National Emergencies Trust appoints four new trustees

Charity also awards Honorary Trustee role to the late Elizabeth Balgobin

The National Emergencies Trust has announced the appointment of four new trustees who will help to drive forward its UK disaster preparedness work, as well as research, advocacy and action projects with emergency survivors. The appointments include:

• Ruth Davison - Global Director of Impact at The Conduit, former CEO of Refuge (April 2021-September 2023) and former Interim CEO of Comic Relief (November 2019-March 2021)
• Jes Ladva - Managing Partner at Odgers Berndtson Group - Odgers Interim and Odgers Connect, and former CEO of iPeople Group
• Martin Smith - Chair of Cosegic, TopSource Worldwide, Independence Governance Group and AuditComply; Patron of the military charity Team Endeavour; and former CEO of Alcumus, Managing Director of Croner and Commercial Director of BSI British Standards.
• Baroness Fiona Twycross - Member of the House of Lords and formerly Deputy Mayor for Fire and Resilience (2016-May 2024), London Chair of the London Resilience Forum (2016-May 2024) and Chair of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (2016-2018)

Further changes to the governance of the National Emergencies Trust include the departure of Jhumar Johnson and Louise Wilson at the end of their tenures; as well as Ashley Head who joined the Trust in 2019 and held a variety of roles, including on its Financial Audit and Risk Committee, Fundraising and Communications Committees during its £100 million Coronavirus Appeal.

Furthermore, former trustee, Elizabeth Balgobin, who passed away in March this year, has been named an Honorary Trustee in recognition of her contribution to the formation of the National Emergencies Trust. In particular for her roles in driving forward its Equity Scrutiny Group, EDI Strategy and Appeal Evaluation Framework.

John Barradell, Chair of the National Emergencies Trust, said: “Our new trustees bring with them welcome experience and networks at a time when the charity is doubling down on making a difference to future disaster survivors. Ahead of our next appeal, we’re strengthening support for local emergencies, building new partnerships and relationships to enhance our response to national disasters, and collaborating with a growing community of disaster survivors to bring about vital policy and process changes today to benefit future survivors.”

He continued: “These ambitious plans are only possible because of the strong foundations that have been established in our first four years as a charity. I would like to express my sincere thanks to our former trustees for their invaluable counsel and contributions.“

Mhairi Sharp, CEO of the National Emergencies Trust, said: “Asking ourselves, ‘what would Elizabeth do?’ is already one of the ways we try to make equitable decisions at the Trust. So, awarding the role of ‘Honorary Trustee’ to Elizabeth is a way we can recognise this formally and fully embed it into our practices. Most importantly, it means Elizabeth will continue to have a positive influence on our decision-making in every appeal to come.”

Approaching its fifth anniversary as a charity in November this year, the National Emergencies Trust has quickly established itself as the trusted place to give during UK emergencies. It’s Coronavirus Appeal raised nearly £100 million for those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, and an independent evaluation of the Appeal by Nottingham Trent University suggested its UK-wide “Network of Giving” comprising thousands of grassroots and national charities enabled the Appeal to touch an estimated 13 million lives.

Ahead of the next national emergency, the Trust is working closely with disaster survivors to improve the UK’s future response. Its Bee The Difference project with young survivors of the 2017 Manchester Arena terror attack was supported by the charity’s Royal Patron, HRH Prince William, The Prince of Wales. Meanwhile, an upcoming research project with Lancaster University is exploring the support available to those affected by flooding across the UK.