Happy New Year and welcome to the first show of 2026.
In this episode, Tim and Piers kick off the year by reflecting on life in the sector, the realities of charity leadership and what smaller organisations can teach the rest of us about agility, innovation and resilience.
They’re joined by Sharon Bell, who shares her “squiggly career” journey from chartered accountant to Chief Executivem of Services For Education, trustee and education leader. It’s an honest conversation about governance, perspective, lived experience and why getting involved at different levels of the sector really matters.
As always, the episode also shines a light on two brilliant small charities doing big things in their communities.
In this episode, we cover:
Why the New Year Honours List matters for charities – not just celebrities
What a “squiggly career” really looks like in the charity sector
Moving between large and small charities – and what each can learn from the other
Governance challenges and opportunities at different organisational sizes
Why smaller charities are often forced to be the most innovative
Encouraging charity professionals to get involved as trustees, governors and volunteers
Useful links
Services for Education – https://www.servicesforeducation.co.uk
Baby Basics Northampton – https://baby-basics.org.uk/centre/northampton
Friends and Places Together – https://www.friendsandplacestogether.org.uk
New Year Honours List (UK Government) – https://www.gov.uk/honours
NCVO – Trusteeship and Governance – https://www.ncvo.org.uk/help-and-guidance/governance
The Good Studio – Great content for good causes: https://www.thegoodstudio.co.uk
Get involved:
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- Email us at [email protected]
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This episode is produced by The Good Studio – Creating great content for good causes.From podcasts and campaigns to film and copywriting, The Good Studio helps charities tell powerful stories that make people care.👉 Find out more at www.thegoodstudio.co.uk
