The Fundraising Team

In fundraising, experience counts.

Our Team members have over 300 years of experience in fundraising and fundraising management between them. This means we are very familiar with the opportunities and challenges that you face. It also means that our Team members can draw on each other's considerable experience if they need to. Where relevant, we carry out assignments on a team basis, drawing together the specialist knowledge and experience required to achieve a successful outcome for our clients.

Our Team includes nationally recognised experts in their fields. You will be hard pressed to find this depth of experience anywhere else.

Simon George BSc (Hons), FInstF (Cert)

Simon is the Director of Wootton George Consulting. He has worked in the voluntary sector since 1987 and as a consultant since 1996, while in 1999 he was the founder of the Institute of Fundraising's Trusts and Statutory Special Interest Group.

He has achieved the Certificate in Fundraising Management and in 2010 was elected a Fellow of the Institute of Fundraising.

His special interests include strategic planning for fundraising, as well as legacy campaigning and charitable trust fundraising. He carries out a wide range of assignments in these fields for our clients.

Simon has written numerous articles on fundraising in the charity media and is a regular conference speaker. He currently writes a blog on UK Fundraising, as well as a specialist legacy column (see http://wgconsulting.blogspot.com/ to follow this).

In his spare time, he is a member of Rising Brook Baptist Church and a charity trustee. He is a keen gardener and walker.

Maxine Barlow BA (Hons) MInstF

Maxine has worked in the voluntary sector since 1989, originally with Apex Trust and then Rathbone Community Industry, specialising in Trust and Corporate fundraising. She then worked for Imperial Cancer Research Fund for 6 years, developing national campaigns and was one of the team which set up the hugely successful Race for Life event in the UK. She is a long-standing member of the Institute of Fundraising and has a special interest in medical and social welfare causes.

Claire Greenhalgh MA (Hons) MInstF (Cert)

A former Director of Fundraising in an international development charity, Claire Greenhalgh has been in fundraising since 1998, working with a range of voluntary sector organisations, developing fundraising strategies and business plans and devising and implementing major projects and programmes of work. She specialises in developing strategies and in funding from trusts, government funders, the National Lottery and the EU and also has experience of managing direct marketing programmes. Claire has worked in the arts, children's welfare, international development and work with older people. She is a PRINCE2 Practitioner and has also completed the NEBS Management Course.

Michael Wootton F.C.A.

Michael is a Chartered Accountant with considerable experience of business planning and financial management in both the business and the not-for-profit sectors. He regularly presents courses and seminars on financial management, concentrating on the needs of charities. Courses include Business Planning, The Duties and Responsibilities of Trustees and Monitoring and Evaluation. Michael enjoys conducting feasibility studies and helping clients to develop business plans. He was previously a Trustee and Treasurer of the Digbeth Trust.

Jeremy Sparkes BSc (Hons) MInstF (Cert)

Jeremy is a Management Science graduate from one of Europe's leading business schools. He worked in marketing and business management for 15 years, before joining the not-for-profit sector in 1997. Prior to this, he was a volunteer for seven years with the Princes Youth Business Trust. His expertise lies in working with major donors and charitable trusts, as well as in health funding, specialising particularly in Section 64 applications. In recent years, he has advised organisations in the fields of youth, medical and social welfare causes. He currently serves as Secretary of the Institute of Fundraising in Wales.

Andrew Devon MInstF

Andrew has been a fundraiser since 1993 and was a Director of Fundraising in his last employed role. He has worked as a consultant since 2002 and is regional chair of the Institute of Fundraising in the South East. He has assisted charities in the fields of housing and homelessness, addiction, HIV/AIDS, mental health and learning disability, regeneration and end of life care. His areas of expertise include charitable trusts, statutory funding and corporate support.

Monica Hartwell BA (Hons) MInstF

After a first career with the Bank of England, Monica took a degree in Social Policy at York University before joining the voluntary sector in 1987. She has worked for Age Concern, the Muscular Dystrophy Group (now Muscular Dystrophy Campaign), Winged Fellowship Trust (now Vitalise). Most recently, she was Director of Contact the Elderly. Monica's strengths are the development, growth and management of not-for-profit organisations, including 'hands-on' fundraising experience in the fields of charitable trusts, lottery applications and statutory bids.

Ian Catley MInstF

Ian has been a full time fundraiser since 1992 and is our corporate specialist. Before this, he spent a long career in public relations, sales, marketing and events management. Although Ian has recently led a regional Capital fundraising appeal, his long-term fundraising role was with Macmillan Cancer Relief (now Macmillan Cancer Support) heading a consistently successful corporate fundraising team working with many of Britain's biggest companies. Ian's other area of expertise is in public relations, where he has regularly achieved success in raising business and voluntary sector clients' media profiles.

Helen Dart

Helen is a voluntary sector specialist of 25 year's standing, including 15 year's experience as a charity Chief Executive. She has been a non-Exec Director of a Health Authority and still advises the NHS Appointments Board. She has chaired a Local Strategic Partnership and is a trustee of three charities. Helen's considerable skills and experience are at a strategic level. She has a special interest in governance issues, as well as trouble-shooting and helping organisations to negotiate change. She is especially well placed to mentor new Chief Executives and also undertakes fundraising assignments. Helen is fully PTLLS qualified.

Ros Taylor BA (Hons) MInstF

Ros began fundraising in 1990 with Help the Aged and subsequently held positions at the RNIB, Brain and Spine Foundation, the Foundation of Nursing Studies and Reading Single Homeless Project. Since 2002, she has worked as a consultant, primarily in the fields of social welfare and disability. She has particular experience of fundraising from charitable trusts, the National Lottery, EU funding and corporate support, as well as many years' experience of fundraising start-up, managing teams and supporting strategic change within organisations.

Veronica Martin BA, MSc, MInstF

Veronica spent fifteen years in advertising before joining the voluntary sector in 1999. Since then she has developed expertise in three aspects of fundraising, covering trusts and foundations, major gifts and special events, (the latter ranging from the London Marathon to charity balls and reception dinners). She has worked for charities in a wide range of fields, including Clubs for Young People, Brain and Spine Foundation, Drake Music, Motor Neurone Disease Association, Prolific Foundation, Art of Community and the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust. Veronica is a Certificated Member of the Institute of Fundraising, and has recently achieved an MSc in Charity Fundraising and Marketing. In her spare time, she is also a trustee of the BME children's charity, Generating Genius.

David G. Poppitt MSc MinstF

Following a career in Medical Research, David was appointed Appeals Director at Manchester's Christie Hospital in 1989. He took a one-man operation to a team of 15 in six years and to an annual £3million income. In 1995 he became Director of Development at his old School, Bolton School where, concentrating on alumni relations and the development of local business partnerships, he set up a bursary scheme. He is the author of "The School Fundraiser" and now concentrates on income generation consultancy to the health and education sectors.

Sally McIver BA (Hons), Dip (IDM), MInstF (Cert)

Sally spent 11 years as Head of Communications at street children's charity Toybox, where she managed the fundraising and communications team and took a lead in the growth and diversification of the charity's income. This followed a first career in public relations. Her special interests include individual giving, major donors and new media fundraising. As well as children's charities, she also has an interest in Christian organisations. In addition to a law degree, Sally holds both the Certificate in Fundraising Management and the IDM Diploma in Direct and Interactive Marketing.

Andrew Ball BA (Hons)

Andrew has been working in fundraising since 1995, specialising in major bids and securing funds for humanitarian work in developing countries. He is a highly experienced practitioner advising on and developing complex bids for major projects, as well as guiding and mentoring charities through the major bid process.

Andrew has worked for a range of agencies including Save the Children, Amnesty International and Action Aid, where he was a Programme Funding Manager. As well as securing large grants, Andrew has also delivered lectures in strategic fundraising at Liverpool and Manchester Universities. He is a longstanding member of the British Overseas Network for International Development (BOND).

Lorna Maher BA (hons) MInstF

Lorna Maher started her fundraising career in 1997 at the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. Since then, she has worked for a number of the UK's leading arts organisations including the Tate, The Photographers' Gallery and most recently the Victoria & Albert Museum where she was Head of Grants.

Lorna specialises in fundraising from trusts and foundations, the National Lottery (including the Heritage Lottery Fund) and other grant giving bodies. She is an Associate Member of the Institute of Fundraising.

Caz Hore-Ruthven BSc (hons)

Caz is a highly experienced fundraiser, who has worked with charities of all sizes since 1994. She is a specialist in raising money from the National Lottery, grant-making trusts and statutory sector, with a long and proven track record.

Her main fields of interest are the environment, animal charities and disability and past clients include the Blue Cross, the Soil Association, Friends of the Earth, Guide Dogs, Sign and the RSPCA.

Caz is a former BBC local radio broadcaster, freelance feature writer, professional mediator for the Disability Conciliation Service and Chair of Bristol Friends of the Earth Trust.

Jackie Howorth BA (Hons) MInsF (Cert)

Jackie completed a business degree in Birmingham and worked in Switzerland, Dublin, Oxford and London before starting her fundraising career with the British Red Cross in Sussex in 1999. Since then, she has held fundraising posts at Birmingham St Mary's Hospice, Help the Aged and as Director of Worcestershire Community Foundation.

She specialises in strategic planning, trusts and foundations and database fundraising.

Cate Birch BA (Hons)

Cate began her career in fundraising in 1997, securing an internship with the Media Trust. She then moved to leading youth homelessness charity Centrepoint to specialise in fundraising from charitable trusts and livery companies.

Since then, she has developed extensive experience in trusts fundraising; providing bid writing, research, strategy advice and interim management to a wide range of charities and arts venues across the UK.

This has included the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Central School of Ballet, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and the Anglo-Sikh Heritage Trail. Cate is also experienced in mentoring new trust fundraisers.

Clare Vermaak BA (Hons)

Clare graduated from Durham University in 2000, after which she spent 18 months working in South Africa. She began her fundraising career in 2003, firstly at Oasis Trust and more recently at Christian Aid. Having spent four years focusing on trusts and foundations, Clare spent her last two years at Christian Aid pioneering a 'new philanthropy' programme, working with the wealth management industry. She has a special interest in overseas causes.

Bill Giles FInstF (Cert)

Bill is a fundraiser with over 18 years experience of frontline fundraising, much of it in senior management roles. His expertise lies in the areas of corporate fundraising, trust and statutory and strategic planning. Bill is a past Chair of the Institute of Fundraising's London region and was one of the first fundraisers in the country to be awarded the Certificate in Fundraising Management. In 2008 he was elected a Fellow of the Institute. Prior to starting his fundraising career Bill held many senior management positions in a 25 year career in Sales and Marketing.