Age UK creates a new charity division

Monday, 30 January 2012

Age UK has announced the creation of a new division which brings together its Influencing and Services work.

The move is designed to respond to an external environment in which the need to integrate research, policy creation and service delivery is needed now more than ever – for example in the current debate over the future of social care or the impact of spending cuts around the country.

Michelle Mitchell, to date the Charity Director of Age UK, will lead the division in the newly created role of Age UK Charity Director General. The role will lead all Age UK charitable work in England and sit beside equivalent roles heading Age UK’s Retail and Fundraising Divisions and Age UK Enterprises.

She said: “This is a really exciting role to be taking on at a time when the interplay between service delivery and policy formation in many key areas for older people in England is so close and so crucial. Many of the traditional assumptions as to how services are delivered to older people are now being questioned and Age UK needs to be at the heart of that debate shaping both the policy of decision makers and also adjusting the services it provides to fit in with a changing landscape.”

A Director of Services reporting to Ms Mitchell will be recruited soon.

The Influencing Division contains Age UK’s Policy, Campaigns, Research, Media and Public Affairs departments. The Services Division provides services to older people, their carers, families and friends. These services include information and advice, health and well-being, home services and helping to ensure that more people are digitally included.

Before becoming Charity Director for Age UK in April 2009 when the charity was formed by the merger of Age Concern and Help the Aged, Ms Mitchell was Communications Director for Age Concern England.  She was previously Chair of the gender equality charity, Fawcett (2005-2008). 

Heléna Herklots, currently Age UK Director of Services, will join Carers UK as Chief Executive in February. She leaves after 11 years with Age Concern and then Age UK.

Tom Wright, Chief Executive of Age UK said: “Heléna has made a huge contribution to Age UK and we are very sorry to see her leave. The opportunity to join Carers UK as chief executive at such a momentous time for social care reform is however exciting and our two organisations will be working closely over the coming months to achieve the changes to the care system that are urgently needed.”

Age UK has also welcomed Caroline Abrahams as Director of External Affairs. Caroline joins Age UK from Ed Ball’s office where she was Chief of Staff after working as Ed Ball’s special advisor while he was Secretary of State for Children and Families.  Her previous experience includes being Director of Policy and Strategy for the National Children’s Bureau and the Local Government Association.