“During a downturn it is imperative that the charity remains strategic in its focus…”
Managing in a Downturn, PricewaterhouseCoopers, November 2008
I am delighted to announce that Pilotlight is coming to Wales.
In 2008, Pilotlight undertook a feasibility study into the need for and viability of a Pilotlight service in Wales. The result was overwhelmingly positive. Now, as with our charities in London and Scotland, the downturn has caused Welsh charities’ need for effective strategic support to be all the greater. We have already had emails from Welsh charities anticipating our arrival and asking for support.
Our dilemma at the end of last year was whether we could expand to meet this need during a recession. By December we could see that Pilotlight in London and Scotland were bucking trends and continuing to sign up and keep senior business members on board. We also had enquiries about membership in Wales. For this we have to thank our members who are more determined than ever to share their skills. All we needed was the start up funds.
We now have the funding to go ahead. Thanks to Big Lottery and The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation we will be signing up our first members before the summer and working with our first five charities before December. Once we hit 20 Pilotlighters and five charities, we will build to a local staff of three, with a local advisory board representing Wales on the Pilotlight Trustee Board.
If you would like to contact me about our plans, please feel free to do so on [email protected] or 020 7242 1899.
Fiona Halton
Chief Executive