3rd May 2022
Introducing Ross, our new Director of Income Generation
We recently welcomed Ross Henderson to the hospice as Director of Income Generation, a new role which oversees fundraising, retail and marketing. He brings with him a wealth of experience from the hospice sector and international charities.
Ross joins us from Severn Hospice in Shrewsbury where for six years he was Head of Retail and Lottery, responsible for 29 shops across Shropshire and mid-Wales. Prior to that he was at Oxfam for nine years in various roles including shop manager, e-commerce manager and area manager.
Previously he volunteered for two charities in Africa – including a spell in Uganda where he distributed books to schools and libraries and a conservation role in Kenya which involved counting flamingos! While in Uganda he met his wife Kate, who came from a few miles from the area that Ross grew up in.
Now two weeks into his role at the hospice, Ross says: “All the people I’ve met here are so friendly, positive and engaging. It’s a really nice place. The gardens are fantastic and there’s a good feeling when you walk in.
“I’m really excited about this new role. I’m looking after all our fundraising, our shops and our communications and marketing – so I’ll be responsible for all the money we need to raise to provide our services and for raising our profile.”
Fundraising post-pandemic
One of the challenges Ross faces is fundraising in a post-Covid world.
“Covid has moved fundraising goalposts a lot. We’re now coming out of Covid and looking at the opportunities that presents. A lot has changed. The good thing is that people are more willing to design their own challenges so it’s less about putting on our own events and more about how we support those people.”
He’s also keen to raise the profile of the hospice to promote its services to a wider audience and attract more support.
“The care we deliver is clearly very high standard, but our profile is not as high as it could be. I’m keen to grow that profile and increase the number of people who know about our care and are able to contribute to that.”
Outside work, Ross leads a very busy life, not least because he and his wife have a four-month-old baby!
He describes himself as ‘very outdoorsy and a big foodie’. He enjoys hiking and camping with his wife, baby Dylan and their Macedonian rescue dog. They love eating out and choose their UK holidays according to the restaurant reviews!
Born in Scunthorpe, Ross is a dedicated football fan. “Sadly for me I support Scunthorpe United!” he says. He also plays Sunday League Football in his home village in Shropshire.