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A Glaswegian with over three decades experience in the hospitality industry has taken the top post at Kimpton Blythswood Square and voco Grand Central in Glasgow. Marcello Ventisei has been appointed Cluster General Manager for the iconic properties in the IHG portfolio. The newly created position will see Marcello continue in his current role at voco Grand Central while also taking the reins at the five star Blythswood Square address. After only eight months in his current post at voco Grand Central, the newly expanded remit will see Marcello take overall responsibility for the management of both city centre properties while working alongside the onsite teams to maintain the hotels positions as go to destinations for leisure and business. Glasgow born and bred, Marcello brings a wealth of industry experience having held key leadership roles in prestigious hotels and resorts across the UK since beginning his career at the prestigious Grand Hotel in Brighton. With his roots firmly in the city, Marcello is passionate about building on the heritage and reputation of both properties: “My career in hospitality has taken me to destinations across the globe. I’ve worked and stayed in some of the most beautiful properties in the world but nothing comes close to the charm, character and style of these properties. Made even more special by the fact they both reside in my own city." “While the properties both have their own story and individual offering, they also share so many similarities that I can’t wait to make more of. I’m fortunate to have such a wonderful, established team who will play a key role in delivering and upholding the highest standards of hospitality.”

A giant bundle of joy has been born in Bedfordshire at Whipsnade Zoo. The southern white rhino calf, tipping the scales at 45kgs, was born on March 7, to mum Jaseera and dad Sizzle at the UK’s largest zoo. The baby boy was born after a very quick four-minute labour to 13-year-old Jaseera - who was pregnant for 16 months with the calf. Rhino keeper Mark Holden said: “This is Jaseera’s first baby, and it's been great to see her maternal instinct kick in. Jaseera has been nursing the calf and has been very protective of him. All the signs of a perfect rhino mum.” Within two hours of being born, the tiny rhino started to take his first wobbly steps with Mum close to his side. “Southern white rhinos are born with over-sized, rubbery feet, which they ‘grow into’, so the calf was understandably quite wobbly when he first started to walk. But he’s a fast learner and a week later he is now zooming around, exploring his cosy indoor den.” Mark added that the new calf was extremely precious: “Sadly, these magnificent creatures are still being hunted in the wild. The poached horns are primarily used for traditional medicine in Asia, due to mistaken beliefs that the horns have healing powers. Last year in South Africa alone around 500 white rhinos were killed for their horn, that’s more than one a day.” According to the IUCN, there are 10,000 mature southern white rhinos left in the wild, with numbers continuing to fall. ZSL, the conservation charity behind Whipsnade Zoo, estimates the illegal wildlife trade is worth US$23 billion a year. ZSL is working around the world to stop the illegal trade through pioneering border detection in epicentres of illegal wildlife networks, establishing anti-poaching patrols and working closely with governments around the world. The new calf was born as part of the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP), to help create a genetically diverse and healthy back up population in conservation zoos like Whipsnade. Mark added that dad Sizzle, has been a vital member of the EEP. “Sizzle has had 15 calves at Whipsnade Zoo, and those calves have gone on to produce 37 grandchildren around Europe and he’s also got 13 great grandchildren. He’s an incredible bull.” And the little one, will hopefully follow in his dad’s footsteps. Visitors will be able to visit the calf and Mum in the indoor dens at the White Rhino house, at Whipsnade Zoo. The calf will remain inside for the next two weeks while the pair bond, before the little boy is introduced to the ‘crash’ (a pack of rhinos) later this month. To find out more or to buy tickets, visit here:

Possobilities and The Courtyard Pantry, two north Glasgow based organisations who provide meals in some of Glasgow’s most deprived areas, have received a much-needed boost from the Allied Vehicles Charitable Trust to facilitate their breakfast club projects. The Courtyard Pantry Enterprise relieves financial hardship by providing food security to those who need it most through the operation of a food pantry and community hub. Last year they received a £10,500 donation from the Trust to provide discounted goods, food, and refreshments to the local community. Their breakfast club pilot will run from March until the end of June at their Pantry Hub premises in Wester Common, on weekday mornings. The aim is to provide an opportunity for children and parents to access good quality, nutritious food to help them maintain a balanced diet. Located near both High Park and St Cuthbert's Primary school, the Pantry Hub is in a prime location for parents and children to visit prior to heading to school. The Allied Vehicles Charitable Trust will help to subsidise the Courtyard Pantry’s Breakfast Club with a £3,000 donation. Dale Todd, Managing Director of The Courtyard Pantry Enterprise, said “We are delighted to have Allied Vehicles Charitable Trust support our Pre School Breakfast Club. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and we want to ensure that all children and their parents/guardians who live in and around Wester Common start their day on a full stomach.” Possobilities, who have run local breakfast clubs in the past, will re-start the club in their Denmark Street building, serving local school children and their families a hot breakfast. The Trust has pledged a sum of £10,000 to get the club back up and running and provide accessible transport to school. Melanie Fyfe, Manager at Possobilities, expressed the organisation’s gratitude for the funding, saying, “A massive thank you to Allied Vehicles Charitable Trust for their generous donation and ongoing support to Possobilities. With this will be able to run a free healthy Breakfast club 5 days per week and provide transport to the local school in a fully accessible minibus." “This is a major boost for us, the local community and local schools. The Trust’s support is invaluable to Possobilites, and to the wider community and we look forward to our continued work in the future.” David Facenna, Director of Corporate Culture at Allied Vehicles Group added, “The food offered by Possobilities and The Courtyard Pantry will, in many cases, be the only meal that families eat together, and a lot of the children in this area would not eat before school without access to these services." "Allied Vehicles Group is a family business, and a local business with our roots in Possilpark, and we’re delighted to support these brilliant, family-focused, local initiatives.”

Sheffield Hallam University has welcomed the first cohort of business leaders from Barnsley and Rotherham to the government-funded Help to Grow: Management programme. The group of 22 senior leaders from 21 different small and medium-sized businesses started the 12-week course this week, with the first session held at Wortley Hall. Help to Grow: Management is designed for local business owners and senior leaders who are keen to grow their organisation. It is accredited by the Small Business Charter and 90 per cent subsidised by the government. The University’s Sheffield Business School has supported the delivery of the course to 180 participants since it launched in September 2021. One of those taking part is Becky Senior is Client Experience Manager at Folio Albums in Barnsley. She said: “I am on this course to gain new knowledge and experience in business and management that I can help to grow the company I work for. I’d like to gain more confidence in my position and I think working with people in similar situations from other businesses.” Another member of the latest cohort, Amy Moore, Project Manager, Prima Industries Ltd. based in Rotherham added: “I signed up for Help to Grow as I have not previously had any formal management training, and I hope the programme will give me a well-rounded introduction to all the areas the course covers. As part of a growing ecommerce business, I am particularly interested in how we can use digital technology to simplify our processes and improve productivity.” Professor Conor Moss, Dean of Sheffield Business School at Sheffield Hallam University, said: “We’re delighted to be supporting senior leaders from Barnsley and Rotherham SMEs to further develop their ideas, their people and their businesses. We have delivered this leadership programme to over 180 participants across Sheffield and Doncaster, so it is great to be able to extend this to reach all areas of South Yorkshire. “We have seen the impact the Help to Grow: Management course has had on SMEs in building resilience within their businesses and in driving growth.”

Art enthusiasts across Cumbria have the chance to meet a renowned contemporary British artist and find out more about her work. Former Windermere school pupil Kitty North will be at Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa on the afternoon of Wednesday 27 March 2024 to talk about ‘Buildings in the Landscape’, her latest exhibition which is on display at the hotel. The ‘meet the artist’ event from 2:30pm to 5pm has been organised in partnership with British art specialists Gavagan Art. It will allow budding artists and keen collectors alike the opportunity to chat with Kitty about her paintings and the inspiration behind them. The gallery display at Low Wood Bay features some of Kitty North’s most prominent works, including Moonlit Night, her painting of Levens Hall and The Old Rectory, once home to the English poet John Betjeman. A former ‘artist in residence’ at Levens Hall, Kitty has been the driving force behind a number of prominent art projects across Britain, including commissions at Bolton Abbey and Chatsworth House. English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues executive chairman Simon Berry says: “Kitty’s exhibition here is bringing her paintings to a wider audience. This event is taking that idea a step further to allow art enthusiasts to talk to her informally about her experience as a leading colourist and what continues to inspire her in her paintings.”

Poppy PR is celebrating after being appointed to propel the UK’s largest supplier of pneumatic tube systems into its next growth chapter. Nottinghamshire-based Aerocom (UK) Ltd has officially engaged the Castle Donington public relations firm after a trial campaign to promote an innovative fire suppression device proved to be ‘red hot’. Having built its reputation through the supply and installation of advanced pneumatic tube systems, Aerocom (UK) has since entered other markets, including fire suppression and automated guided vehicles (AGVs). Tom Hughes, managing director of Aerocom (UK), initially signed the Poppy PR team up to raise awareness of the Fire Stixx Advanced PRO, which can automatically extinguish electrical and lithium battery fires in seconds. The national campaign hit the media and generated dozens of enquiries for Aerocom (UK). Tom has made no secret of how impressed he has been by the agency’s 'blazing' success in recent weeks. He said: “I’d seen the difference that good PR can make for other brands, and I knew that I wanted to work with another local business on this project." "When I saw that Poppy-PR was based in Castle Donington, close to where I live and not far from where Aerocom (UK) Ltd is located in Beeston, it felt like the perfect match.” Aerocom (UK) Ltd is a long-established British market leader in pneumatic air tube systems, having supplied for many years to most of the NHS’s largest hospitals, as well as private hospitals, commercial, logistics and industrial operations. Tom said: “Although I’ve only been working with Poppy PR for just over a month now, I’m already getting lots of enquiries from new clients who have seen our story online, including from fire chiefs and housing associations." “It’s already opened doors for my business that were previously closed due to a lack of PR presence. In terms of fire suppression alone, this campaign has really helped to shine a spotlight on this potentially life-saving device.” Poppy PR, which won the Best Creative and Media Agency category at the Business Masters Awards in October, is run by Tina Clough alongside business partner Phil Stubbs. Tina said: “We’re proof that you don’t have to pay London prices to get big results, and more and more often, we are finding that business owners want to shop local and receive a more personalised service that’s closer to home." "We still have a raft of clients who have used us for seven or eight years now, and we put this down to the fact that we are really personable and we like to make the 'dark art of PR' more transparent." “The number of enquiries we are receiving from prospective clients has increased massively since we won the Business Masters award, which shows just what good PR can do for a business!”

An entrepreneur from Brighton is among the winners of a £6.2M* award from Innovate UK, the UK’s Innovation Agency. Mark Blake, Co-Founder and Director of Joyfully Different, a non-profit business support community and learning hub for neurodivergent entrepreneurs. Blake is one of 233 high potential entrepreneurs from every nation and region of the UK to receive funding and tailored business support. The prestigious award will support Mark to grow his innovative business idea, which aims to support neurodivergent entrepreneurs to start and grow their own businesses. Studies suggest that people with ADHD are six times more likely to start their own businesses and 20-40% of business owners are dyslexic. Only 22% of autistic adults are in any kind of employment in the UK and yet the UK’s Autism Strategy does not include any mention of self-employment. As an autistic entrepreneur with ADHD and dyslexia, Mark Blake is determined to change things for neurodivergent founders. Mark is among the 233 high-potential innovators awarded a £5,000 grant and £10,000 contribution to living allowances. Critically, they will also receive 12 months of tailored business support to help them grow, stimulating the UK’s economy. Joyfully Different’s idea of a neurodivergent-friendly business accelerator aims to support a cohort of 12 aspiring neurodivergent entrepreneurs to gain the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to launch their own businesses in 2024. Blake, who runs Joyfully Different alongside co-founder Alice Reeves, said: “It’s the honour of my life to work on a project that is the first of its kind with such incredible people. The project is going to reach so many people who have been ignored by mainstream business support and give them the chance to build a business that can help unlock their authenticity and have economic independence. It feels humbling and amazing to be chosen for such a prestigious award.” Building on the success of Innovate UK’s targeted programmes, like Women in Innovation and Young Innovators, this latest funding is designed to find and support the fresh innovation talent the UK needs. In line with the UK’s growing appetite for innovation, this new award programme was among the most highly engaged funding competitions Innovate UK has ever delivered - with over 2,100 entrepreneurs applying for funding and business mentorship. There is an urgent need to transform the UK’s skills and talent pipeline, through inspiring and connecting people to new opportunities and pathways into innovation. Innovate UK estimates that, to achieve the UK’s full economic potential, 400,000 more innovators need to be supported, from entrepreneurs to engineers. Coinciding with the Awards announcement, Innovate UK has joined forces with over 150 partner organisations to launch its free and accessible No Limits digital platform, which makes it easy for aspiring innovators to discover new career paths, sharpen their skills and access opportunities to develop life-changing innovations and future-proof the UK economy.

Leading glass packaging company, Croxsons, has announced the appointment of Lindsay Martin as the latest addition to its business development team. Lindsay brings an abundance of knowledge and expertise to her new role. Having initially worked in the hospitality sector where she studied for her WSET 1 and 2 programmes (Wine & Spirit Education Trust), she has since spent the last 5 years in the packaging industry, focusing on food and drink categories and a variety of primary packaging types. In her new role at Croxsons, Lindsay aims to foster strong, personal relationships with clients, assisting them across all aspects of their closures needs, from standard options to fully bespoke closures. She will also scrutinise the entire supply chain process to ensure Croxsons delivers efficient, cost-effective and high-quality solutions, covering logistics, warehousing, manufacturing and product development. Lindsay's choice to join Croxsons was influenced by the company's family-oriented culture and its strong commitment to sustainability. She looks forward to contributing to brand development for clients through tailor-made solutions and being an integral part of Croxsons' continued success. Commenting on her appointment, Tim Croxson, Croxsons' CEO, said: "We are thrilled to welcome Lindsay into the Croxsons family." "She comes to us with a wealth of packaging industry experience and is very relationship-led, which fits our team perfectly. We are confident that her contributions will be pivotal in creating added value for our customers.” For more information about Croxsons, visit https://www.croxsons.com/ .

British Airways is embarking on a multi-million-pound investment programme to overhaul its ground support equipment at Heathrow Airport, as part of its commitment to reducing emissions both in the air and on the ground. The airline will gradually be replacing its ground vehicles at Heathrow, such as vans and cars, cargo transporters and passenger steps, moving towards hybrid or electric alternatives where available. Already, more than 90% of British Airways’ vehicles and ground equipment at Heathrow are either zero emissions electrical equipment when being used or driven, (hybrids) or are operating on hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel. Improvements include: Replacing more than 750 pieces of ground equipment, including fuel bowsers from fossil fuel to HVO. HVO is an interim measure whilst the airline gradually transitions to zero-emissions (when being used or driven) or hybrid equipment. Supplied by the airline’s current sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) supplier, Phillips 66, the use of HVO is anticipated to save more than 6,000 tonnes of CO2 per year compared to traditional diesel fuel, the equivalent of more than 8,000 round-trip economy passenger journeys between London Heathrow and JFK. Replacing all diesel passenger aircraft steps with electric alternatives. This aims to reduce fuel consumption by more than 370 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year, based on previous diesel usage, which is the equivalent of more than 500 round-trip economy passenger journeys between London Heathrow and JFK. Many of the electric steps will be in full service by the end of the year. Phasing out its fleet of 20 diesel-powered vehicles which support the loading and unloading of cargo containers onto aircraft, replacing them with Hybrid Electric models. Introducing 135 new electric baggage tugs, accounting for 40% of our tugs, to transport customer's luggage. This improved battery and charging technology utilises highly efficient lithium-ion battery technology, requiring less energy and producing 30% less C02 when in use compared to traditional lead acid batteries. We are working closely with our supply chain in order to recycle as many battery components as possible at the end of life. Gradually phasing out all 38 diesel passenger buses over the next two years, with 23 expected to be fully electric and the remaining 15 operating on HVO fuel, with a large charging park at Heathrow now in the early stages of development. The use of these vehicles is expected to save 800 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year, helping to reduce negative air quality impacts around the Heathrow area. Tom Moran, British Airways’ Director of Heathrow, said: “At British Airways, we are committed to reaching net zero emissions by 2050 or sooner and our focus isn’t just about reducing emissions in the air, but on the ground too. This major investment into our vehicles at Heathrow is our largest investment in more sustainable airport ground operations to date and is part of our wider environmental objective to minimise emissions from our airside ground operation." "We’re proud of the work we are doing in this space and are excited to continue improving the running of our ground operations at Heathrow.” Carrie Harris, British Airways’ Director of Sustainability said: “I am incredibly proud of this project, which has been driven by our Heathrow ground operations teams and encapsulates our BA Better World ethos of raising awareness of our strategy to all of our colleagues, and inspiring them to play a part in minimising our environmental impact where possible." "Their energy, enthusiasm and innovative approach in bringing the project to life shows what can be achieved and this investment demonstrates our ongoing commitment to making improvements across our business that will benefit both our customers and colleagues." These improvements form part of British Airways’ £7 billion investment in transformation across many aspects of its business over the next three years. They also build on previous ground improvements made by the airline, including the introduction of electric and hybrid cars for driving airside-based colleagues around the airside roadways, using remote-controlled pushback vehicles, called Mototoks, for short-haul aircraft and ensuring aircraft plug into electricity at Heathrow when on stand to help power the lights and air conditioning.

Sainsbury’s becomes the largest supermarket to launch a dedicated ‘Best of British’ page on its groceries website, in a move to better champion and profile British grown and produced products with its millions of online customers. Thanks to the new page spotlighting over 450 100% British-sourced grocery products – including popular produce, meat, dairy, eggs and chilled essentials - customers can now find and buy locally produced products even more easily and better support local producers and growers. Customers can also choose from a range of recipes using British products to inspire mealtimes such as a British Beef Wellington and a Big British Salad. Sainsbury’s already helps customers shopping in its stores to identify British sourced products through labelling and packaging and has permanent signage in over 1,000 of its larger supermarkets. Sainsbury’s works with over 15,000 British farmers sourcing £2bn worth of produce every year. The retailer has made a series of investments to help them, including a significant £72m of support in the last couple of years alone. Last year the retailer also announced that it would be making an annual investment into its Dairy Development Group to support dairy farms in the future. Simon Roberts, Chief Executive Officer at Sainsbury’s, said: “Many of our customers want to support British suppliers and make more conscious choices when doing their food shop, and our new Buy British webpage helps them to do just that through a curation of over 450 quality, 100% locally sourced products." “We recognise the pressures that British farmers are facing and the importance of supporting them to maintain a resilient UK food system for the long term. Our relationships with farmers and suppliers are incredibly important to us and we remain committed to sourcing British as much as we can, now and in the future.” Dr Luke Evans MP said: “This is another huge step forward for my ‘Buy British’ button campaign! With Sainsbury’s launching a ‘Buy British’ section online they become the latest supermarket to support homegrown produce." “Sainsbury’s have taken a further step forward by placing signposting to buy homegrown produce on the homepage and in other sections on the website such as those dedicated to dairy, fruit and vegetables." “Farmers always tell me the best thing we can do to support them is to buy local, homegrown produce and the new ‘Best of British’ section on Sainsbury’s website makes it even easier for shoppers to support our farmers and cut down on unnecessary food miles." “It’s great to see Sainsbury’s, Aldi and Morrisons all leading the way on the ‘Buy British’ button, I look forward to seeing other supermarkets follow their lead.” NFU President Tom Bradshaw said: “It’s fantastic to see supermarkets getting behind Dr Luke Evans campaign and I’m delighted that Sainsbury’s is also backing British farmers by adding a British section online in order to signpost shoppers to home-grown produce." “Our own independent research shows the public want to buy more British food from retailers and we have been championing this issue for some time. The addition of the British section online by Sainsbury’s will help customers support British farmers.” Customers will see a varying selection of products on the page which is dependent on the seasonal availability and ranging in their local store.

A new chapter is being marked in the 200-year-old history of a popular Leamington watering hole, as work gets under way on its major transformation into a new-look Italian restaurant. The first glimpse of the new design for Tavola has been unveiled - inspired by Italian surrealist painters of the 1920's - as the doors close on the current café in Clarendon Street this week. It comes exactly one year after 44 Café, Bar & Bistro was taken over by entrepreneur Rob Singleton, supported by Gavin Leach, both from Leamington, and marks the boldest change yet for this familiar corner of the town. Rob said: “The building is so bright and airy with the roof lantern and full-length windows. We love the quirky layout that comes from organic changes over the history of the pub." “The rebranding is a natural extension of the refurbishment. Bar 44 has history that we are proud of but it doesn't capture what we do now. When we took over last year it seemed natural to put up a sign saying 44 as that is what the locals know this building as. For the last year we have been trading as 44, but as much as we love 44 the way it is, the long term plan was always to refurbish when we had established ourselves and built a good team.” Heading up that team is a familiar face to regulars, Luke Hampson, who stayed on as front of house manager and mixologist after several years in the business’s more recent history. Central to the restaurant’s new culinary identity though is executive chef hailing from Tuscany, Martin Serafino. From his kitchen he looks forward to showcasing his passion for authentic Italian cooking through his new menu, the secret to which, he says, is a combination of ‘tradition and innovation' and says: “The Tavola ethos is all about using the very best quality Italian products, sourced from Northern Italy, and for me that's just a joy." “I'm very excited for this new menu. I want to encourage people to try something they never tried before. I love to express myself through food so there will be some experimenting. But my main goal is to share the beauty of my own country as well as celebrating how every country has different traditions and different ways to cook.” Martin’s own cooking influences also include time working in kitchens in New York and London. But it was only after a health condition forced him to abandon his aspiring career as a professional footballer in Tuscany, that he instead decided to pursue his second passion for cooking. He said: “When I developed gastroenteritis, I changed my diet completely but, unfortunately, after two years, I had to stop playing at a high level. I was trying to eat healthier so started eliminating all processed food and eating vegetables from our own garden as well as educating myself about healthy eating. This helped create my passion for food and cooking and I started to dedicate myself instead to food. I got very involved in what I was eating, how I was making the food and where it was coming from.” Martin will also be serving up what he believes to be a first for Leamington - his signature Schiacciata sandwich range – a special pressed focaccia that promises a ‘light and fluffy explosion of flavours.’ As the doors closing on 44, signal the end of one chapter, they also herald in the start of a new exciting one for this Leamington business, in May. Rob said: “We chose the name Tavola, which translates from Italian as ‘a table you would dine at,’ as it perfectly encapsulates the way our guests have been utilising our restaurant. The focus is on the table, not only the food and drink on it but the people around it." “We look forward to unveiling the vibrant and fresh new look which befits this quirky building and complements the imaginative new menu as we start this new chapter of the story of this little corner of Leamington Spa.” Credit photos to Harrison Charles Design

Charity leaders from across the south gathered in Winchester for the second annual Charity Think Tank hosted by HWB Chartered Accountants and Charisma Charity Recruitment. The breakfast time event at the Hotel du Vin featured a round table discussion on the challenges and opportunities currently facing the charity sector. These included the cost of living crisis, difficulties of fundraising, squeezed local authority budgets, sourcing new income streams, attracting and retaining talented staff and utilising the latest technology. Adam Stacey, Managing Director of Charisma Charity Recruitment, chaired the discussion, which involved charity leaders from a variety of central south-based organisations. Represented were charities involved in mental health, housing, seafaring, life-saving, loans for older people, wildlife, homelessness, active lives, the arts and education. The event gave attendees an occasion at which to find out what other charities were doing, share concerns and challenges, bounce ideas, discover different perspectives, expand their network and take away specific action items to be implemented in their own organisations. Michaela said: “Following the success of last year’s Think Tank, held in Southampton, we wanted to repeat the process by gathering a varied group of leaders and decision-makers in a forum setting to discuss and share the challenges – and successes – of our charities in 2024." “We have again partnered with Charisma to put something back into the community we both serve. Charity leaders are constantly busy and this event gives them a chance to pause and talk to their counterparts, compare notes and take away good ideas to explore." “Our volatile economic climate and cost of living crisis has made it an extremely difficult period for the south’s charities, particularly in terms of fundraising and identifying new revenue streams." “Leaders have got to be a bit savvy in the modern world, perhaps utilising AI in writing bids for fundraising and being at the forefront of embracing the best new technology as they strive to constantly find new ways of delivering their services with less.” Long-established Charisma Charity Recruitment, a nationwide search firm based in Winchester, works with charity, education and not-for-profit organisations. Managing Director Adam Stacey said: “An event like today is an opportunity to get shared learning, peer-to-peer engagement and collaboration and it is a privilege for the two host organisations to facilitate this type of meeting." “Recruitment in the charity sector remains volatile with a severe talent shortage at the moment. We are seeing more fundraisers leaving the sector and going to work in commercial or private settings. Also, at senior levels there is less movement than we have previously seen, meaning finding and retaining top talent is trickier and it remains a priority." “In the short term we will probably see more charity mergers and acquisitions, as well as collaborations, with people working together to deliver services to the same high standards as in the past." “However, we have a resilient sector that has stood the test of time and will still be here, committed to delivering the best services that it can within the budgets it has.”