Law firm amplifies charity voices through podcast

A Lincolnshire and Yorkshire law firm is helping charities share expertise and best practice.

Wilkin Chapman Rollits has launched a series of podcasts featuring chief officers and trustees from the region’s charity sector. 

The initiative is led by the firm’s specialist charity lawyers, Gerry Morrison and Harriet Wheeldon, who kicked off the series with Andy Barber, a sector veteran with more than 20 years’ experience.

Gerry said: “Usually when someone becomes a trustee it’s because they bring certain expertise. 

“Andy is a very well-known charity chief executive. 

“He’s also a trustee of a number of charities, and in the podcast he talks to us about what makes a good and effective charity leader.”

The podcasts, timed to coincide with Trustees Week in early November, will also feature guests including Olly Burdett, trustee of The Tigers Trust, as well as Lisa Dawson, director of Run With It, with further leaders lined up later in the year.

Gerry added: “Olly used to be an employee at the Tigers Trust, so it’s interesting that he has made the transition to trustee. 

“We spoke about that and about how he brings his marketing and comms expertise into the role.

“As one of the younger charity trustees, Olly also talks about what motivated him to take on the role. 

“It shows that these positions can be taken up by younger people and be a very good learning experience for them.

“Lisa Dawson founded Run With It, a charity which comes from the idea of engaging children with learning in alternative settings to the classroom, such as a football stadium or an airport. 

“It opens their eyes to different career options.”

The full episodes will be available on YouTube, with short clips shared on social media. 

Gerry added: “There are a lot of legal podcasts out there but often it tends to be just the lawyers talking. 

“It makes it much more interesting if people can hear from other charity trustees and learn from their experiences, so we have brought in really interesting guests who have done some great work and can inspire and help other charity leaders.

“I have been a charity lawyer for more than 20 years and during that time I have developed some good working relationships with trustees and chief executives, so I thought why not add their experience to my legal expertise? 

“We want to put the legal advice in the context of someone from a charity who has lived it.”

The firm is also hosting two Trustees Week events at its Hull office on November 4 and November 6 to explore effective charity governance, using its platform to promote insight, guidance, and discussion across the sector.

To find out more, see here.

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