A new charity support body set up last year to strengthen the capital’s voluntary sector has made huge strides towards its launch.

The hub for London today announced the appointment of its first CEO, Margaret Cooney, to take forward the new organisation which will bring together and provide support to the capital’s voluntary sector.

The City of London Corporation’s charitable funder and London’s largest independent grant giver, City Bridge Trust, is the main funder of the initiative, awarding £350,000 towards its first year of operation.

The hub for London, which is being hosted by Greater London Volunteering, will strengthen the charity sector in the capital by providing access to business, organisational, technical and enterprise support to civil society organisations, as well as online resources.

Margaret joins Hub for London at a pivotal time in the organisation’s launch as a new Civil Society infrastructure body that will have Londoners’ needs at the heart of all its activities.

Having previously made substantial impact with V-Inspired and The Big Lottery, Margaret brings a wealth of experience, skill and knowledge with her to this new role.

Recruitment is currently underway for five members of staff to drive forward the initiative. The hub for London will then formally launch later this year in the Autumn.

Margaret commented: “I’m delighted to take up the role of being the first CEO for the hub, building on the work of both GLV and LVSC, and I am looking forward to working with the new team to build on the progress that the Way Ahead programme has already made.

“There are many exciting opportunities ahead to collaborate with the voluntary, statutory and business sectors and I want the hub for London to grow these so that London’s diverse communities and networks can thrive.”

GLV’s Chair, Cameron Fitzwilliam-Grey, added:

“I am thrilled to welcome Margaret to the GLV family and am very much looking forward to working with her. The ‘hub for London’ is really beginning to take shape now and I’m excited to see our collective vision and plans come to fruition with Margaret’s help.”

Alison Gowman, Chairman of the City of London Corporation’s City Bridge Trust Committee, said:

“It’s great to hear that a CEO has been appointed to take this transformative initiative forward, especially someone with such a wealth of experience in the sector.

“The voluntary sector has a key role to play in sustaining London’s communities, so it’s important the capital’s charities are properly supported to make the maximum possible impact on Londoners.

“The funding is part of our wider commitment to supporting voluntary sector infrastructure across London. We are committed to tackling disadvantage across the capital and making London a fairer and better place to live.”

The hub for London will allow charities to access and share data and information, training schemes and good practice. By building cross-sector links and partnerships, the Hub will mean voluntary and community organisations have a ‘voice’ within the on-going debate about London, its governance and the issues it faces.

As well as helping London’s voluntary sector to access organisational support, the Hub will help organisations to work together and provide a platform for a number of voluntary sector networks, such as the London Safer Futures Network.

Membership will be open to any individual or organisation based in London.

The project is a result of research carried out by London Funders, commissioned by City Bridge Trust, into the future of infrastructure support for London’s voluntary sector.

City Bridge Trust makes grants totalling around £20 million per year towards charitable activity benefitting Greater London.

The charitable funder has awarded more than 7,800 grants totalling over £380 million since it first began in 1995. It helps achieve the City Corporation’s aim of changing the lives of hundreds of thousands of Londoners.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

’Hub for London’ is the working title for the new civil society infrastructure organisation being created by Greater London Volunteering. The new name and website will be launched shortly.

Kristina Drake| Media Officer, Public Services

City of London Corporation

http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/newsroom

Kristina.Drake@cityoflondon.gov.uk

M: 07710860884

D: 020 7332 1125