Maintaining independence-dilemmas for Chairs and boards. Members’ speaker supper with Andrew Purkis OBE

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Drinks from 6.30pm to be seated at 6.55pm for dinner.

We are delighted to have as our guest speaker Andrew Purkis OBE. Andrew has wide ranging experience as both a Chair and Chief Executive in the voluntary sector.  He has a reputation for his insightful commentary and independent thinking on charity matters.

Andrew will be exploring charities’ vital role in contributing to public and political awareness and decision making as well as delivering services. He will argue that independence is the essential quality that underpins the charity sector and justifies its existence. He will explore four areas of possible tension that can compromise the role of Chairs and Boards in maintaining independence of thought and action;

1. The board letting staff do the thinking and visioning
2. Being excessively risk averse, not least in relation to the Charity Commission
3. Becoming too dependent on state or other particular funders
4. Losing the capacity for self criticism and self renewal, failing to challenge our own narratives about what we are doing and how we do it.

Andrew has chaired four charities: The Green Alliance, Living Streets, The Empty Homes Agency and ActionAid and is currently deputy chair of the university’s ombudsman’s scheme. He is also a trustee of ActionAid International and ActionAid UK

His previous roles include Assistant Director of NCVO, National Director of CPRE, Secretary of Public Affairs to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Chief Executive of the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund and Chief Executive of the Tropical Health and Education Trust.  He was a board member of the Charity Commission from 2006 – 2010. Andrew has his own blog.

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