Ministers told “The UK and Shaw Trust saved my life.”

8 November
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Following the announcement of a £240 million Government package to ‘get people working’, Ministers chose to visit our new WorkWell programme to find out more about the service.

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This video shows government officials speaking with participants of the Workwell program inside an office building. The officials are discussing WorkWell’s goals and how it can help people find and keep jobs. Participants are seen listening attentively and asking questions.

Video Description: BBC news presenter introduces the story. Video goes to inside the room where the Ministers sit around a table with Shaw Trust colleagues, participants and partners. Participant Christopher Thorpe tells his story and Liz Kendall also gives a comment.

Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and Liz Kendall, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, met colleagues and partners at a GP practice on Wednesday 6 November. As well as private discussions, the visit was also captured on camera with a piece featuring on BBC London evening news and in the Metro:

Domestic abuse survivor speaks about overcoming PTSD with help of her work coach | UK News | Metro News

Four participants joined the discussions and were able to give their own personal insights as to the impact the programme is having.

Kathy Acham, Jason Kargbo and Christopher Thorpe have all been supported by WorkWell (or previously IPS in Primary Care) in their job search and retention journeys. Today, Christopher admitted he would be lost without Shaw Trust.

Sandra Odufaderin, participant, didn’t leave a dry eye in the room when she courageously opened up about her history with domestic abuse before telling everyone that “the UK and Shaw Trust saved my life.”

Group photo of visit including: Front seated: Sarah Morgan, Chief People Officer at North Central London ICB; Abegail Joseph-Spencer, Employment Specialist and participants Sandra and Christopher. Back right standing: Siobhan Scantlebury, Head of Employment Services, Islington Council Standing middle to right, Shaw Trust's Anthony Dandrea, Liz Kendall, Wes Streeting and Shaw Trust's David Harper. Standing middle to left, Shaw Trust's Mica Lawrence and Dr. Renu Hans, Clinical Director N2PCN & GP Partner Junction Medical Practice.

“Sandra called Abegail, Employment Specialist, her angel who saved her life”

2.8 million people in the UK are out of work due to long-term sickness, making us the only G7 country with higher economic inactivity now compared to before the pandemic.

WorkWell bridges the gap between health care, benefits and finding work. It makes sure that people with health conditions have ‘one front door’ to access the support they need to find and keep the right job. Commissioned by the North Central London Integrated Care Board (ICB), WorkWell went live in North London at the beginning of October. We also deliver this programme in West London.

To learn more about WorkWell, visit: WorkWell – North Central London – Shaw Trust

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Christine Swabey
Trustee

Christine joined Shaw Trust in March 2024. Previously, she has operated at a senior level in the commercial, public and third sectors, notably in education, health and social care. She is passionate about the role of the Board in upholding values and supporting strategic ambition to enhance impact for all users.

Christine is currently Chair of St. George’s University of London, a specialist healthcare university based in South West London. She has led discussions on a merger with City University, which when implemented, will create the UK’s most comprehensive educator of the healthcare workforce. She has been a Board member of a number of NHS and charitable organisations, providing care to those experiencing poor health, mental and physical, and those living with disability. She was Chief Executive of Autistica, the UK’s leading research charity dedicated to improving lives of people with autism. That experience underscored her belief in the strategic importance of research in driving change.

In the schools sector, Christine is an experienced school governor and recently chaired the Independent Schools Inspectorate. She has first-hand experience of safeguarding from both a regulatory and provider perspective, including residential care settings.

She is genuinely excited about contributing to the Shaw Trust Mission to enable everyone to fulfil their potential through access to purposeful and life affirming employment.

Greg Allen
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Greg is an experienced CEO, chair, and Trustee/non-executive director. He has also been a Professor of Practice (Leadership) at the University of Exeter Business School since 2020. He is passionate about improving the lives of people of all ages and supporting the development of young people in their work and employment.

With a career spanning over 30 years, his board roles have covered the commercial (plc), public, third sectors and consultancy, with over 20 years working across health and care. Most recently, he has been Interim CEO of Blind Veterans UK, following four years as CEO of Future Care Capital. Both are health and care charities with long and rich histories.

He joined Shaw Trust as a Trustee in early 2024, following previous Trustee roles at Hospiscare in Devon and the national charity Arthritis Action. Other previous executive roles include CEO of the government’s national Centre for Workforce Intelligence, senior civil servant at the Department of Health, a national director of Nuffield Health and private banker at Coutts & Co. In his early career, he qualified as a teacher and served in the UK and abroad as an Officer in the British Army.

He is a keen road cyclist and Francophone/Francophile.

James Stewart OBE
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James became a Trustee in 2021 after a 30 year career spanning the public and private sectors. He started in the banking sector, led Partnerships UK and Infrastructure UK, and then spent ten years at KPMG finishing as a Vice Chair and member of the UK Board.

Much of James’ career has been spent in the pursuit of improving public services and he has been involved in the development of many of the leading UK infrastructure projects and programmes including Crossrail and HS2. James believes that skills are a key enabler to the regeneration and growth of the UK economy and helping young people to have the opportunity to acquire skills and have the best chance of employment is his motivation for joining Shaw Trust. He is attracted by the Shaw Trust operating model and believes that social enterprises can have a greater role in delivering public services in the future.

Steve Shaw
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Steve is passionate about using his extensive HR Leadership experience to make a positive difference to the lives of others. Throughout a career spent at the helm of global matrix organisations devising and implementing expansive change initiatives, Steve has utilised extensive HR experience to deliver substantial revenue, growth, and organisational development.

Steve has represented HR in Board positions for more 15 years, most recently as Chief HR Officer for the Apogee Corporation, leading on HR, real-estate, and environmental strategies.

Steve brings experience of working within the charity sector, having in the past managed and held leadership roles within National Citizens Advice Bureau for 6 years and performed non-executive director roles for Presentation Housing Association for four years, with a focus on the vulnerable and disadvantaged. Steve believes that the seamless blend and contribution of paid employees and volunteers providing valued and sought-after services can bring unique challenges to the workplace along with passion and devotion to the delivery of quality. This generates a unique culture, with people that have insights, motivation and experiences that utilised well, make an incredible difference to society. Steve believes in the importance of rigour and best use of available funds to maximise an organisation’s ability to facilitate this. Steve’s expertise in organisational consolidation following acquisitions, business transformation, continuous improvement and career pathing for employees will all support the delivery of Shaw Trust’s Vision 2030: Strategic Directive.

Stephen Pegge
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Stephen is a career banker and has also been a board director of several institutions with a public interest including the National Centre for Work Experience, the Institute of Small Business Affairs and is a former chair of a charity founded by HRH the Prince of Wales supporting older people into economic activity.

He is part of the senior executive team of UK Finance, the leading financial trade association and leads on commercial finance, sustainability, dispute resolution and international trade. He chairs an advisory group for the UK government on creative industries and is part of a minister led boards on business finance and promoting female and black and ethnic minority entrepreneurship. Stephen is a director of the UK Business Angels Association, the trade association dedicated to promoting angel investing and supporting early-stage investment in the UK. He is also a director of the Business Banking Resolution Service, a voluntary ombudsman scheme for larger SMEs.

Stephen believes Shaw Trust makes a vital contribution and has an even bigger potential role to play in employability, education and support for people to realise their potential whatever their backgrounds over the next few years. He is looking forward to playing his part in supporting it and our clients and hopes his experience and connections can be useful to colleagues and the wider network involved in this vital work.

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Kalm is an investment banker working in the Financial Institutions Advisory Team at NatWest Markets. There he advises executive management teams to execute strategic and corporate finance decisions for sustainable growth.

He began his career with Rothschild & Co in the Global Financial Advisory division before joining The Social Investment Consultancy where he advised charities, social enterprises, corporates and investment funds on revenue diversification, social business models and impact evaluation.

As an advocate for Social Mobility, Financial Inclusion and Disability Rights, Kalm has been working in the field of accessibility since 2013, delivering projects from DFID, the Commonwealth Youth Council and National Lottery Community Fund.

He is a graduate of the University of Oxford, Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts and a member of the Worshipful Company of International Bankers. He is also trustee of the Turn2Us and Switchback, a former school governor, and a junior adviser to Chatham House.

Lara Oyesanya
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Lara joined Shaw Trust in April 2021. Lara is a trustee of Plan International UK and a co-opted Member, Committee on Benefactions, External and Legal Affairs, the University of Cambridge advising the Vice-Chancellor.

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Lara is a solicitor and general counsel in the financial services – digital payments sector, currently General Counsel and Chief Risk Officer at Contis, a contributing editor, LexisNexis Encyclopaedia of Banking Law, and a Consulting Editorial board member LexisPSL©. She is a Fellow of The RSA and ‘Business Woman of the Year’, 2018 FL National Awards. Ranked in The Lawyer Hot 100 2021 and the 50 Must-Follow Black Female Leaders 2020. Formerly, legal director at Klarna, senior legal counsel at Barclays and BAE Systems, a divisional counsel at RAC, a legal director at HBOS, and Group Head of Legal at Lex Autolease. She is a law graduate (LL.B Hons) from the University of Lagos with an LL.M in Comparative Company Law.

Mike Nussbaum
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Mike joined Shaw Trust in February 2016. Mike sits on the boards of RNIB, Guide Dogs, Vision UK, the Equality and Diversity Forum and supports numerous other charitable organisations.

Mike’s passion for social justice started young when he was involved in a wide range of social action programmes including chairing national youth organisations. Now, following more than 50 years of public service, Mike brings his blind lived experience to Shaw Trust. An active and committed volunteer Mike previously sat on the boards of RNIB, Vision UK, and the Equality and Diversity Forum. Mike is still an active member of the board for Guide Dogs and continues to support numerous other charitable organisations.

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Annamarie Hassall MBE
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Annemarie was appointed to the Board as a trustee in autumn 2019. An expert in her field, she was appointed MBE for services to children and families in 2011.

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Audrey joins as a Trustee in June 2021. Shaw Trust’s inspiring vision for a future where good, rewarding and dignified employment is accessible to all and the values of the Trust were the primary attractions for wanting to be a Trustee at the organisation.

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Paul Baldwin
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After two decades working in the banking and finance industry, in 2009 Paul decided he would rather spend his time working on the causes that he is passionate about.

Since then he has pursued a portfolio career working with a select number of charitable organisations across a range of different sectors. His most significant areas of interest include, disability, education and skills, conservation and the environment, and animal protection, including as chair of Battersea Dogs & Cats Home. Paul first became aware of Shaw Trust while he was Chair of the Disabled Living Foundation (DLF) and was looking for a suitable merger partner to secure DLF’s long-term future. An immediate meeting of minds led to a successful merger in 2014, and Paul joined the Shaw Trust board in 2016. Other than working as a charity trustee, Paul is happiest when in the mountains: hiking, ultra-running, skiing, or teaching adaptive snow sports to people with a range of different disabilities.

Olly Benzecry
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Olly became our Chair of Trustees in February 2023. He is passionate about helping those with disadvantages to achieve their potential in employment.

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Chris joined the Trust in May 2019, after a distinguished career in the armed forces.

Chris had not planned to move into the voluntary sector, however, his life experiences, personal values and strong sense of purpose made him the perfect fit to lead Shaw Trust. Ensuring those we support are at the heart of everything we do, Chris has implemented a new organisational structure, reviewed our strategic direction and championed new initiatives, including the Shaw Trust Foundation and Shaw Trust Policy Institute supporting and advocating for social mobility through opportunity.

To find out more about Chris follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.