LCVS appoints New Chair

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At its Board meeting last month, Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services, the infrastructure charity which supports the voluntary, community and faith sector in Liverpool, appointed Sonia Bassey MBE as its new chair.

Sonia, who is from Liverpool, is Chair of Mandela8 and Africa Oye, two major black-led charities in Liverpool and recently founded the L8 Matters Community Land Trust. Sonia brings a wealth of experience in the public sector, government programmes, community engagement and empowerment.

Sonia is currently the Director of Public Sector Transformation at Cheshire East Council leading transformation across the sub-region for people affected by multiple disadvantages.

Speaking of the appointment, outgoing Chair Heather Akehurst, who has been a Trustee of LCVS for over a decade said: “It has been an honour and a privilege to be a Trustee and Chair of LCVS during some of the most challenging times in a generation, and I pay tribute not only to LCVS staff but the organisations they work so hard for. I am confident that in handing over to Sonia this will herald an exciting new chapter for LCVS as the city moves out of the pandemic.”

Sonia commented: “I would like to thank Heather for her dedicated service to LCVS, and her resolute leadership during the pandemic. All at LCVS would like to wish Heather the very best in her future endeavours.

“I am truly humbled to be appointed the Chair of such an important charity in the voluntary, community and faith sector. There are many socio-economic issues that continue to adversely impact our society and many more challenging years ahead for the voluntary, community and faith sector who are fundamental to this city. It is only by continuing to work together we will make society fairer and stronger and be better placed to tackle the key issues that face us in the years ahead.”

For over a century, LCVS has been working to improve the wellbeing of individuals and communities in Liverpool through supporting and encouraging charitable giving and voluntary action and by bringing people, organisations and resources together.

It provides support, advice, training, networking and representation for the Voluntary, Community & Faith Sector (VCFS) across the Liverpool City Region and helps donors distribute over £4m every year to charitable organisations, both here in the UK and across the world, but with a focus on Liverpool.

LCVS plays an instrumental role in the city in supporting the voluntary, community and faith sector and ensuring the sector’s work is central to the recovery of the city post-Covid.