Pick of the Month - September 2026

Welcome to September's Pick of the Month! We’re excited to feature individuals who are making a real impact in the charity world. From creative social innovators to tireless charity leaders, their work is all about driving change and improving lives. We’ll take a closer look at their unique paths, the challenges they’ve navigated, and the incredible contributions they’re making to communities across the UK. Come and join us in celebrating their inspiring efforts! 

Trustee of the Month - Shantele Sutherland, Cheshire West Voluntary Action

Cheshire West Voluntary Action (CWVA) is an infrastructure organisation that exists to support the VCFSE sector in Cheshire West area.

We spoke to Shantele Sutherland, one of Cheshire West Voluntary Action's trustees.

Shantele told us a little bit about what her mission is:  

"Our vision is ‘championing the community sector – building trust, influencing, inspiring’. I see our role as twofold – supporting those on the ground with practical advice and support such as around volunteering, fundraising and training, but also a big part of what we do is ensuring we represent the sector’s views at higher levels. It is important for us to ensure that the community sector is respected and listened to and that there is a seat at the table; too often decisions are made without the involvement of VCFSE organisations, and we see it as our role to ensure that regardless of capacity and size that they have a voice."

We asked Shantele how she got to where she is today and what her role involves:  

"I trained as a barrister which ultimately led me to the voluntary sector – I couldn’t get a pupillage and so took a job representing individuals at Employment Tribunal who had been discriminated against because of their race. After that I secured my current position as a chief officer of a voluntary sector organisation that deals with equality issues. I was approached by CWVA a few years ago about becoming a trustee and I was really interested – coming from a voluntary sector background over the last 25 years, I felt I could contribute a lot with my experience.

As a Board member I attend regular Trustee meetings, where we discuss the business of CWVA and make the decisions needed for the organisation’s development. I am also on a task group looking at HR issues, as I have an interest and good understanding of HR."

Shantele shared some advice for aspiring trustees: 

"I’ve always been of the view that good leadership is about empowerment and bringing people with you. And I think that CWVA embodies that ethos; as a Trustee Board we believe that we can be effective, but fair and compassionate and we think that the productivity of the team and the fantastic results we have demonstrates that we’ve got that right."

Finally, Shantele discussed what she's passionate about seeing change in the sector:  

"Personally, I think there is a lot to celebrate in our sector, we are passionate about what we do and we are often the ones stepping up to take on what’s placed in the ‘too hard’ or ‘too expensive’ box by other sectors – we step up to the plate when we are needed. Flexibility is for me the greatest strength we have as a sector. What I’d like to see more of is working together and increased collaboration, I think for too long we’ve been divided by funding, being played off by others – but we are developing more alliances, and CWVA plays a pivotal role in that. Working as a collective we have more power and a stronger voice, which is very much demonstrated by our Mental Health Alliance that CWVA leads."

Read more about the work at Cheshire West Voluntary Action.

Charity Leader of the Month - Jay Rushi, CEO at Birchall Trust

Birchall Trust is a charity that supports people affected by rape and sexual abuse to recover, rebuild their lives, heal and move forward with hope.

We spoke to Jay Rishi, CEO of Birchall Trust.

Jay told us a little bit about what his mission is:

"We provide trauma-informed counselling and support across Lancashire and South Cumbria, working with children, young people and adults at all stages of recovery. At its heart, our work is about creating safe spaces where people feel heard, believed and empowered."

We asked Jay how he got to where he is today and what his role involves:  

"I have worked in management within the charitable sector for over 25 years, including 15 years in leadership roles at Shelter, where I focused on developing services for families with complex needs. I am also a qualified child protection social worker. Those experiences have reinforced for me that leadership is not something you do alone, but something you achieve with the strength of the team around you. My role is to create the conditions for the talented staff and volunteers at Birchall to do their best work. The challenge is how we also listen to what the people who use our services say, and how we work together to continually adapt our services to meet the changing and complex needs."

Jay shared some advice for aspiring leaders: 

"For anyone considering leadership in this sector, I often describe it as a marathon with sprint sections. The work is deeply meaningful but emotionally demanding. Creating space for reflection, prioritising self-care, and recognising the impact of vicarious trauma are pretty much day to day essentials,  if you want to sustain both yourself and your team over the long term."

Finally, Jay discussed what he's passionate about seeing change in the sector:  

"One of the biggest changes I want to see is in how we, as a society, respond to sexual violence. The criminal justice system is not currently an effective deterrent, with fewer than 3% of recorded cases resulting in a charge, let alone reaching prosecution or conviction. But if we are serious about change, this cannot sit with the justice system alone. At Birchall, our strategy is rooted in creating space for these conversations to happen, because it is only by talking more openly about rape and sexual abuse, and challenging behaviours that are too often normalised, that we begin to shift our shared values.

We cannot do that in isolation. It requires collective responsibility: across public services, within our communities, and among individuals. Alongside advocating for cross-sector investment in specialist support, we want to build a wider movement of people who will stand with survivors, raising their voices, sharing these messages, and supporting this work in whatever way they can. As a single father of two daughters, that change feels both necessary and deeply personal to me."

Read more about the work at Birchall Trust.

Social Entrepreneur of the Month - Paul Press, CEO of the Offshoot Foundation

The Offshoot Foundation is a charity that uses filmmaking and creative media to engage, inspire and empower young people. 

We spoke to Paul Press, CEO of The Offshoot Foundation.

Paul told us a little bit about what his mission and vision is:

"I am the Chief Executive of The Offshoot Foundation. We deliver free practical workshops in filmmaking, to shape young minds and ignite their creativity. Our mission is to provide accessible and enriching opportunities for the next generation of filmmakers, storytellers, and visual artists.

With a passion for nurturing talent, we offer programs that empower our youth to explore the world of filmmaking. Our experienced mentors and industry professionals guide participants through hands-on experiences, cultivating technical skills and fostering a deep understanding of storytelling.

Since our inception, we’ve been dedicated to making a lasting impact. Through collaboration and community engagement, we strive to break down barriers and make film education inclusive for all. Our success is measured not only by the films created but by the confidence gained, the voices amplified, and the futures shaped."

We asked Paul how he got to where he is today and what his role involves:  

"I grew up in Leeds, an area where opportunities in the arts and film industry felt very distant in the 1980s. At 17, I left home to attend Mountview drama school in London, initially training and working as an actor and voiceover artist before developing my own film production company. The main purpose of setting up the company was to give young people work experience of every film we made. This ultimately resulted in The Offshoot Foundation.

As Chief Executive, my role is extremely varied. I develop programmes, build partnerships, help raise funds, write grant applications along with our fundraiser, manage projects and support our facilitators. I also work closely with trustees, schools, youth organisations, community groups and funders.

We have several projects starting this autumn from a film about VAWG with NEETS in Sudbury to workshops in Norwich, Thetford and Great Yarmouth."

Paul shared some advice for aspiring leaders: 

"My first piece of advice would be to listen, to create an environment in which people feel able to contribute their ideas, experience and expertise.

Remain connected to the people your organisation exists to support including your staff. For me, that means continuing to listen to young people, families, facilitators and community partners.

Surround yourself with people who bring different skills and perspectives, and do not be afraid to admit when you need help. 

Finally, be persistent. Leadership in the charitable sector can be challenging, particularly when funding is uncertain but if you believe in the value of your work, learn from those experiences and keep moving forward."

Finally, Paul discussed what he's passionate about seeing change in the sector: 

"I am passionate about seeing creative opportunities become genuinely accessible to every young person. Too many young people—particularly those from disadvantaged communities, rural areas, low-income families or those with additional needs—are unable to access high-quality creative experiences. 

I would like creative education to be valued more highly. Filmmaking develops technical ability, but it also teaches teamwork, communication, problem-solving, resilience and leadership. These are valuable soft skills in every part of life and employment.

Our sector will be more relevant, imaginative and successful when the people creating its stories truly reflect the communities those stories are meant to serve."

Read more about the work at The Offshoot Foundation.