Royal Voluntary Service appoints Patrick Dunne OBE as Chair for next phase of development

He succeeds Stephen Dunmore and is Chair of Education Sub Saharan Africa, out-going Chair of the EY Foundation and author of the award-winning book ‘Boards’. 

Royal Voluntary Service has seen significant change in recent years having rallied hundreds of thousands of volunteers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Innovations have included the launch of the micro-volunteering programme, NHS and Care Volunteer Responders and, this year, the debut of the public campaign, the Big Help Out over the Coronation weekend.

Dunne brings senior leadership experience from across the corporate world and civil society. His executive career was with Air Products and with FTSE100 3i Group PLC where he was a member of its Operating committee. He was the founding chair of the EY Foundation in 2014, an independent charity which has now benefited over 22,000 young people disadvantaged in the labour market.

Joining the board alongside Dunne will be five new Trustees with wide-ranging and relevant experience. These are Helen Buckingham, currently Chair of National Voices and Director of Strategy at Nuffield Trust, Dele Adeleye, previously a Trustee at Tourettes Action and a senior leader at the Bank of England, Nicola Wadham, previously Chief Information Officer at the Financial Ombudsman Service, Jeremy Hughes CBE, previous charity chief executive and current Co-Chair of The Prime Minister’s Champion Group on Dementia Friendly Communities and Sara Mubasshir, Head of Digital Change at the London Business School.

“I am delighted to welcome Patrick and our new Trustees to Royal Voluntary Service. The charity has been through extraordinary times in recent years. It has been a privilege to lead its Trustees, staff and volunteers as the charity has risen to every challenge, including its remarkable pandemic response. I leave with a great sense of pride and I look forward to seeing the charity continue to build its impact in the future under Patrick's leadership."

Stephen Dunmore, Chair of Royal Voluntary Service

 “It has been a privilege to work in partnership with Stephen over recent years. I thank him for the dedication and skill with which he has led our charity through an important period for Royal Voluntary Service. I would also like to extend a very warm welcome to Patrick and our new Trustees who bring with them impressive leadership experience across
corporate and charity spheres. I’m looking forward to working together."

Catherine Johnstone CBE, CEO Royal Voluntary Service

“It’s an exciting time to be joining Royal Voluntary Service – a charity with an amazing history which has risen to renewed prominence. The organisation has shown a real appetite to innovate and challenge itself, anticipating and responding to changing needs. There's something very special about volunteering and in receiving support from volunteers. I'm looking forward very much to working with my fellow Trustees and the executive to create millions more of these special moments."

Patrick Dunne OBE

For further information

Royal Voluntary Service is one of Britain’s largest volunteering charities with volunteers supporting the NHS, adult social care and thousands of vulnerable people in the community. The charity delivers the NHS and Care Volunteer Responders programme for NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care, enabled by the GoodSAM app, with volunteers responding to over 2.5 million requests for help to support approximately 200,000 people, and completing over 363,000 shifts at vaccination sites.

The charity also works in local communities running home libraries, companionship support, home from hospital services and patient transport. Its Virtual Village Hall provides online activities and classes to promote wellbeing and keep people active.