As the year draws to a close, we asked a few of the ACEVO members to look back and choose a highlight of 2023. Here’s what they said!
Menai Owen-Jones, chief executive, LATCH Welsh Children’s Cancer Charity:
“Leading LATCH Welsh Children’s Cancer Charity team during its special 40th anniversary year. In 2023 we’ve delivered a series of memorable events and activities paying tribute to the vital work of so many volunteers, supporters and others who’ve contributed so much over the past four decades, helping children with cancer and their families in Wales.”
Katie Ghose, chief executive, Kids:
“Having created our new strategy, this year we needed a brand to bring it to life – on the inside and outside of the organisation – by capturing the very essence of Kids from the children, young people and families we are here to support. We followed a brand development process based on sector best practice including research, market analysis, and brand workshops with staff and families. The overriding message from those we support was to focus on what children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities can do, not what they can’t do. The most memorable part of the eight-month process was a collaborative workshop with young people with SEND, who brilliantly critiqued the concepts then helped us craft every single word of the brand story. When it came to developing the visual identity, our partners cleverly incorporated features to allow the child’s voice to come through – like a graphic device made up from children’s artwork to convey individuality and creativity.
I love our new look which distils joy and positivity into a distinctive, refreshed brand full of energy and vibrancy. Last week I visited our residential centre for disabled young people where colleagues were about to paint the walls in our new brand colours! In a year when things seem tougher than ever for children and families with a disabled child, and charities have to meet increased need whilst navigating funding challenges, this has provided a welcome boost to colleagues across the organisation, and we will start 2024 believing that anything is possible! Because when the world says we can’t, kids say we can.“
Peter Leonard, chief executive, The Centre for Emotional Health:
“As an organisation, we have grown significantly this year in terms of business and staff. This has come from an increased sense of confidence in our identity and what we offer. As part of this increased confidence, we rebranded and launched a new podcast which can be listened to here: https://pod.fo/e/204047
We are really keen to get people talking about Emotional Health and we are finding that sharing stories in this way is helping tremendously with that.”
Sue Brown, chief executive, Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance:
“Throughout 2023 we have been carrying out an inquiry into musculoskeletal health inequalities and deprivation. We have received a rich variety of evidence and are currently finalising the report and making plans to spend 2024 promoting the recommendations. We aim to support musculoskeletal services to take action to reduce these inequalities in access to, outcomes and experience of health services as well as highlighting some of the underlying causes of these inequalities. This is the biggest project ARMA has undertaken for many years and we are looking forward to seeing how much impact we can have.”
Nicci Russell, chief executive, Waterwise:
“I’m really proud that, after a year-long trial, Waterwise committed permanently this year to the Four Day Week – 100% of the pay for 80% of the hours. We work very differently now to make it work, and the metrics we measured showed that not only were finances and impact still strong, but wellbeing had gone up even more. We’re all really proud of the 4DW – and it is constantly mentioned as a big draw in our recruitment. I’m particularly proud that as a team we are in the vanguard of social and economic change – and grateful that I have a Board supportive enough to go for it (though the metrics we took to them were super positive, so that was key!).”
Russell Findlay, chief executive, Speakers Trust:
“For me the most special evening was meeting beneficiaries of Speakers Trust who took part in our public speaking programmes up to a decade ago. Hearing from alumni directly about the transformational impact of the programme after so long is the one thing that was missing from our impact story. So many of us have little time to lift our heads from the day job that moments like this are special. I recommend reconnecting with past beneficiaries to any charity CEO where this is possible.”
