Crises are inevitable in the life cycle of a charity. Some may be avoidable while others come from unexpected quarters and affect the most well-run organisations, as we saw with the global pandemic.
Like any other charities, Armed Forces charities are vulnerable to a range of issues which can prompt a crisis, such as fraud or other financial crime or loss, data breaches, safeguarding incidents, negative publicity, internal and external disputes and regulatory investigations.
But as the UK undergoes a shift towards higher military readiness, Armed Forces charities are also considering the particular implications that a large-scale conflict would have on them, including the needs of their beneficiaries, the availability of volunteers and their ability to raise funds.
Effective planning can help a charity to avoid a crisis in the first place or respond swiftly and effectively in the event that a crisis suddenly escalates.
At this roundtable Lucy Rhodes will lead a discussion on:
- what should charities think about when preparing for a crisis and lessons we can learn from recent sector-wide crises, such as the pandemic
- how greater involvement in conflict by the UK could affect the Armed Forces charity sector and what charities are doing to prepare for it
- the legal, governance and practical steps that charities should take if crisis hits
We will be joined by Lt Gen Sir Nick Pope KCB CBE, Chair of Cobseo, who will share insights from Cobseo’s role as a conduit between its members and the team within the MOD responsible for bringing injured MOD personnel back to the UK from conflict or exercise overseas. Work between Cobseo and MOD so far has included helping organisations consider the implications of large-scale conflict on what they do and how they do it, the new or enhanced training and support that charities might need, and how we can work together as a sector to respond to the needs and issues arising from the impact of conflict on the wider Armed Forces community.
We would be delighted if you would join us before the roundtable for a light lunch and to catch up with friends, contacts and colleagues.
When: Tuesday 14 July 2026, 12:00-15:00 (lunch and registration from 12:00)
Where: In person at Bates Wells, 10 Queen Street Place, London EC4R IBE