Ten leaders from charitable organisations across East Anglia attended an inaugural Charity Leaders Forum in Cambridge, hosted by professional recruitment specialists Pure to provide free support on strategic planning.

The event was led by guest speaker Sue Humphrey, a leading strategy development and implementation specialist from Cambridge-based In Tandem Limited. Lynn Morgan, Chief Executive at the Arthur Rank Hospice Charity, also shared practical examples of strategy and planning within the organisation. Held at Pure’s offices in Histon on Wednesday 19 October, this was the first of a series of regular Charity Leaders Forums planned for the future. 

David Culley, Associate Director at Pure, said: “Being the leader of a charitable organisation can sometimes be a lonely existence. There can be limited opportunities for networking with peers and for developing skills which are beneficial to the organisation, especially with funding being focussed directly on the charity’s cause. For the past 13 years we have hosted an annual Charity Finance Forum and have had great feedback from delegates who attend year after year and have created some invaluable professional networks as a result. Following on from the success of these we wanted to provide a similar opportunity for the region’s CEOs and charity leaders to benefit from shared experiences and guest expertise. At Pure we work hard to support the region’s charities, whether its hosting or participating in fundraising events, supporting in recruitment needs or organising events like these to further develop the success of these fantastic organisations.”

The session was free to attend, but donations were requested for the nominated charity of STARS, a children’s bereavement support service based in Cambridge. The event raised over £200 which will fund counselling sessions for local children supported by the charity.

Pure plans to deliver three Charity Leaders Forums each year, with the next event scheduled to take place in February. Those interested in attending should contact David Culley at Pure on 01223 209888.