CEO takes up role at Teesside Hospice
CHARITY
A NEW VISION
CEO takes up role at Teesside Hospice
New role – Mike Thornicroft has taken over as the new CEO at Teesside Hospice . PICTURE : JAMES HIND
Teesside Hospice has welcomed Mike Thornicroft as its new CEO , marking a significant moment in the organisation ’ s journey . With a robust background in social care , hospice and charity management , Mike brings a wealth of experience and a fresh perspective to Teesside Hospice ’ s leadership .
Mike ’ s career journey began with a deliberate choice to forego higher education and enter the workforce directly after completing school .
“ I didn ’ t follow the traditional path ,” he explains . “ Instead of going to university , I jumped straight into work .
“ I was tired of being told what to do and just wanted to earn a wage , so I started a role in the finance sector working for an insurance company .”
After several years , Mike ’ s desire to give back led him to a career change .
“ After about four or five years , I was on a fast-track leadership programme , but I became disillusioned with solely making money for others ,” he says .
“ I wanted to make a meaningful contribution to society , so I did some research and found a couple of options , eventually making the decision to transition into social care , where I knew I could engage with people on a deeper level .”
Mike underwent retraining and began working with disabled individuals in the social services department in Warrington , spending a couple of years there before pursuing a managerial role in social care . Over the next 10 years , he steadily progressed in his career , eventually becoming an assistant director , leading a disability service .
However , he grew frustrated with the slow pace of change and decided to explore opportunities in the charity sector .
He recalls : “ I joined the Royal National Institute of Blind People ( RNIB ) as a national contracts manager , responsible for all social care and healthcare contracts across England , and after 18 months , I became the director for Northern Ireland , managing a wide range of services , including employment , children , families , and retail .”
During his tenure at RNIB , Mike held various roles , including head of strategy and business performance .
But a shift in the organisation ’ s values led him to seek new opportunities with The Ahead Partnership , a commercial organisation in Leeds with a national reach , focusing on providing employability skills to young people from disadvantaged backgrounds .
However , commuting from Newcastle , where his partner lived , became impractical , so , when the opportunity to become the chief executive of Tynedale Hospice at Home arose , he seized it .
“ Having lost my father to prostate cancer , I had been wanting to give something back , and working in a hospice felt like the right path ,” he continues .
Mike spent five years at Tynedale , and during the past two years he split his time between this organisation and Hospice Care North Northumberland .
Now , as the CEO of Teesside Hospice , he is excited about the future and is committed to building on the foundation laid by his predecessor .
“ The hospice is in a great place , and my aim is to build on that foundation ,” he says .
“ Over the next 12 months , we will develop a clear strategy to guide us for the next three to five years .
“ I believe in steady progress , not sudden changes , so we will move forward calmly and methodically , ensuring that each step we take is the right one .”
Mike is ambitious for the hospice ’ s future .
“ I want to see us grow and improve on the excellent services we already provide , reaching more people who need our support ,” he says .
“ I believe in leading by example , and my goal is for Teesside Hospice to be recognised as the best in the region .
“ I want our services to be exemplary , and for everyone who engages with us , whether they are patients , staff , volunteers or donors , to have a positive experience .
“ Ultimately , I want Teesside Hospice to be the charity of choice in the area , where people turn to first when they want to make a difference in their community .”
teessidehospice . co . uk
The voice of business in the Tees region | 115