Find out more about the Civil Society Council

Kate Lee OBE:
The Covenant provides an incredible opportunity to drive a stronger relationship between Government and the Sector to the advantage of both and, more importantly, communities and causes across the UK.

Establishing the Council and prioritising it’s time for maximum effect is not necessarily an easy task given the potential to drive change through a group of outstanding Sectors and Government Leads – but I like a challenge!

Dr Lindsay Cordery-Bruce:
My role on the Council is to ensure the Covenant is genuinely applied on a UK level - I'm here to speak up for the Devolved Nations and to link with Scottish and Northern Irish colleagues on Covenant matters.

I believe the answers to the problems we have in the UK are already within our communities. If the Covenant work achieves its aims, the impact could be considerable. No more talking shops - let's drive real change!

Dr Tessy Ojo CBE:
I was motivated by the opportunity to strengthen how government and civil society work together at a system level. Across my career, I have seen the strength of civil society in reaching communities, building trust and shaping solutions, but also where partnership can be too transactional.

The Council offers a real opportunity to move towards genuine co-design and shared accountability.

Mark Russell OBE:
I passionately believe in the power of civil society to make a difference. Earthed in lived experience, innovating solutions, being agile, and fighting for social justice.

Often it feels government and civil society are two cogs that just don't connect, I was inspired to join the Council try to get those cogs connected and genuinely help to renew the relationship between government and civil society.

Saeed Atcha MBE DL:
Growing up in the care system, the ‘state’ was effectively my parent, which meant my upbringing was closely shaped by civil society — from advocacy charities to extracurricular providers and everything in between.

Those experiences showed me both the power of the sector and where it can fall short. As a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater Manchester and CEO of Youth Leads UK, I'm constantly in communities - and I'm keen to bring those voices to the table, from grassroots volunteer-led organisations to peer CEOs of small and regional charities who I know want to contribute but might not have the capacity or know-how to do so.

Dr Tessy Ojo CBE:
I bring over 27 years’ experience working across civil society, government, business and communities, with a focus on partnership and systems change. I started in local government advisory roles in Greenwich, grounding my understanding of lived experience.

As CEO of The Diana Award, I have built global partnerships while centering youth voice. Through Tessy’s Brunches, I also work at grassroots level with women and organisations. This enables me to connect community insight, institutional leadership and policy.

Innes Morgan:
Growing up at the most northerly point of mainland Britain, I felt geographically and politically distant from decision-making. From a young age, I became invested in exploring how communities like mine could make themselves heard: through local economic development, community organising and engagement with government.

I run Act with Purpose; an emerging social enterprise focused on purpose-driven organisations and the future of inclusive economic development.

Saeed Atcha MBE DL:
I bring a lived and professional perspective shaped by building and leading a youth-led charity from the age of 15, alongside experience across governance, policy, and cross-sector collaboration.  I have led, from a governance point of view, non-profit organisations of varying scale from those with no staff, to social housing providers and NHS Trusts.

This breadth allows me to connect grassroots insight with strategic decision-making, ensuring the voices of underrepresented communities are reflected.

Maddy Desforges OBE:
As CEO of NAVCA, the umbrella body for local infrastructure organisations, I amplify the voice of communities in a pragmatic and strategic way. NAVCA has a network of 180 infrastructure organisations in England, who support 164 000 community groups and organisations.

I will draw on the breadth and depth of that network to inform Council discussions, working with members to understand issues and gather intelligence about their impact in communities.  Specifically, I will reach out through those trusted support organisations to bring voices to the fore which might otherwise be heard.

Emma de Closset:
I bring a combination of nationwide, place‑based insight and first‑hand experience of working at the heart of government. As CEO of UK Community Foundations, I represent civic infrastructure that spans all four nations and connects with thousands of grassroots organisations rooted in their communities. This gives me a direct line of sight into the everyday realities, strengths and ambitions of local civil society.

Gemma Peters:
Inequality is growing, public services are under huge strain, and at the very moment we need to pull together, division is being quietly and deliberately sown. When communities feel unheard, excluded or set against one another, the consequences are real and increasingly visible.

What gives me hope is civil society. Our sector is extraordinary at bringing people together, inspiring change and offering hope when trust is fragile. My passion is how we create the conditions for that work to flourish, to be amplified, and to truly shape the future rather than sit at the margins of it.

Bishop Rob Wickham:
My experiences of many communities have highlighted the ever-pressing issue of community cohesion and community resilience.  As a Vicar near Kings Cross, I witnessed the aftermath of the 7-7 bombings, and as the Rector of Hackney, I witnessed first-hand the disturbances of 2011.

Now I witness growing levels of faith-based and ideology-based violence and hate. The work of community cohesion encompasses many areas of political life- housing, education, health, justiceand economics. It is not just about creating peaceful communities, but communities which dare to 'seek the welfare of the city, for in the city's welfare, you will find your welfare' to quote the Prophet Jeremiah.

Kate Lee OBE:
I hear regularly from smaller charities that the need to build strong relationships with local Government is vital if we are to continue to build a strong civil society that can rise to the challenges of increased discourse and polarisation. Initiatives like Pride in Place, Neighbourhood Health and building volunteering and community leadership provide an exciting opportunity to strengthen the sector from the roots upwards.

Mark Russell OBE:
I feel passionate about how civil society experiences the government commissioning and procurement process. I see up close as CEO of The Children's Society how the process costs a fortune, puts smaller organisations off applying, and how it often causes stress to so many people.

We see up close as well the impact on our staff and on our beneficiaries. I want to use my experience and my voice on this council to work for change.

Charlotte Hill OBE:
I was lucky enough to work in Westminster in my 20s and have worked with colleagues across government in every role since. I have seen the power of bringing the voluntary sector, private sector and public sector together when it'sdone well and the long term change it can bring.

I hope the covenant can set some clear goals and deliver them around how government engages with the sector and we see real impact because of working together.

Gemma Peters:
I’d love the Covenant to make collaboration feel simpler and more normal, so working together becomes the default, not the exception. From my experience, progress happens when power and resources sit closer to communities, lived experience shapes decisions early, and government focuses on creating the conditions for collaboration.

If it works, organisations of all sizes will feel listened to, respected and confident as partners, with less friction, more trust, and far more focus on improving lives for the long term.

Matt Hyde:
If we get this right, we will see new approaches to commissioning and procurement which are people-centered and whereby the VCSE sector is treated better. There will be greater respect and understanding of the impact of civil society by decision makers. Voluntary sector organisations will be brought into policy discussions earlier.

Ultimately, all of this will set the conditions for a stronger and more resilient civil society. And people in communities will reap the rewards of that change.

Dame Clare Moriarty:
Civil society already contributes massively to addressing the big challenges that we face as a society. We understand the interconnected nature of people’s actual lives and can see the whole person. We could do even more if we can dismantle the barriers that get in the way of our participation and nurture a culture where civil society is recognised for its unique contribution.

The change I want to see is for civil society organisations to be resilient, influential and engaged; and for the sector to be never an afterthought, never taken for granted.

Emma de Closset:
I want to see a step‑change in how government and civil society work together: fewer transactional relationships and more confident, long‑term partnerships grounded in place. This means recognising civil society as a strategic partner, valuing local knowledge and lived experience, and designing systems that enable collaboration rather than complexity.

I would like the Council to help embed an approach that aligns national priorities with local delivery, supports prevention and long‑term outcomes, and builds trust across sectors. Ultimately, that change should translate into stronger communities and better outcomes for people across the UK.