Over 65 People Come Together for The Great British Charity Conference in Doncaster
The Great British Charity Conference brought together more than 65 attendees from charities, CICs, community organisations, businesses and support services at Cast in Doncaster on Tuesday 10 November 2026, for a day dedicated to conversation, collaboration and strengthening the third sector.
Organised by The Charity Hub, the conference provided an opportunity for people working across the sector to step away from their everyday responsibilities, share experiences and explore some of the challenges and opportunities facing charities and community organisations.
From developing stronger partnerships with businesses to managing wellbeing, understanding organisational structures and exploring the potential of artificial intelligence, the day offered a mixture of presentations, practical workshops and opportunities to connect with others.
Bringing Businesses and Charities Together
The conference opened with a welcome and introduction from Brett Riley-Tomlinson of The Charity Hub, who set the scene for a day focused on bringing organisations together and encouraging greater collaboration.
The opening presentation was delivered by Sam Greaves of Cleenol, who explored how businesses can work with and support good causes. His session focused on what businesses look for when developing charity partnerships and how the private and third sectors can build relationships that create meaningful benefits for everyone involved.
For charities looking to develop stronger connections with businesses, the discussion highlighted the importance of understanding one another's priorities and recognising that effective partnerships can offer far more than financial contributions alone.
Practical Workshops and Shared Learning
Following the opening presentation, attendees had the opportunity to take part in practical workshops covering some of the everyday challenges facing third-sector organisations.
Mark Smith of MAKE YOUR MARK UK delivered Spinning Plates Without Crashing: Managing Priorities & Your Wellbeing, exploring the pressures of balancing competing responsibilities while recognising the importance of looking after personal wellbeing.
Alongside this, Andy Kershaw from South Yorkshire Funding Advice Bureau (SYFAB) led a workshop on Choosing the Right Legal Structure for Your Group or Organisation, helping attendees consider the different structures available and why choosing the right one matters for governance and future development.
Both workshops provided opportunities for attendees to explore subjects directly relevant to their organisations and take away ideas for their own work.
Exploring How AI Can Support Charities
There was also a change to the planned programme when Diane Hall of Evolve3 CIC was unfortunately unable to attend due to illness.
Brett Riley-Tomlinson stepped in to deliver a session exploring how artificial intelligence can help charities, adding another important topic to the day's discussions.
With many charities facing increasing demands on their time and resources, the potential for AI to support everyday activities is becoming an increasingly relevant conversation across the sector.
The session gave attendees an opportunity to consider how emerging technology might offer practical support to organisations working with limited resources.
More Than Just Presentations
While the speakers and workshops formed an important part of the conference, the opportunities for networking and conversation were equally valuable.
Throughout the day, attendees were able to meet representatives from other organisations, learn about their work and explore potential opportunities for collaboration.
Refreshment breaks and a buffet lunch provided further opportunities to continue discussions in a more informal setting, bringing together people from different backgrounds who share a common interest in supporting their communities.
The afternoon continued at a good pace, with further conversations around organisational growth, funding and the future of the third sector.
A panel discussion on The Future of Funding, featuring Brett Riley-Tomlinson alongside another panellist, provided another opportunity to consider the challenges facing organisations as they look towards longer-term sustainability.
A Thank You to Everyone Who Made the Day Possible
The conference concluded with Brett thanking everyone who had attended and contributed to the day.
Special thanks were also given to Stephen and Paul, who helped support the event and contributed to making the day possible.
The Charity Hub would also like to thank the speakers, workshop leaders, participating organisations and everyone who took the time to attend, share their experiences and contribute to the conversations throughout the conference.
Bringing together more than 65 people from across the sector demonstrated the value of creating opportunities for charities, businesses and community organisations to meet, learn and work towards common goals.
Building on the Connections Made
Although The Great British Charity Conference has now come to an end, the conversations and connections made throughout the day do not have to stop here.
The Charity Hub will continue bringing organisations together through its networking events, resources and opportunities for collaboration across Doncaster and the wider South Yorkshire region.
For everyone who joined us, we hope the conference provided valuable ideas, new contacts and opportunities to build relationships that will continue beyond the event itself.
Thank you to everyone who made The Great British Charity Conference possible. We look forward to continuing the conversations and building a stronger, more connected third sector together.
Find out more about The Charity Hub and our upcoming events:
