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New Trustees for national board of Citizens Advice

4 March 2010

Citizens Advice, the national charity, is welcoming two new trustees to the existing national Trustee Board after an open recruitment process. Dr Annie Hedge, co-founder of Equality Works and Sacha Deshmukh CEO of Mandate (PR / Public affairs agency) have taken up the posts effective immediately.

Like the 14 existing national trustees, the new members of the board will work in a voluntary capacity and will advise the national charity and its chief executive on key aspects of the service, making decisions about strategy and policy, and governance of Citizens Advice.

Dr Annie Hedge, of Equality Works, said,

"I am delighted to have joined the trustee board of Citizens Advice. I think the service makes a unique contribution to promoting equality and fighting discrimination, and this has been the focus of my professional work for some considerable time. I look forward to working with CA on this and many other issues."

Sacha Deshmukh CEO and director of Mandate, the Public Relations Agency, said,

"It is a real privilege to become part of the Citizens Advice family. I hope to learn a great deal from the thousands of staff, and the absolutely vital volunteers, who work in bureaux nationwide. I hope that I can play a part in helping Citizens Advice as it advocates on some of the most critical issues facing the country in the years ahead."

Chairman of the Trustee board, John Gladwin said, "

It is wonderful Annie and Sacha have agreed to join us, and are part of a dynamic team of people who are helping carve out strategic decisions for the service. If we are going to continue to deliver our vision of a client centred service, available to everyone when they need us, we need trustees like these who can keep us on track and give new perspective to subjects and issues we have dealt with for years."

Dr Annie Hedge is the joint founder and joint owner of Equality Works and set up the company with her partner, Jane Farrell, in 1992. Her primary role is to oversee product development and quality assurance. She was also the lead consultant on our work with Transport for London which led to them achieving Level 5 of the former Equality Standard for Local Government.

Sacha Deshmukh has over 15 years' experience in the media relations and political lobbying industry, spanning the private, public and voluntary sectors. He was part of the team that grew Mandate PR into one of the largest UK public affairs consultancies. He currently advises some of the UK's largest businesses on the management and development of their corporate reputations and has advised political parties and Ministers on the successful presentation of public policy.

Notes to editors

  1. The Citizens Advice service comprises a network of local bureaux, all of which are independent charities, and national charity Citizens Advice. Together we help people resolve their money, legal and other problems by providing information and advice and by influencing policymakers. For more information in England and Wales see www.citizensadvice.org.uk
  2. The advice provided by the Citizens Advice service is free, independent, confidential, and impartial, and available to everyone regardless of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, age or nationality. For online advice and information see New windowwww.adviceguide.org.uk
  3. Citizens Advice Bureaux in England and Wales advised 2.1 million clients on 7.1 million problems from April 2010 to March 2011. For full 2010/2011 service statistics see: www.citizensadvice.org.uk/press_statistics
  4. Out of 22 national charities, the Citizens Advice service is ranked by the general public as being the most helpful, approachable, professional, informative, effective / cost effective, reputable and accountable. (nfpSynergy’s Brand Attributes survey, May 2010).
  5. Most Citizens Advice service staff are trained volunteers, working at around 3,300 service outlets across England and Wales.