“In the short term we will probably see more charity mergers and acquisitions, as well as collaborations, with people working together to deliver services to the same high standards as in the past.

“However, we have a resilient sector that has stood the test of time and will still be here, committed to delivering the best services that it can within the budgets it has.”

Michaela Johns, director at HWB, added: “Our volatile economic climate and cost of living crisis has made it an extremely difficult period for the South’s charities, particularly in terms of fundraising and identifying new revenue streams.

“Leaders have got to be a bit savvy in the modern world, perhaps utilising AI in writing bids for fundraising and being at the forefront of embracing the best new technology as they strive to constantly find new ways of delivering their services with less.”

Among those taking part in the discussion were Sue McKenna, Trinity Winchester; Andrew Simpson, Winchester Housing Trust; Julie Amies, Energise Me; Richard Corbett, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance; Laura Read, Marwell Wildlife; Sally Arscott, Solent Mind; Deryck Newman, Play to the Crowd; Sandeep Sesodia, Parity Trust; Philippa Spicer, YMCA Fairthorne Manor and Marc Evans, Fishermen’s Mission.

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