Helping Charities to Thrive
27th March 2025
Read the Thrive Programme Briefing document here: Thrive Programme Briefing 2025
Business expertise and guidance given through an innovative project are transforming charities, helping them to thrive and aim for excellence.
With funding from the Thriving Third Sector Fund, we are supporting the long-term future of local charities by contributing to their strategic development through a project called the Thrive Programme. The programme is delivered by Cranfield Trust, the leading provider of pro-bono consultancy and management support for the voluntary sector.
The work of Cranfield Trust focuses on small to medium-sized charities that provide vital services to local communities, but that have few resources to invest in management and leadership development and external support.
The Thrive Programme forms part of our funder plus initiative, to support not-for-profits across Essex, Southend and Thurrock with their continued organisational and leadership development. Groups take part in workshops, peer-to-peer support and then the opportunity to work with the Cranfield Trust through either a consultancy project or 1:1 mentoring.
Volunteers, who are either still working or now retired, with experience in the business sector are matched to charities and work with them, and CEOs, to help strengthen their skills so the organisation can move forward and meet future challenges.
Over the last six years, Hearing Help Essex, the Essex Blind Charity and Southend Carers are among 50 local voluntary organisations to have benefited from mentoring through the Thrive Programme.
Sue Elder, Associate Regional Manager with Cranfield Trust, leads the Thrive Programme in Essex. She said, “We have been working with ECF since 2019, delivering the Thrive Programme in Essex and the feedback we have received shows the results can be transformational.
“ECF identifies organisations that could benefit from the programme and we match all participating organisations with volunteer mentors, based on the needs of the organisation and the people involved.
We are currently in our sixth year of the programme. This year, twelve local organisations have had their first online introductory session, and their first in-person session, which happened on 27 March 2025. The first workshop focussed on Change Management, a successful first session which sparked meaningful discussions among the group.
The programme is spread across nine months. Below illustrates the workshop schedule, which goes up to month nine’s Income Generation and Continuing to Thrive workshops – which are held in a bumper session (6a and 6b below).
Feedback from charities who have took part in the 2024 Thrive Programme have felt the benefits in their own work.
Southend Foodbank said, “Cranfield Trust helped our organisation crystallise our strategy and the work we’ve done with them will help steer our charity in the future. I found the programme really helpful and interesting. Thank you for the support!”
Interact said, “Working with my Cranfield Trust Mentor has helped me to better consider the needs of my charity and how to best approach addressing those needs. My mentor had a lot of experience linked to the types of issues I was facing. I learnt a lot especially new methods to consider when evaluating new projects.”
Lads Need Dads said, “The Thrive Programme has been a really positive experience. It has provided us with invaluable insights and practical tools to enhance our impact and sustainability. The mentorship from Gordon MacSween was excellent – his guidance, expertise, and encouragement was so timely. We are grateful to the Cranfield Trust and Essex Community Foundation for this opportunity to grow and thrive.”
Reflections from a volunteer
Gordon MacSween, a former Managing Director who took early retirement, has also proved to be a valuable volunteer with Cranfield Trust. His skills and experience have helped the suicide prevention charity Reach out For Mental Health based in Colchester, and the Chelmsford-based charity InterAct that works with people with learning disabilities.
Gordon said, “Having taken earlier retirement I wanted to do something for charity and heard that Cranfield Trust would know of the best places for me to help. Their process has been excellent and I am now working with two local charities, each with different challenges, and for both of which I have a real affinity.
“I don’t claim to be an expert in the third sector, but I do aim to bring the right tools and techniques at the right time, to help the excellent CEOs of these charities achieve more. It’s the best use of my time and ultimately more valuable than directly volunteering.”
Hearing Help Essex
Retired HR director Chris Jullings is a volunteer with Cranfield Trust, and was matched with Hearing Help Essex, a small charity that supports people with acquired hearing loss.
Chris said: “I worked with Hearing Help’s CEO, Sophie Ede, to focus on the issues that will unlock the organisation’s ability to help twice as many people over the next two years. Being a Cranfield Trust volunteer is a small call on your time but makes a big difference to small charities.”
Sophie Ede said: “Working with Chris has been brilliant. He really took time to listen and to understand our challenges and then helped me to map out the stepping stones needed to achieve both our short-term and longer-term aims. As a direct result of this project we have increased our capacity and feel far more resilient.”
Andy Payne-Worpole, Head of Programmes at ECF said, “The Thrive Programme is a great opportunity for charities and voluntary groups to address the barriers and issues that hinder their development.
“It helps ensure they have the skills they need and makes them become more resilient for the future. The success of the project shows that ECF is not just a grant-making organisation and this is just one of the ways that we are helping to support a thriving third sector in Essex.”
Register your interest
If you would like to take part in the next Thrive Programme, please email frankie@essexcf.org.uk on 01245 355947
Read the Thrive Programme Briefing document here: Thrive Programme Briefing 2025