Join us for the Charity Sofa Sessions, a space for charity leaders in Brighton to:
step away from the grind
stop overthinking on their own
gain fresh perspectives on common challenges.
These are warm and relaxed two-hour gatherings offering:
non-judgemental conversation
practical ideas
connection with others in similar situations.
What to expect
Each session follows the same simple format. Here's what a typical session looks like:
Arrive, grab a drink, and settle in.
Our special guests - experts in the day's theme - will join us on the sofas for an open, informal conversation: sharing their perspectives, insights, and real-world learnings.
You'll have plenty of time to ask questions before moving into small groups.
Together, you'll examine the specific challenges you're facing on the day’s theme, drawing on the collective experience of the group to find practical, actionable solutions.
We'll close by coming back together to share what we've learned.
You will leave with:
Practical ideas to put into practice
Clarity on something you've been stuck on
Renewed energy to tackle what's ahead
Booking info:
Booking for our session on 24th April is live:
Friday, 24th April
10am — 12pm
5th floor, Platf9rm, Tower Point, North Road, Brighton
£25 per person (plus eventbrite fee)
Booking for subsequent sessions will be available soon.
About us
We noticed an appetite for practical solutions and honest, shared experience.So we created the Sofa Sessions - a dedicated space for expert insight, open conversations and practical problem solving.
Why ‘sofa sessions?’
Because the events are relaxed and informal, and include comfortable seating (plus good snacks). Like a fireside chat, but on a sofa.
Friday, 24th April, 10am-12pm
Our theme:
Overwhelm, what is it, why is it so prevalent in our sector, and what can we do about it?
Joining us on the Sofa, our experts are:
Pam Howard: psychotherapist, professional mentor and senior academic at Brighton University, with specific experience in burnout and professional overwhelm.
Gary Bishop, charity founder, CEO, leadership coach and fellow struggler with overwhelm and burnout.
Why this theme?
Many of the charity leaders we speak to are stressed, overworked, and overwhelmed. This is borne out by research from Fair Collective which shows:
85% of small charity leaders in England experienced poor mental health due to their role.
Of this, 20% reported a severe impact with incidences of suicidal thoughts, hospitalisation and burn out.
Those working in health, education, or with children and young people experienced the worst impact on their mental health.
Wednesday, 20th May 10am-12pm
Our theme:
The messy art of good governance: how to get there, and what gets in the way.
We will be joined by two experts (tbc) to help us explore what works, what gets in the way, and how to make governance a genuine strength.
Why this theme?
Governance is the backbone of any charity. Get it right, and everything else becomes easier.But even the best organisations can find themselves in trouble, and many don't realise it until things go wrong.Governance can unravel in all kinds of ways - too much or too little control, strained relationships, or trustees unsure of their responsibilities.These patterns are more common than anyone likes to admit, and they rarely get named, often because it can feel risky or uncomfortable to raise them.This session is a chance to look at these dynamics honestly, understand why they happen, and explore what it takes to build governance that genuinely works.
Wednesday, 17th June 10am-12pm
Our theme:
We'll be consulting with participants from our first session to shape the theme for our final session before the summer - so watch this space.Have an idea? We'd love to hear it. Drop it in the contact box.
Any questions? We'd love to hear from you.