REGISTRATION OPENS
08.15 Registration & Informal Networking
09.00 GIC Welcome & Morning Co-Chairs’ Opening Remarks
Kwesi Afful, Executive Director Digital, Marketing & Technology, Scope
Elizabeth Charlesworth, Head of PR & Communications, Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM)
DOUBLE PERSPECTIVE
WINNING DIGITAL COMMS ON A BUDGET
Maximise Digital, Boost Results
09.10 Cut Through To Audiences & Deliver Best-In-Class Engagement Through Digital Comms Strategies That Don’t Break The Bank
- When resources are tight, how can digital comms be innovated to maximise impact and assist organisations in punching above their weight?
- How can lower-budget organisations maximise the potential of new tech and AI to deliver demonstrable boosts to engagement and comms impact and make the most of what they have available to them?
- Get to the heart of your storytelling and mission to develop authentic content that cuts through to audience regardless of budget or resource restrictions
09.10 Perspective 1
Lina Filippidi, Head of Social Media, London School of Economics and Political Science
09.30 Perspective 2
Jocelyn Astle, Deputy Head of Communications (Media & Campaigns), London Borough of Redbridge
PANEL Q&A
LOW-BUDGET, HIGH-IMPACT SOCIAL MEDIA: TRENDS & INNOVATIONS
09.50 Cut Through The Noise On Social Media: Deliver Engaging Content & Comms That Develops An Authentic & Brand-Building Presence Across Your Channel Mix
- It takes more than just backing your logo brat green! Develop innovative and brand-building social content that does more than piggyback off trends
- With big changes to X and other platforms in the last 18 months, how can organisations determine when the platforms themselves become a reputational and comms risk?
- Harness social listening to gain deeper understanding of your audience and tailor content without breaking the bank
- From TikTok to Facebook… with so many channels out there these days, how can organisations determine the right channels for their brand, and focus on the ones that deliver real results for their goals?
Amy Rowley, Student Employability Marketing Co-ordinator, University of Surrey
Catriona Boyle, Head of Social, NSPCC
Athar Abidi, Head of Social Media, Cancer Research UK
Sandra Madej, Social Media Lead, Action Against Hunger UK
Dan Papworth-Smyth, Head Of Digital Engagement, Breast Cancer Now
Barbra Okafor, Digital Strategy & Marketing Lead, Isle of Wight Council
META ISN’T EVERYTHING, LET’S RETHINK YOUR DIGITAL STRATEGY
10.20 Amina Iqbal, Torchbox, in conversation with Dan Papworth-Smyth, Breast Cancer Now
Recent platform changes, particularly Meta’s new special category data restrictions, have created seismic shifts in charity digital marketing and fundraising. But within this disruption lies an opportunity to build more resilient, diversified digital strategies.
Join this candid conversation as Dan shares Breast Cancer Now’s journey from 92% Meta-dependency to a balanced, multi-channel approach, while Amina brings strategic insights from her work helping multiple charities diversify their channel mix and build sustainable marketing programs.
Together, they’ll explore:
- Practical strategies for testing and scaling new channels while protecting core income streams
- Making confident, data-driven decisions about channel diversification
- Building internal buy-in for moving beyond “safe” but increasingly restricted platforms
- Responding strategically to platform changes, including Meta’s new data restrictions
- Creating sustainable digital approaches that can weather future platform disruptions
Through real examples and honest discussion of both successes and setbacks, this session will equip you with actionable frameworks for evolving your digital strategy.
You’ll leave with practical tools for building a more resilient digital presence while maintaining the stable income your cause depends on.
Perfect for digital leaders and practitioners looking to future-proof their digital strategy while working within charity budget constraints.
Amina Iqbal, Director of Client Services, Torchbox
Dan Papworth-Smyth, Head of Digital Engagement, Breast Cancer Now
10.40 Morning Refreshment Break With Informal Networking
EXCLUSIVE SESSION WITH APPRENTICE NATION
11.10 Jasmine Rose, Apprentice Nation Lead & Head of Learning Innovation, Apprentice Nation
HAS AI KILLED THE CHARITY WEBSITE?
11.40 In this thought-provoking session, Matt Haworth will explore how the charity sector can stay visible and valuable in an AI-driven digital landscape. With AI tools now summarising web content and serving up answers, much like search engines once did, what happens when the source of truth isn’t the charity’s website anymore?
- Can charities still rely on their websites to reach the people who need them?
- How do we stop misinformation from drowning out facts, especially in critical areas like health and social care?
- And is AI quietly becoming the new SEO?
He’ll share practical insights and real-world examples to show how charities can build an online presence that not only informs, but offers something AI can’t ignore: unique services, authentic stories, and lived experience.
This session is for anyone in the third sector navigating digital change and is determined to make sure their cause stays discoverable, trustworthy, and impactful in the age of AI.
Matt Haworth, Co-Founder, Reason Digital
ACCESSIBLE & INCLUSIVE DIGITAL COMMS
11.55 How To Increase Inclusivity & Accessibility Across All Communications, Delivering Experiences That Meet Everyone’s Needs
- Go above and beyond the basics such as alt text to deliver gold-standard accessibility in comms in a cost and time-effective manner
- What steps can be taken to make social media content as accessible as possible and boost inclusivity and engagement?
- Accessibility begins at home! How can organisations ensure inclusive comms internally and drive accessibility as a business-as-usual practice?
Heather Reeve, Digital Accessibility Specialist, Scope
PANEL Q&A
PRACTICAL, ETHICAL AI APPLICATION
12.35 Harness AI’s Full Potential To Revolutionise Digital Comms & Develop It Into A Value-Adding Tool That Delivers Real Results
- Practical advice! What steps can digital comms and marketing professionals take today to implement AI into their strategies and see added value from day one?
- How can comms professionals overcome any fear of AI usage, and showcase it as a tool to streamline or enhance roles rather than replace them?
- In a digital landscape where trust is easily lost, how can the right guardrails be put in place for ethical AI usage to ensure it is adding value to strategies, and not creating reputational risks?
- Harness the power of generative AI to deliver content at scale whilst keeping core brand values at the heart of your content
Lucy Duszczak, Head of Ecommerce & Digital Marketing, YHA England & Wales
Samir Afhim, Director of Fundraising, Marketing & Communications, Speech and Language UK
13.10 Lunch & Informal Networking For Speakers, Delegates & Partners
NETWORK & DISCUSS HOT TOPICS WITH INSIGHTFUL EXPERTS
FACILITATED PEER-TO-PEER DISCUSSIONS:
13.40
a) Advocacy Campaigns
Jo Darby, Senior Social Media Lead, National Highways
b) Changing The Culture Of Internal Comms
Helen Holmes, Head of Corporate & Digital Communications, Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service
c) Storytelling From Lived Experience
Miranda Dobson, Head of Communications, Women in Prison
d) Digital Marketing For Small Charities & Small Budgets
Carly Shutes, Head Of Marketing, FoodCycle
e) Maximising Email
f) Navigating Big Tech Changes
g) Digital Fundraising
14.10 Afternoon Chair’s Opening Remarks
Trevor Reid, Director of Communications & Fundraising, Meningitis Now
PROVEN ROI: MEASUREMENT & VALUE
14.20 Effectively Measure & Showcase The Direct Impact Of Digital Comms For Long-Term, Data-Driven Success
- As previously free analytics tools move behind paywalls, what’s the most effective way for communicators to get baseline analytics and understand the impact of comms campaigns?
- With such complex datapoints to track across multiple platforms, what measurement tools can assist in seeing the wood for the trees and truly understanding the impact of digital campaigns?
- How can the value of digital comms campaigns be effectively presented to senior leaders and prove the efficacy of long-term brand building?
Rebecca Heaton, Digital Marketing Lead, National Deaf Children’s Society
14.40 Bonus Session; Reserved For Exclusive Conference Partner
INNOVATIVE & ENGAGING VIDEO
15.10 Generate Authentic & Engaging Video Content That Inspires Audiences & Action & ROI
- Is going viral really the objective? What truly defines the success of video content and tangibly builds long-term engagement?
- Short form video is a whole other ball game! How can video strategies be adapted effectively to short form platforms and deliver content that drives real engagement?
- When budgets are tight, what key tips and tricks can organisations implement to create engaging, effective and high-quality video content on a shoestring?
Tom James, Deputy Head of Social Media (Head of Content), Department of Health and Social Care
REIMAGINING HUMANITARIAN COMMUNICATIONS: ActionAid’s ANTI-RACIST & FEMINIST STORYTELLING APPROACH
15.30 Explore ActionAid’s Commitment To Anti-Racism, Feminist Principles, & Decolonisation In Humanitarian Communications, Where We Actively Choose To Only Commission & Produce Images & Tell Stories That Are Truly Representative Of People’s Lived Realities
Frances Leach, Head of Media, ActionAid UK
15.55 Afternoon Drinks Reception With Informal Networking
PANEL Q&A
FUTURE OF DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS
16.25 Prepare Effectively For Future Trends & Innovations In Digital Comms & Set Your Organisation Up For Future Success
- Uncertainty around social media platforms has never been higher, so what does the future look like for social media engagement and how can organisations future-proof their strategies?
- As digital tech and tools continue to advance rapidly, what skills do comms and marketing professionals need to develop to keep pace with technology?
- With social media attitudes changing in the wider population, how can organisations continue to meet the needs and expectations of their audiences through digital comms?
Michelle Amos, Associate Director Marketing & Digital, University of Salford
Mark Frankel, Head of Communications & Policy, Full Fact
Mike Smith, Head of Communications & Engagement, Whittington Health NHS Trust
Tom Mason, Head of Strategic Communications (Social & Campaigns), University of Bath
Ashley Elliott, Head of Socials, Social AF
Amina Iqbal, Director of Client Services, Torchbox
REFRESHED INTERNAL COMMS STRATEGIES
16.55 Refresh Digital Internal Comms Strategies To Build Resilience Through Change & Boost Employee Engagement & Experience
- When large scale intranets can be out of reach, how can comms professionals make the most of their existing digital tools to reach and engage employees with internal comms?
- Ensure inclusivity is at the heart of internal comms and inspire community and belonging in your organisation
- Drive change forwards with powerful internal comms and bring employees along on transformation journeys
Laura Dibb, Head of Communications, Cystic Fibrosis Trust
17.15 Afternoon Chair’s Closing Remarks & Official Close Of Conference