Catholic charity appoints first female chief executive

ONE OF THE largest Catholic charities in the United Kingdom has appointed its first female chief executive, writes Joanna Moorhead.

Newcastle-based St Cuthberts Care announced this week that its former deputy CEO, Moira Ashman, is to head up the agency, which had a turnover of £9 million-plus last year. A chartered secretary with more than 25 years’ experience of working at the charity, she said she was thrilled to have been appointed.

“We have the most amazing, compassionate staff teams working tirelessly alongside our residents and clients ... and we are blessed with dedicated volunteers and a strong supporter base.”

St Cuthberts provides a wide range of services across the north-east of England including the Alan Shearer Centre, which provides both day care and residential facilities for disabled children and adults, and whose fund-raising is headed by former Newcastle United footballer, Alan Shearer, and his wife, Lainya.

Founded in 1946, St Cuthberts did have a female administrator more than 20 years ago, but Ashman is the first female chief executive. She succeeds Austin Donohoe.