Bringing new talent to the team

The New Year has seen some exceptional new talent join the team at Gifted. We’re really pleased to welcome on board both Graham Pearse and Clare Sawdon, as experienced fundraising consultants with proven track records in the Third Sector.

Graham Pearse

Graham has just come to the end of a two-year project with the country's original modern hospice, St Christopher’s in London. His research informed the hospice’s communications and fundraising strategies, helping to expand its footprint and support a record-breaking year for the organisation. Graham is also passionate about the role of philanthropy in education and has assisted a wide range of schools, colleges, and universities, to create their cultures of giving and development.

Clare Sawdon

Clare has a similar understanding of the impact of philanthropy on learning outcomes. Her experience as a school governor, overseeing major capital fundraising projects, complements the consultancy partnerships she has shared with Shakespeare’s Birthplace Trust and Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance service. Clare has also been closely involved with the preparation of a significant Heritage Lottery Fund bid for Warwick’s Lord Leycester Hospital, undertaking the feasibility work for the matched funding component of the application.  

‘As the competition for HLF funding increases and meticulous bid preparation becomes even more critical, we know just how important it is to build a team of consultants with the energy and rigour that clients expect,’ says Andrew Day, Chief Executive. ‘Graham and Clare come with a wealth of expertise and an impressive commitment to philanthropic endeavour in their personal lives. We’re really excited about the work that they’re doing and the careers they want to grow with us at Gifted.’