News

Hello everyone, I hope that you’re all well.

 

I wanted to provide a brief update on a number of matters across the charity so that you’re all up to speed.

 

1. Strategic Plan and priorities.  Now that we have a new Chair of Trustees and will be recruiting additional members of the Board, I have been asked to revisit our current strategic priorities and provide clarity on strategic KPIs and objectives across all departments.  To enable the team and I to do this we are engaging an external consultant who will facilitate a number of workshops over the coming weeks so that we are able to present a new strategic plan to Trustees in early 2026.
2. Caroline and Karen (HR) will be leading a piece of work over the coming week alongside the strategy review process, to ensure that our current values are fit for purpose and support our ambitious plans.
3. Growth is central to this new plan, particularly across our non-clinical service delivery and we will be appointing a new Director position to help to lead that growth going forward.
4. My role will become much more strategic and driving progress against our new strategic plan and therefore the board have supported the creation of a new role, a Deputy CEO position.  Following a competitive process I am delighted to share with you all that Caroline Taylor has been appointed and officially takes that position from today, the 1^st Caroline will retain all of her current responsibilities, we will provide some backfilling support to free her up a day or so a week to focus on the developmental side of her new role.
5. The new offices in the hospice are almost completed.  Thank you everyone for putting up with the noise and inconvenience caused when having building works carried out.  I’m sure it has been very frustrating, but it is very much coming to an end this week.
6. As you all know The Little Things has been one of the most innovative and empowering projects that we have been part of over recent years.  Its ability to reach all over the world and put children hospice work directly into people’s living rooms is so special and unique.  To recognise all that Paul Woodward has achieved and contributed to Derian House I have personally asked him to become a Patron of the charity, which he has accepted.  Paul joins Kiki Deville as our 2^nd
7. As engagement with our families is central to everything that we do, we are developing a Family Experience Strategy which will outline clearly our commitment across the whole organisation of how we put families at the heart of everything that we do.  I’m hoping to share this with everyone very soon.

 

As always, my door ( or doors now that I have 2 spaces J) is always open, feel free to let me know what’s happening in your area of the charity.

 

Thanks everyone

 

Kind regards,   Karen   Karen D Edwards OBE, CMgr Chief Executive Officer CQC Nominated Individual & SIRO