Julia Cleverdon, who has held senior roles at a number of major charitable organisations for more than 30 years, including a stint as charitable advisor to the then Prince Charles, has been appointed to lead the National Lottery Community Fund’s board.

Her appointment as chair of the largest community funder in the UK has been announced this week by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy.

“During her extensive career, she has consistently championed long term cross-sector collaboration in the poorest communities, supporting community leaders, and encouraging young people’s engagement to help build local capacity and a more robust civil society which values diversity, sustainability, and contextual local solutions,” said the funder.

Her roles have included a 16-year stint as chief executive of Business in the Community and later as special advisor to the charities to the King when he was Prince Charles.

She also spent more than eight years as chair of the National Literacy Trust from 2014 and has been involved with teacher training social enterprise Teach First for 18 years, first as chair and then as vice patron.

In addition, she is a co-founder of volunteering charity #iWill and was made a Dame in 2008.

Cleverdon replaces interim chair Paul Sweeney who is returning to his permanent role as Northern Ireland chair.

“I’m thrilled to welcome Dame Julia to The National Lottery Community Fund,” said its chief executive David Knott.

“As our new Chair, I know she will play a vital role in helping us achieve the true ambition of ‘It Starts With Community’.

Cleverdon said: “Being invited by the Rt Hon Lisa Nandy to chair The National Lottery Community Fund is the greatest honour and opportunity of my campaigning life

“Encouraging collaborative action, forging deep partnerships, and building trusting relationships are – in my experience – critical to success in strengthening communities so they can transform people and places.

“I so look forward to working with our board and committees, our leadership team and staff all over the UK as well as with those who can help us succeed in this most vital of missions.”

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