The CharityComms AGM 2015 reviewed its activities, approved financial reports, and set future goals focused on enhancing communications within charities. Key achievements included growth in membership and events, alongside significant financial gains from the previous year. Plans for 2015-16 emphasize improving member services and addressing the needs of small charities while expanding communications' role at leadership levels.

1. CharityComms AGM 2015
Welcome: Vicky Browning, director

2. Agenda
1) Review of activities 2014-15
2) Approval of annual report
and accounts
3) Recent and future activity
4) Election of trustees
5) AOB

3. 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.

4. 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) The top 500 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

5. Key achievements 2014-15:
financial
Income: £434,683 (2013-14: £356,660)
Expenditure: £380,158 (2013-14: £329,146)
Balance of funds at year end: £107,140 (2013-14: £52,615)
Cash in bank at year end: £246,914

6. Key achievements 2014-15:
membership
• We now have 506 organisational (whole charity)
members, and a renewal rate of 95%
• We have 298 individual members
• Corporate partners grew from 49 to 67
• We matched 82 people through our peer
support scheme
“For me, being a member of CharityComms is as
vital as having a mobile phone – and cheaper!”
Fiona Furman, media manager, Toybox

7. Key achievements 2014-15:
events
• We ran 39 events across the year
• 2,111 charity communications professionals attended
• 94% of event attendees rated our events as excellent or good (up from
88% last year)
“Informative, inspiring, reassuring – a really great
event and a positive response to helping us meet
one of the most common sector challenges we
face.”
Lisa Day, head of marketing and communications planning,
Diabetes UK

8. Key achievements 2014-15:
AskCharity
1,210 requests for information were sent to AskCharity registered charities
“The AskCharity answer service is one of a
kind. Within minutes of each request I have
received responses from helpful PR teams who
have provided inspiring, unique and
informative case studies. By working together
we have helped to promote and raise
awareness for many, many different causes.”
Shannon Kyle, freelance journalist

9. Key achievements 2014-15:
content
• We posted 94 original articles on our website
• We produced five Best Practice Guides and reports:
o Working with agencies: how to be a smart client
o HQ and beyond: communicating effectively
with groups, branches and regions
o Team talk: analysis of charity communications
team structures
o Marketing and communications salary survey
o One voice: a Best Practice Guide to integrated
communications

10. Key achievements 2014-15:
Inspiring Communicator Awards
Recognising inspirational communicators in the charity
sector, our second Inspiring Communicator Awards
celebrated
11 worthy winners from across the range of communications
specialisms

11. Here’s who makes the magic happen

13. Our impact on people
Being a member of CharityComms
makes me feel less alone in my role. It
has helped me communicate with our
network better and, as a result, is
increasing my organisation’s impact.”
Kat Lloyd, project and communications officer,
Population and Sustainability Network
Through my CharityComms mentor, I
have been able to present people at my
charity with evidence about the
importance of digital. By doing this, we
are able to make sure we are there for
vulnerable children and young people
across all channels.”
Shaf Mansour, head of digital content and
communities, Barnardo’s
CharityComms’ conferences are
opportunities to take time out of your
daily routine to look at things from a
different perspective and identify steps
you can take to make things just that bit
better.”
Ruth Richards, head of communications and
marketing, Mind
Some great feedback from candidates in
our recruitment process: when asked
how they inspire themselves and
network, the answer has consistently
been CharityComms events.”
Vicki Hearn, senior content planning manager,
Save the Children
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14. Motion proposed to approve the
annual report and accounts for
financial year 2014-15
© aemde/Flickr
Motion proposed by: Matt
Collins, managing director,
Platypus Digital
Seconded by: Kirsty Marrins,
content and community
manager, JustGiving
The motion was carried
unanimously

15. Activity for 2015-16 includes:
• Updating our CRM system to ensure we continue to deliver a high level
of service to members
• Investigating ways to web-stream events to members
• Developing a ‘stepping into comms leadership’ programme
• Creating a freelance directory linked to individual membership
• Investigating the comms needs of small charities and reviewing our
offer to this section of our community
• Expanding the scope and reach of our Digital Benchmark
• Exploring opportunities for raising the profile of comms with CEOs and
trustees
• Lots more great content and events: www.charitycomms.org.uk

16. Understanding Charities Group
CharityComms is playing a leading role in the Understanding Charities
Group, a cross-sector coalition aiming to increase the public’s
understanding of how modern charities work while maintaining levels of
trust, confidence and support
Email vicky@charitycomms.org.uk to get email updates on our progress

17. Board of trustees
Thanks and farewell:
Carolan Davidge
Peter Gilheany
Keith Bradbrook

18. Board of trustees
Trustees for 2015-16:
John Grounds (chair)
Gail Scott-Spicer (vice chair)
Louisa Dallmeyer (treasurer)
Lara Burns
Katherine Hall
Donna Holland
Seamus O’Farrell
Steve Palmer
Victoria Shooter
Adeela Warley

19. Motion proposed to approve
the appointment of the trustees
© aemde/Flickr
Motion proposed by: Sarah
Johnson, director of policy and
communications, Juvenile
Diabetes Research Foundation
(JDRF)
Seconded by: Jacqueline
Grogan, communications
officer, Disability Federation of
Ireland
The motion was carried
unanimously

20. Any other business?

21. Thank you for coming!