The Welsh Ambulance Service has appointed its first Head of Charity.
David Hopkins, from Cardiff, joins the service from National Youth Arts Wales, where he was Fundraising and Development Manager.
David will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the Trust’s charity, including the generation of income and compliance with its regulatory and governance obligations.
He will be the organisation’s expert on charity matters and will also be charged with recruiting and developing a small team to support the charity’s fundraising activities.
David’s past roles include Sustainability and Growth Manager at Newport Mind and Marketing and Communications Executive at the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.
He has a BMus in Music and an MA in Arts Management from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama and is also a Chair of Trustees for the independent Welsh dance company, Jones the Dance/Y Ddawns.
Of his appointment, David said: “I’m delighted to be joining the Welsh Ambulance Service as Head of Charity.
“Thanks to donations from the public, the Welsh Ambulance Service Charity is already benefiting patients, staff and local communities through innovative projects.
“In this new post, I believe there is huge potential to expand upon this – and I can’t wait to get started.”
The Welsh Ambulance Services Charity raises money to fund initiatives which promote the health, wellbeing and safety of its people, patients and communities.
The charity is a legally separate entity from the NHS Trust and is completely reliant upon donations from the public, businesses and grant funders, as well as support from staff and volunteers.
Estelle Hitchon, the Trust’s Director of Partnerships and Engagement, said: “This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of the Welsh Ambulance Services Charity at a critical time in its development.
“Our charity has been ‘ticking along’ nicely for many years, receiving gifts when people want to thank the service for the help they were given.
“But now, the Trustees have set an ambitious course for the charity; one which fulfils its potential to grow its fundraising capacity in line with a more strategic purpose, and to use these funds to have a positive impact for staff, volunteers and the communities across Wales that we serve.
“The Head of Charity role – the first of its kind for our organisation – is about driving that strategic ambition as we enter this new and exciting phase in our development.
“David comes with a wealth of experience in the charity and arts sectors, and I’m delighted we’ve been able to secure his services in this crucial role.”
