Pears Foundation

Speaker: Peter Gilheany

Charities are increasingly at risk of getting caught in the crossfire of the culture wars and ending up the subject of a negative headline or social media campaign. Already organisations like the RNLI and the National Trust have found themselves the unwelcome centre of attention and this kind of controversy is only likely to ramp up ahead of the general election.

In this session communications expert Peter Gilheany will look at the main risks and what you can do to minimise them. The session will also cover practical ways to respond should your organisation become the subject of a culture war or a media/social media pile-on, with a focus on the audiences that matter and staying true to your values.

Peter Gilheany is a Director of Foster Communications and leads their strategic communications work with charities, NGOs and foundations. He works with leadership teams to help organisations build trust and profile, covering everything from positioning and narrative development to campaigning. Peter is regularly quoted in third sector media, is on ACEVO’s advisory team, is a trustee of Pause and provided pro bono support for the #NeverMoreNeeded campaign on charity funding during the pandemic.

Who is it for?
This session is open to all staff from Pears grantee organisations but will be particularly useful for senior leaders and anyone involved in policy and communications.