Chairing Network - 12 November 2026

The responsibilities of Chairs of charities are extensive and can vary greatly between organisations. The Chairing Network at Community Foundation North East exists to explore key themes affecting all Chairs by bringing you together with your peers.

We are delighted to invite you to this Trustees’ Week event at Live Theatre 27-29 Broad Chare, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 3DQ with sincere thanks to the Live team for hosting the Network.

This session is for you if you are an experienced Chair seeking fresh inspiration for developing your board or an aspiring Chair preparing for your next steps in governance.

Maria Humphreys, retiring Chair at Tyneside Women’s Health will be our guest speaker, on the theme of ‘Succession-planning and the importance of a positive experience for the outgoing Chair’. 

Maria has been a trustee at Tyneside Women's Health for almost 9 years, serving as both Vice Chair and Chair. During that time, she helped lead the charity through a rebrand, the development of a new long-term strategy, and a period of significant organisational change.

While preparing to step down as Chair, Maria reflected on what it means to leave well. Having previously stepped away from other trustee roles, she has experienced the uncertainty, emotion and opportunity that comes with handing over leadership. "I'm looking forward to sharing some of those reflections and exploring how we can make succession a positive experience—not just for the organisation, but for the outgoing chair too".

We will also hear from Steve Newman, Chair at FODI about his chairing journey.

Your host is Colette Harrison, Sector Support Manager at Community Foundation North East. Reflecting on the event theme, Colette says, “in succession-planning, the focus is often on the incoming Chair and their induction. This misses the opportunity to celebrate the experience, knowledge and impact of the outgoing Chair and the legacy they gift to their successor”.

Join us to share your experiences or listen-in to the conversation.

If you have any questions before booking, please email Colette - ch@communityfoundation.org.uk

We look forward to seeing you there.