Mary-Jane Roberts, CEO of Doctors in Distress, reflects on the Charity Commission Chair’s annual speech, exploring the loss of vital organisations, the sector’s role in employment and the importance of recognising the collective impact of charities on society.

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I sit down at my kitchen table on a rustling-leaves-in-wind, nip-in-the-air kind of October Saturday morning to have a look at the Charity Commission Annual Chair’s speech. I wonder if I am old, as I find myself thinking ‘gosh, has it been a year…’.

I hope the speech will have reflection on the charity sector as an employer. Avoidable unemployment is a violation of our responsibilities as a society and our care for individuals. We in the charity sector provide employment with magic ingredients: purpose, connection, and being part of a coalition to improve society. So that is my first hope – that there is advocacy for our role in employment, particularly youth employment, and for greater support for keeping that employment going.

I want analysis of the ‘churn’. There is often a statement of the number of charities opening and closing. What we’ve lacked in previous speeches, possibly because it isn’t understood sufficiently, is the who and the why. It strikes me from the coalface that we have been losing some bastions: deeply rooted and wonderful charities. Some of that is always to be expected, but there is a difference between a charity that closes that was relatively new, or because it was no longer the right thing for the key individuals who drove it; and the shuddering significance when we lose entities that we know serve important audiences. It’s no surprise with my charity history working for young people and mental health, I note here the loss of Papyrus this year. Papyrus helped over 20,000 young people at the point of mental crisis before it closed. It would help all of us keeping going to have the learning and recognition of such losses.

Lastly I would like a big dollop of positive recognition of the coalition of kindness that charities collectively bring. We should work out how to articulate this and form collective understanding of our role in the minds, hearts, lives of British civil society and the public. More than this, we should analyse where this humanity, these functions sit in the chaotic, divisive and isolated social order of today.

I make a cup of coffee in the jazzy bright red mug with a heart shaped handle, which I don’t enjoy as it doesn’t match any other mug and it is awkward to hold a heart shaped handle. But I keep it because my second daughter likes it. I read the speech.

The Report Card: Good! 1/3.

So we did indeed hear of concern for the closure of core foundational organisations. The organisations listed, DSC most recent amongst these, was exactly as we have felt. The analogy used was ‘earthquake’, not too far from my ‘shuddering significance’.

Two themes from Dame Julia Unwin were violence and the Charity Commission being run well. Violence, against workers and against the assets of charities, is indeed terrible and the speech indicated practical ways that regulation and government is changing to help. Mentioning greater charity registrations and concerns about charities, Dame Julia spoke of her resolute defence and delivery of the independence of the Charity

Commission. It is always compelling to hear of something being run well, improvements being made, and grounding of work in law and principle.

There was also emphasis on the charity sector’s place in growth. Steadying society so that other investments can flourish. This might not be an uncanny plea to government, and rings true.

I am looking forward to having a shower and the kind of pottering about that I often love on a weekend morning. My hands are cold. I think about people experiencing homelessness, as I often do when I feel cold. I think the housing crisis keeps people experiencing domestic violence in those homes, and my mind circles back around to young people who are not economically empowered because we are not caring enough about jobs. I think of all the fellow CEOs out there. I believe they, likewise, dedicate their lives to all of these societal concerns. I whisper aloud to them through the ether: thank you.

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