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Clive Gray, Founder and former CEO of Blyth Tall Ship, recently stepped down after 15 years of transformational leadership. Under his guidance, the organisation secured over £5 million in funding and mobilised more than 400 volunteers, helping to regenerate a deprived area through wellbeing, employability and income generation initiatives.
To mark this transition and share his insights, the Community Foundation North East invited Clive to reflect on his journey and offer guidance to other charity leaders. Drawing on his background in global business and as a former Royal Marine Officer, Clive developed a series of half-day workshops aimed at helping charities navigate their strategic priorities in a fast-moving environment.
The first workshop in the series was titled ‘Prioritising Your Ambitions’ and was hosted by Colette Harrison, Sector Support Manager at Community Foundation North East. The session was delivered through the Foundation’s Sector Support Programme and offered Clive the artistic licence to develop a session that was original and creative. The workshops are designed to help charities prioritise new ideas, clarify strategic direction and respond effectively to change. Grounded in Clive’s lived experience, the sessions offer practical tools and real-life exercises to encourage fresh thinking and collaborative learning.
This was the inaugural workshop and Clive is now working in partnership with the Sector Support Programme at the Foundation to decide the flavour of future workshops as Clive’s consultancy business gains momentum. Working together has enabled the Sector Support programme to be the catalyst for generating learning topics, which Clive then brings to life, transforming potentially ‘dry’ subjects into engaging learning experiences for the VCSE sector. Colette Harrison noted:
“Working with Clive was fantastic. When organisations are faced with multiple opportunities and challenges, it can be difficult to know where to focus energy and resources. Presenting Clive with the workshop brief of ‘Prioritising Your Ambitions’ resulted in a practical, innovative and motivating session, which gave participants confidence and clarity in their most vital next step for success.”
The first workshop was well received by attendees, many of whom are developing new strategies or leading organisations through change. One participant shared:
“Thank you for orchestrating the workshop yesterday with Clive. It was hands down one of the best I’ve ever attended across 40 years of work. His message was clear, the exercises were fun and based in real-life experience, he set a tone so that we valued each other’s experiences – and he’s right!”
Other attendees noted how the session helped reignite their passion for leadership and offered a refreshing approach to strategic planning.
Visit our Sector Support page to explore discover the different types of support that we offer. Visit our News and Events page to see our upcoming programme of events.