Forum 2009 – The Big Volunteer Debate
Alan Eagle
Abbey Charitable Trust
Alan’s training and experience as an actor has led to teaching, working in the voluntary sector as a development worker in a volunteer centre, working as a community team leader for Social Services and for the last ten years he has been managing Abbey Charitable Trust. The Trust receives over 10,000 applications a year and this year will donate £3.25 million through around 1,400 grants.
He chairs the Association for Charitable Foundation’s issue based network on business trusts and is on the CABx’s Financial Skills for Life steering group.
Victoria Harris
CEO, Article 25
Dr Victoria Harris set up Article 25 in June 2005 (then known as Architects for Aid). “She should probably be running the country” said Ed Vaizey, the Shadow Culture Secretary, on his website in 2007, http://edvaizey.mpblogs.com/2007/02/26/great-architecture/. Victoria has a BSc in astrophysics and PhD in nuclear physics from Imperial College London and co-authored 70 published collaboration papers on the physics of proton electron collisions. Victoria then worked for 5 years in investment banking and two further years in banking consultancy, in the areas of derivatives and securitisation. Victoria worked on projects as diverse as football gate-receipt receivables financing to structuring bonds backed by aircraft leases. Then seeking a career change into the not for profit sector, Victoria began (though did not finish this time) a second PhD (in experimental psychology) at Cambridge University. She worked at the Autism Research Centre and was based in the university’s Department of Psychiatry. During this time she also undertook professional experience in psychology, working in some more hostile environments including conflict zones. This influenced her interest in and move to full time into development work and post disaster reconstruction, and ultimately to setting up Article 25 with the founding Trustees. Victoria is currently a visiting academic supervising a PhD in disaster relief in the department of Architecture at Queens University Belfast. Victoria is the full-time chief executive of the charity. Ed Vaizey has yet to persuade Gordon to step aside.
Helen Walker
CEO, TimeBank
Helen joined TimeBank as Chief Executive in July 2008 from her role as Director of Fundraising at SSAFA (Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association) Forces Help. She had worked at SSAFA for six years, during which time the charity’s fundraising increased substantially.
TimeBank celebrates its tenth anniversary in 2010 with that in mind Helen decided that the organisation’s mission, vision and values needed re-defining. She worked closely with the board of trustees and management team to clarify these and provide a clear direction in preparation for entering its second decade. TimeBank has recruited 7 new trustees to help shape and develop its new vision two of whom are under the age of 25 to ensure that the views and experiences of young people are integrated into all areas of TimeBank’s work.
Brought up on the Isle of Man Helen now lives in East London. She studied for a degree and M.Phil at the London School of Economics before joining the School of Oriental and African Studies as Briefing Officer, organising Cross-cultural communication courses for people being posted overseas.
