Roundtable Gives Charity Bosses Chance To Discuss New Fundraising Rules

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Charity leaders met in Southampton for a roundtable discussion on challenges and opportunities facing third sector organisations.

On the agenda at the annual breakfast time ‘think tank’, co-hosted by HWB Chartered Accountants and banking group Handelsbanken, were the latest revisions to national codes of practice on both fundraising and governance issued during the past year.

Michaela Johns, HWB Director, said:

“Our roundtable was an ideal opportunity for charity representatives to discuss the revised codes and guidance and compare notes on how their compliance and due diligence is going so far. It was really valuable to share ideas and suggestions on how best to navigate the changes to the codes alongside many other issues and opportunities impacting the sector.”

Represented at the event, held at the Harbour Hotel in Ocean Village, were charities involved in areas such as housing, wildlife protection, homelessness and dementia support. Attendees included charity chief executives and chief financial officers.

Guest speaker Kirsteen Hook, Partner and specialist charities solicitor at law firm Trethowans, explained that the revised fundraising framework places increased emphasis on trustees demonstrating active oversight of fundraising and ensuring appropriate governance, risk management and decision-making processes are in place.

Kirsteen said:

“Trustees are expected to keep abreast of changes to relevant fundraising and governance guidance and to consider what, if any, changes are required to their charity’s policies, procedures and practices.”

Kim Christopher, Corporate Account Manager at Handelsbanken, who co-chaired the event, said:

“As a relationship bank we believe there is no substitute for getting together at events like this and working together – not just discussing how to navigate the latest guidance and requirements, but also sharing best practice and learning from each other. We are delighted to continue to support our partners in this area.”

Sally Randall, founder of Abby’s Heroes, a Southampton-based charity that provides practical measures and programmes to help families presented with a childhood cancer diagnosis, said:

“Very rarely do you get a collection of charities together in one place at the same time. It was a safe space and a positive learning experience. Listening to what other charities were saying was enlightening. I really enjoyed the morning. It raised some interesting and relevant points, especially around our trustees’ responsibilities and obligations which have been fed back to them.”

The other attendees were: Laura Read, Marwell Wildlife; Josh Towers, YMCA Fairthorne; Kirsty Dennett and Steve Swift, Rose Road Association; Helen Hamblen, Dementia Support Hampshire and Isle of Wight; Tim Bissett, St John’s Winchester; Mark Ind, Heartbeat; Charlotte Fairall, Sophie’s Legacy; and Sam Fulling, Saints Foundation.

The 93-page fundraising code, which came into operation in November 2025 having been published earlier by the sector’s Fundraising Regulator, features a more ‘principles-based’ approach which places greater emphasis on trustee oversight, judgement, governance and documenting fundraising decisions.

A further 20-page update on trustee duties in relation to fundraising was issued in February 2026 with the regulator and the Charity Commission then going on to provide a ten-page document, ‘Raising money for charity: public guidance’, in June 2026.

The 47-page Charity Governance Code 2025, produced by a cross-sector voluntary steering group, is designed as a practical tool for trustees rather than a regulatory requirement. It covers essential aspects of governance such as roles, responsibilities, legal duties, expectations, ethics, standards, behaviours and processes.

Chartered accountants HWB, based at Chandler’s Ford, near Southampton, provides business and tax advice.

Photo: Charity Support - Presenters at the charity roundtable held at the Harbour Hotel in Ocean Village, Southampton, from left: Michaela Johns, HWB Chartered Accountants; Kirsteen Hook, Trethowans; and Kim Christopher, Handelsbanken.

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Dec 4, 2025
2 min read

The Keyhole Heart Clinic expands to The Park Hospital — led by University of Nottingham graduate and national Entrepreneur of the Year, Dr Inder Birdi.

Patients across the Midlands can now access world-class keyhole heart surgery closer to home, after The Keyhole Heart Clinic officially launched its regional base at The Park Hospital, Nottingham.

The milestone was marked by the successful completion of a minimally invasive aortic valve replacement, carried out by Dr Inder Birdi and the hospital’s cardiac team, the first of many advanced procedures planned for the region.

Learning that one needs open-heart surgery can be a daunting prospect, not least because it traditionally involves splitting the breastbone and a lengthy recovery period.

Dr Inder Birdi and his team at The Keyhole Heart Clinic have spent more than 20 years developing and performing keyhole techniques that avoid this entirely. Instead of opening the chest, surgeons work through small incisions between the ribs, meaning less pain, a lower risk of infection, and recovery measured in days rather than months.

For Dr Birdi, who trained at the University of Nottingham, the launch represents a proud homecoming.

“This moment means a great deal to me personally,” said Dr Birdi. “I began my medical journey here in Nottingham, so to return and introduce these pioneering keyhole techniques with such a skilled local team feels incredibly special.”

Dr Birdi, who was recently named UK Entrepreneur of the Year at Entrepreneurs Circle’s National Entrepreneurs Awards, founded The Keyhole Heart Clinic in London to make advanced, minimally invasive heart surgery more accessible to patients across the UK.

“Scaling excellence means stepping back and letting great teams step forward,” Dr Birdi added. “True growth — in medicine or any field — comes from trust, systems, and shared values that allow excellence to happen everywhere, not just in one place. That begins here in Nottingham but this is just the start.”

Over the next 12 months, the partnership at The Park Hospital will expand to offer the full range of keyhole heart procedures, ensuring patients across the Midlands can benefit from the latest innovations in cardiac care without needing to travel to London.

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Roundtable Gives Charity Bosses Chance To Discuss New Fundraising Rules

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