CharityComms AGM 2016Welcome: Gail Scott-Spicer, chief executive, Carers Trust and CharityComms vice chair

Agenda

1) Our vision and goals2) Review of activities 2015-163) Approval of annual report and accounts4) Recent and future activity5) Election of trustees6) AOB

Our vision Our vision is for effective and inspiring communications to be at the heart of every charity’s work for a better world. 

Our purpose

We improve the standard of communications and champion its role in the sector. We represent, support, inspire, connect and inform our members and the wider charity communications community. “CharityComms

membership is like a lifeline to me, as one of the flotsam and jetsam of charity communicators floating in a sea of colleagues who don’t really understand the role!”Sue Owen, marketing manager, Mathematics in Education and Industry

Our 10-year goals for the sector

1) Communications will be recognised across the sector as an integral part of the effectiveness of charities

2) Charities will have SMT/senior board representation from communications (ie an equal voice at the top table)

3) More and better resources will be available to help charity communicators improve their skills and the impact of their work

4) The planning and delivery of charities’ communications will take place in the context of an integrated brand and organisational framework

Review of activities 2015-16Vicky Browning, director

“CharityComms provides a really valuable service, sharing best practice, experience and new approaches with a perfect blend of theory and practical take-out, great humour and invaluable honesty. Ideas, tips, gags and warts - what's not to like?”Jack Lundie, director of communications, Oxfam GB

Key achievements 2015-16: financialIncome: £547,005 (2014-15: £434,683)

Expenditure: £470,292 (2014-15: £380,158)

Balance of funds at year end: £183,853 (2014-15: £107,140)

Cash in bank at year end: £372,617

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“If you are serious about communications and want to get ahead you should join CharityComms. Being an organisational member is worth every penny.”Emma Harrison, head of global communications, VSO

Key achievements 2015-16: membership• We now have 525 organisational (whole charity)

members• We have 329 individual members• Corporate partners grew from 67 to 84 • We matched 130 people through

our peer support scheme

“Being organisational members has helped my team develop our confidence, knowledge and influence. Rubbing shoulders with peers in other charities has given the quality of our work a real lift, and boosted our sense of pride in what we do.” David Titmas, communications manager, Carers UK

Key achievements 2015-16: events• We ran 39 events across the year• 2,602 charity communications professionals

attended (23% more than last year)• 97% of event attendees rated our events as

excellent or good (up from 94% last year)

“You can always rely on CharityComms for great value, great content and a feel good environment. Inspiring as ever.”Myra Johnson, director of communications, Together for Short Lives

Key achievements 2015-16: AskCharity1,051 requests for information were sent to AskCharity registered charities

“AskCharity has become one of the most useful PR resources for me in my role at DEBRA. It not only helps us pitch for slots we may not have previously known about, it’s also helped me build up a great media contact list.”Sara McIlroy, marketing and PR officer, DEBRA

Key achievements 2015-16: content• We posted 91 original articles on our website• We supported the publication of Becky Slack’s Effective

media relations for charities: what journalists want and how to deliver it

• We produced five Best Practice Guides and reports: o Crisis communications for charitieso Charity marketing & communications salary survey

2015o Insiders’ guide to social media for charitieso Pick ’n’ mix: a guide to technology choices for

charitieso Business transformation and the role of heads of

digitalo Perfect pitch: linking voice and values, 2nd edition

Key achievements 2015-16: Inspiring Communicator AwardsRecognising inspirational communicators in the charity sector, our second Inspiring Communicator Awards celebrated 12 worthy winners from across the range of communications specialisms

CharityComms is brought to you by…

Our impact on peopleThe mentoring scheme has been fantastic for me. I have implemented new structures for the organisation I work for off the back of the sessions which I now can’t believe we didn’t have!” Sophie Colwell, events and communications manager, Challengers

I met some top communicators at the behaviour change conference and the campaigns discussed were inspiring. I came home all fired up and am now planning my first behaviour change campaign.” Jackie Firth, communications manager, Butterwick Hospice

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Our impact on peopleEveryone knows how stretched a charity’s resources can be. CharityComms enables us to develop members of our team so we are all committed to communication within and without brainstrust with very little cost.”Helen Bulbeck, director, brainstrust

The Stepping into Leadership course has been one of the most helpful things career-wise I’ve ever done. Talking to charity chief execs with comms backgrounds about how they made their mark was really inspiring and helpful. The time spent chatting to peers about the shared issues we all face was also super useful. I couldn’t recommend it more highly.”Michelle Saxby, head of PR and communications, Teenage Cancer Trust

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Motion proposed to approve the annual report and accounts for financial year 2015-16

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Activity for 2016-17 includes:

• Investing in our services to members• Establishing and growing our UK-wide networking groups• Creating and delivering a conference exclusively aimed

at small charities• Reviewing and improving our members’ user experience• Reviewing and improving our digital content • Developing a real-time data dashboard for our Digital

Benchmark • Launching our new freelance directory• Celebrating 10 years of CharityComms!

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Board of trustees

Trustees for 2016-17:

John Grounds (chair)Gail Scott-Spicer (vice chair)Louisa Dallmeyer (treasurer)Lara BurnsKatherine HallDonna HollandSeamus O’FarrellSteve PalmerVictoria ShooterAdeela WarleyJessica AbelscroftHanif Leylabi

Motion proposed to approve the appointment of the trustees

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Any other business?

Thank you for coming!