Iona Lawrence Email & Phone Number

Exeter, Gb

Uk

The Decelerator is a new support service for civil society organisations. We offer information, tools and hands-on support for ‘better endings’.We support organisations and individuals to anticipate and design closures, mergers, CEO transitions, programming ends, and all sorts of endings as just part of the everyday life of organisations and inevitable cycles of change in civil society.We are setting out on a 10 year journey to shift mindsets and money so that individuals, organisations, sectors and movements consider possible endings as regularly and readily as growth in their ambitious, courageous pursuit of impact for the people and communities they serve.

Established consultancy business working with individuals, charities and businesses to develop and deliver ambitious strategies and coalitions to achieve breakthroughs on intractable issues. Much of this work is focused on galvanising collective action around loneliness and social isolation rooted in the belief that all sectors are required to build community, connection and belonging: the antidote to loneliness and isolation that left 1 in 4 British adults so lonely in Covid lockdown they worried something would happen to them and no one would notice. Alongside this a growing interest in and practice around ways that civil society can embrace loss, endings and closure as regularly and readily as ‘growth’ as part of the strategy and governance of healthy organisations. Part of this work has been to establish and co-lead Stewarding Loss.

London, United Kingdom

Established the Jo Cox Foundation in September 2016 in memory of Jo Cox MP with a mission to further Jo’s work. Development and delivery of strategic programmes to continue Jo's work, with notable achievements including:- The Great Get Together campaign on the first and second anniversaries of Jo’s murder saw over 10 million people take action in their communities achieving a 40% brand recognition (YouGov) - The UK Government’s announcement of the Jo Cox Memorial Grants totalling £10 million to continue Jo’s international work focused on women’s empowerment and the prevention of atrocities- The UK Government positively responded to the calls of the Jo Cox Loneliness Commission by appointing a Minister for Loneliness, unveiling the £20 million Building Connections Fund and publishing a strategy for loneliness in EnglandResponsibility for extensive networks of influence and fundraising across Government, trusts, foundations, civil society, private sector organisations and beyond.Management of brand, marketing and communications, including digital audience of over half a million, and all media relations.As founding Executive Director, secured charity status and established all elements of the organisation's infrastructure including: management of a healthy budget in excess of £2 million, a supporter base of over 500,000, a diverse and influential network reaching across Government, civil society and the private sector, overseeing a staff team of 15, all regulatory and statutory obligations as well as all aspects of Board and governance including risk management.

Calais, France

Citizens UK Is the UK’s leading community organising charity whose achievements include the Living Wage Campaign.Founding member of the Safe Passage campaign, created to influence the British Government’s response to the EU refugee crisis.Developed and managed a legal programme which supported over 80 child refugees to engage in the legal family reunification process and delivered pioneering strategic litigation (e.g. ZAT vs Home Secretary, 2016) which opened safe and legal routes to asylum for thousands of the most vulnerable refugees across Europe.Managed the political influencing strategy in Northern France for coalition of NGOs in UK through the management of trips for high profile celebrities, politicians and influencers.Media spokesperson across broadcast and print outlets including the BBC, ITV, Sky News, The Guardian, The Times and The Daily Mail.

London

Provided a comprehensive package of support to the Director and their Division of 80 staff including diary management, task direction and brief writing. Member of the team that convened action/2015: a grassroots public mobilisation campaign in 150 countries which built public support (over 30 million public actions taken globally) for the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and UNFCCC COP 21 in 2015. Delivered global and national campaigning strategies as part of the hub team that serviced the over 2000 civil society partners around the world.

Uk

Provided project management services to a global company working to enable diverse clients across the private sector, civil society and multilateral institutions

London, United Kingdom

Provided administrative support to a small, dynamic youth engagement team to enable the delivery of youth engagement programmes including the International Citizen Service and Dance4Life.

Worked as a freelance private chef for clients across the UK and Europe.

London/Kampala

Lira, Uganda