OCF’s trustees would like to extend their thanks to CEO Adrian Sell, who has left the organisation after leading our pandemic response.
Adrian led OCF through a crucial time during COVID-19, during which we have distributed over £1.5 million to help the voluntary sector in Oxfordshire respond better and recover stronger from the pandemic. Taking the reins from Jayne Woodley, his strong links with the charity sector in Oxfordshire helped OCF to continue delivering a speedy, flexible and effective response as the pandemic presented new challenges.
Adrian was a key part of OCF’s successful webinar series, chairing online sessions looking at key issues such as economic disadvantage caused by the pandemic, homelessness, mental health and education. Through his hosting and interview skills he brought new issues to light and gave a voice to both local charity sector organisations and local philanthropists. We hope to continue these sessions into 2022.
Early on in his role Adrian facilitated the creation of the Getting Oxfordshire Online initiative, a collaborative partnership that responds to the issue of digital exclusion, brought into sharp focus by the pandemic. He oversaw the successful handover of this initiative into the capable hands of the delivery partners last month.
Adrian also boosted OCF’s commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, supporting the recruitment of an increasingly diverse Board of Trustees, and investigating new approaches to grant-making that give communities affected by the issues a bigger say in how funds are spent.
Most recently, Adrian helped drive a refreshed strategy and plans for 2022 and beyond, which will bring a much greater focus on building the philanthropic community in Oxfordshire. This will fuel OCF’s ambition to significantly expand our capacity for grant-making directly to charitable organisations at the frontline of post-pandemic needs in Oxfordshire.
OCF’s staff team and trustees are now pressing forward with the implementation of this strategy, as well as initiating a search for a new Chief Executive. We will advertise on our website when applications for this post are open.
Ian Busby, OCF’s Chair, commented: “The trustees would like to thank Adrian for all his contributions to OCF and to the Oxfordshire voluntary sector, and we give him our best wishes for the future.”