Zoe Amar, Director of Zoe Amar Digital
1. Let’s start with an ice breaker question: who is your favourite Spice Girl?
I quite like Sporty as I’ve become an exercise nerd over the last few years!
2. Back to the CFG Awards. Firstly, thank you so much for accepting to be one of the judges. Why do you think CFG Awards are important for the sector?
Sustainability is the backbone of our charities and it is vital to recognise good practice in this area.
3. Why is it important to celebrate excellence in charity finance?
See above!
4. What would organisations benefit from when nominating for an award?
It will help their excellent work be recognised and encourage other charities to follow their lead.
5. Why would you encourage members to submit a nomination?
Charities so often hide their light under a bushel so it’s important we tell people about the achievements of our peers, which will inspire us all.
Anna Bennett, Partner at haysmacintyre
1. Let’s start with an ice breaker question: who is your favourite Spice Girl?
My first date with my now-husband was to a Spice Girls concert – we’ve been married for almost 20 years, so I have a soft spot for the whole band!
2. Back to the CFG Awards. Firstly, thank you so much for accepting to be one of the judges.
Why do you think CFG Awards are important for the sector?
In my role, I see so many examples of good practice and innovation in charity finance and reporting. The CFG Awards are a great place to share this good practice and help finance teams to support their charities in being effective and efficient, as well as being transparent in their reporting.
3. Why is it important to celebrate excellence in charity finance?
The finance team can add so much to the overall management of a charity, and help staff and trustees understand the impact the charity is making. I welcome the opportunity to celebrate the great work being done, often behind the scenes, by the unsung heroes of the charity sector.
4. What would organisations benefit from when nominating for an award?
Don’t worry if you haven’t got a professionally written case study – just let us know the cool stuff your charity has been doing!
5. Why would you encourage members to submit a nomination?
Why not?!
Stella Smith, Trustee, Charity Finance Group
1. Let’s start with an ice breaker question: who is your favourite Spice Girl?
Has to be Sporty…
2. Back to the CFG Awards. Firstly, thank you so much for accepting to be one of the judges. Why do you think CFG Awards are important for the sector?
Our finance teams are under a lot of pressure and are critical to the success of charities. The awards are an opportunity to recognise those teams and individuals who really go above and beyond to make charity finance work.
3. Why is it important to celebrate excellence in charity finance?
We are all too often immersed in our everyday to-do list. It’s really important to stand back and celebrate the excellent good practice happening in places and learn from each other.
4. What would organisations benefit from when nominating for an award?
When they nominate themselves for an award, organisations get to recognise the great work going on in their charities as well as tell the world how good they are!
5. Why would you encourage members to submit a nomination?
To let their finance teams know they are valued and share good practice with other charities.
Kevin O'Brien, Trustee, Charity Finance Group
1. Let’s start with an ice breaker question: who is your favourite Spice Girl?
Scary. She’s loud, bold, outgoing and sometimes a little bit off the wall. She’s the kind of person who would always give her honest opinion – which I always want to hear.
2. Back to the CFG Awards. Firstly, thank you so much for accepting to be one of the judges.
Why do you think CFG Awards are important for the sector?
Of course, the most obvious thing is to recognise great work that is done and to showcase finance as a key driver of success in the sector. It gives the individual and the organisation increased profile.
3. Why is it important to celebrate excellence in charity finance?
Most importantly for me is that it will inspire others to do things that they may not have thought achievable – lifting performance in the whole of the sector.
But also, to reflect on the great work that is done, that often goes unnoticed – and to have some fun doing it.
4. What would organisations benefit from when nominating for an award?
As finance professionals, I think we have a tendency to remember all the stuff we haven’t achieved. This is a great opportunity to reflect on what has been achieved. Being recognised for doing a great job by your colleagues is really important for most of us – this is a fantastic way to do that.
5. Why would you encourage members to submit a nomination?
I nominated a colleague recently for a different award. When I saw the awards launched I instinctively thought of her and that she would be a great nominee. But, the benefit to me was actually writing the nomination – I had to take time to really pick out WHY I thought she deserved to win, which has really helped me think about my approach to things a bit differently.
Gary Forster, Trustee, Charity Finance Group
1. Let’s start with an ice breaker question: who is your favourite Spice Girl?
I was 14 when the song Wannabe was released and can remember hearing it for the first time at the school disco. You’ll note how I’m trying to carefully dodge the real question. Thank you : )
2. Back to the CFG Awards. Firstly, thank you so much for accepting to be one of the judges. Why do you think CFG Awards are important for the sector?
There are so many examples of inspiring leaders, strong teams, innovative initiatives and passionate trustees within the finance departments of all charities, big and small. And it’s the fact that these sparks of brilliance seem too often to go unnoticed that make me feel it’s hugely important for CFG to shine a light on them.
3. Why is it important to celebrate excellence in charity finance?
There are so many reasons. We must continue to reward the efforts of the hardworking individuals that strive to ensure that charities, no matter their cause, have the resources, information and confidence to go out and take on their respective missions each and every day. We must continue to inspire the new generation of financial leaders who will be leading the sector forward in the coming years. And finally, we must take the time to stop and recognise everyone working within finance roles in the charity sector today for the energy, determination and leadership they provide which ultimately is leading us towards the financially confident sector we know we can be.
4. What would organisations benefit from when nominating for an award?
The CFG Awards are the perfect opportunity to raise the important contribution of finance of your finance team not only within your organisation, but also within your community, within the sector in which you work, and across the whole of the UK.
5. Why would you encourage members to submit a nomination?
This is the moment to reward individuals or teams within your charity. This is the moment to stand up and be proud of what you’ve achieved whether that’s the delivery of a new programme or the continued high performance of your team as you support the mission of your organisation.
