Charity Mash-Up 2025

Our Charity Mash-Up, sponsored by charity I.T. providers Qlic, features a packed programme of inspiring speakers, informative presentations, useful workshops and a marketplace full of funders and third sector specialists. PLUS a delicious lunch and networking opportunities! (View a video of a previous event here.)

Our event features:

Keynote speech

Paul Latham, Director for Policy and Communication at the Charity Commission

Introduction to our State of the Sector research

Professor Amelia Hadfield, Director, CIFAL Surrey. Co-Director of the Institute for Sustainability. Associate Vice-President for External Engagement. Founding Director, Centre for Britain and Europe, University of Surrey

Workshops

Our 40 minute taster sessions include:

• 10 top tips to freshen up your social media marketing for 2026

An interactive workshop, tailored to small/medium charities and not-for profits, with clear practical next steps for you and your organisation

Delivered by Daniel Chidley, Business Surrey

Daniel is an experienced business coach, mentor and director level communications, PR & marketing consultant with 20 years of experience in business. As a Chartered Marketer with the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Daniel has experience in-house, agency and consultancy with experience across a range of industries. In recent years, Daniel has worked with hundreds of SMEs and high growth businesses as a business coach and is accredited with the Association for Coaching.

• Mergers and Collaborations

With many charities facing funding pressures alongside an increased demand for services, this workshop will look at collaboration in the sector and mergers as a potential way to make the most effective use of resources. In particular, we will look at the circumstances in which charities should be considering a merger or collaboration, discuss what steps are involved in each and provide some practical tips on how to prepare.

Delivered by George Shepherd, Senior Associate at Moore Barlow.

George is a charity law and property specialist at Moore Barlow. He advises charities of all shapes and sizes on charity law, governance and restructuring, as well as a full range of advice on property matters. In recent years he has become increasingly involved in charity mergers and collaborations, offering strategic advice to trustees and other charity leaders. George is personally ranked by legal directories Legal 500 and Chambers, and often speaks at sector events. He has particular specialisms in the faith, healthcare and education sectors.

• Advancing Inclusion – AI-Assisted Media Access

At the Surrey Institute for People-Centred AI, part of the University of Surrey, we have a doctoral centre that is exploring how we improve everybody’s access to digital media. We all use digital media, for news, entertainment, and education. Increasingly, we find ourselves using media for access to critical services such as finance and healthcare, yet a double-digit percentage of the population struggles with the way that media is made available. Our aim is to use AI to create adaptive media that adjusts to people’s needs and preferences, whether meeting an accessibility need, or simply preferring to consume media in a certain way. This talk will explore some of our early successes and show how the third sector can get involved.

Delivered by Dr Andrew Rogoyski, Surrey Institute for People-Centred Artificial Intelligence

Andrew is Innovation Director for the University of Surrey’s Institute for People-Centred AI, part of the University of Surrey, building collaborations to deliver the Institute’s AI vision, leveraging the team’s 35+ years of leading research in AI. Andrew started at the Rutherford-Appleton Lab as a postdoctoral fellow before spending 30 years in tech industry including Logica, QinetiQ and Roke Manor, before returning to academia. Andrew’s domain experience includes government (Cabinet Office), space, finance and creative sectors. Andrew is a passionate advocate of developing AI that benefits people and society, with a focus on creative and education sectors.

• Find Funding in Tough Times

This workshop looks at the fundraising outlook, stuff that really works and lots of ways to find new funders, including Charity Excellence tips & tricks and those used by the professionals.

Delivered by Ian McLintock, Charity Excellence

A volunteer for 45 years, Ian has worked at senior level for 30, including various chair and CEO appointments. He’s the founder of Charity Excellence, which has 50,000+ members, and is the largest and also fastest growing UK charity community.

• Stronger Communities Together (eventually)- Somerset's journey through local government reorganisation from a VCFSE perspective

A workshop that explores the challenges, pitfalls and opportunities presented when local government moves to a unitary structure - and how the community sector came out the other side.

Delivered by Val Bishop, CEO - Community Council for Somerset

Val Bishop has been Chief Executive of the Community Council for Somerset (CCS) for 3 years, one of the largest charities in Somerset, which works with vulnerable individuals, families and the wider community to build resilience, tackle poverty and create a Somerset where everyone can thrive. She has worked in the VCFSE sector for 25 years, and prior to joining CCS, she was Programmes Director at Somerset Community Foundation for 5 years. She is passionate about community voice, celebrating the diversity of the VCFSE sector and building its role as a strategic partner with statutory services and business in community development.

• Organisational Emergency Resilience

Our sector is under a lot of pressure, and has been for quite some time, but the need for our services and support keeps going up too. How can we make sure our organisations are resilient in the face of all these challenges? What can we do to make sure we are still here, supporting our people, in five, ten, twenty years? Join this workshop to share ideas on practical steps we can take to become and remain resilient organisations.

Delivered by Jason Gaskell, Surrey Community Action.

Plenary

Nicola Kilvington, Director of Corporate Strategy and Policy at Surrey County Council will be giving the latest updates on Local Government Reorganisation.

The Mash-Up Marketplace

Featuring a host of funders and sector specialists including Asda Foundation, CAF Bank, Charity Excellence, Community Foundation for Surrey, Cranfield Trust, Edwards Insurance Brokers, Gatwick Airport Community Trust; Groundwork (Tesco Bags of Help); Heathrow Community Trust; Menzies; National Lottery Community Fund; Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner in Surrey; Qlic I.T.; Sport England: Surrey Economic Growth Fund (Surrey County Council); Surrey VCSE Alliance; The Good Company; Together for Surrey; University of Surrey Research Team; Utility Aid.

Visit the Surrey Community Action to stand to find out more about our projects and services.

A limited amount of Early Bird tickets costing just £25 are available until Thursday 31 July 2025, OR until these have sold out. Thereafter, tickets will be charged at £30. So don't delay, book today!

"This event was really super, so very well organized. I was able to talk to lots of different organizations that were completely relevant to my role as Development Officer at a local charity. I gained a lot of information and knowledge from the day. Great venue and a delicious lunch - such a treat! Thank you."

"A highly professional event that offers excellent learning opportunities with well-planned workshops and presentations."

"Already looking forward to next year's event and asked colleagues to join it too."

"Very well organised event with lots of people on hand to help with directing to different workshops etc. And a fab lunch too!"

"It was a brilliant event and I took so much away - thank you"

"Just a big thank you to all who organised and attended!"

"I felt this was time well spent. Well organised. Thankyou."