From bold opinions to behind‑the‑scenes leadership insights, 2025 has been a year rich with perspective and personal journeys. You explored thought‑provoking commentary, honest leadership diaries, inspiring career paths, and candid Q&As. Here’s a look back at the pieces you returned to again and again.
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Opinion pieces

1. Béatrice Butsana-Sita: Building a strategy for an uncertain world
Amid escalating global and domestic crises, British Red Cross CEO Béatrice Butsana-Sita outlines a renewed strategy to strengthen preparedness, resilience and humanitarian impact for the next 150 years.

2. Jack Maycock & Dan Lawes: Why the charity sector can’t afford to ignore Gen Z’s newest voters
By engaging the UK’s newest voters, charities can breathe fresh life into campaigns, culture, and causes — and build a generation that believes in change, as Jack Maycock, associate strategy director at Shape History and Dan Lawes, co-CEO at My Life, My Say, explains.

3. Jan Sheldon: The power of optimism
Dr Jan Sheldon, CEO of St Martins in Norwich explains that since charities are doing more than ever with less, and still delivering impact, now is the time to harness the collective strength, rethink old models, and champion the value they bring to society.

4. Rosie Tressler: What I learnt during my transition from charity CEO to motherhood
As I prepared for maternity leave, I now realise I was attempting to be the CEO of motherhood – an unrealistic approach involving spreadsheets and a baby business plan!

5. Eleanor Smith: It’s time to retire the myth of the perfect volunteer
Chasing an idealised version of the flawless, ever-available volunteer risks overlooking the real people who give their time. If we want lasting, inclusive volunteer programmes, we must trade perfection for partnership — and meet our volunteers as they are.

Leadership diaries
1. Leadership diaries: "We must be fast off the mark to hit the news agenda"
On the road from COP29 to China, World Animal Protection’s new CEO reflects on the fast-paced diplomacy, media pressure and global collaboration needed to push humane, sustainable food systems onto the world stage.

2. Leadership Diaries: “A critical moment to make sure UNICEF UK has the funding we need to deliver change for children”
Mohini Raichura-Brown, chief partnerships officer at UNICEF UK, tells us about her visit from London to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City where she met with current and prospective partners to help generate more impact and income for UNICEF’s life-saving work and to advocate at the highest level for a better future for every child.

3. Leadership diaries: "It’s important that we retain our founding values as the charity continues to grow"
Lucy Jackson, CEO of Spread a Smile details a week in her life

4. Leadership diaries: “Until I became a CEO, finance wasn’t on my radar”
For the CEO of Coach Core Foundation, no two days are the same. From 6am runs and trustee coffees to podcast recordings and parliamentary check-ins, his week is varied, as Gary Laybourne explains.

5. Leadership diaries: "This isn't a diary of tasks; it's a fast-paced journey"
Lee Hemmings, CEO of Fight for Peace, diarises what leadership means for him.

Career Path

1. Career Path: How Tracey Hallam went from a childminder to working in a cancer charity
From nursery nurse to head of corporate partnerships, Tracey Hallam’s career has been shaped by resilience, self-motivation, and a deep personal connection to her work.

2. Career Path: From Outreach to CEO
From street outreach to sector-wide advocacy, Alexia Murphy shares the path that led her to the top of Depaul UK.

3. Career Path: How Chris Burghes went from the Royal Free to Blue Cross
Chris Burghes, chief executive of Blue Cross answers some questions on how he got to where he is today

4. Career Path: From strategy to support
Lisa Johnstone, senior services manager at Advance, shares how her career in social care led to a role where strategic leadership meets life-changing support for women and girls.

5. Career Path: An unconventional journey
Inspired by her daughter and driven by purpose, Sharon Smith’s journey to the Down’s Syndrome Association is anything but conventional.


Q&As

1. Q&A: “I've found it an incredibly fulfilling and compelling world to work in”
Amanda Tincknell, CEO of the Cranfield Trust which supports small charities, has announced her retirement after 25 years at the helm. Here, she reflects on her role

2. Q&A: The new fundraising code
In conjunction with the launch of the new Fundraising Regulator’s draft code, deputy editor Melissa Moody sat down with Paul Winyard, head of policy at the Fundraising Regulator to discuss the changes.

3. Q&A: How the Berkeley Foundation and Mayor's Fund for London built a lasting partnership
Clare Maddison, Interim Head of the Berkeley Foundation and Jim Minton CEO of the Mayor's Fund for London, share lessons from a unique partnership that's been running for eight years and counting.

4. Q&A: Lessons from a young CEO
From trusting your instincts to building the right support network, leadership is a journey, not a destination, explains Ryan McKiernan, managing director of Fat Macy's.

5. Q&A: How Royal Voluntary Service is making it easier for people to say ‘YES’ to volunteering
In this Q&A, Fiona Longhurst, Chief Knowledge Officer of Royal Voluntary Service, explains how this approach could build on the existing work being done across the sector to recruit volunteers. Not by replacing human touch, but by adding to it – helping create a steady pipeline of volunteers and making opportunities more visible, flexible and accessible.

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