Rhiannon Beeson appointed Interim CEO of Sailors’ Children’s Society

Sailors’ Children’s Society has announced the appointment of Rhiannon Beeson as Interim Chief Executive, as Natasha Barley prepares to leave the charity following three and a half transformational years. 

Natasha will leave Sailors’ Children’s Society to take up a Chief Executive position with another charity, with Rio providing continuity and leadership while the Board of Trustees undertakes a formal recruitment process in the future.  

Natasha leaves the Society in a significantly stronger position, having worked alongside the Trustees and team to lead a period of considerable change, modernisation and growth. 

Over the past three and a half years, the charity has refreshed its Board of Trustees, strengthened its leadership and team, launched a new website, transformed its brand and significantly increased its reach. A restructure has also strengthened the charity’s welfare, fundraising, partnerships and finance functions, creating stronger foundations for the future. 

The way the Society supports families has evolved too. The charity replaced its caravan provision with flexible respite break grants, increased school uniform grants to better reflect the cost of living and developed new programmes designed to look beyond financial support at the needs of the whole family. 

Significant new funding has also been secured from organisations including Greenwich Hospital, the Stelios Foundation, the Advanta Foundation and the Peter Dixon Trust, supporting both the charity’s core work and innovative projects for families. 

Financially, annual income has grown from £634,390 to £1,010,299, while the charity has reduced its reliance on legacy income and developed a broader mix of sustainable income streams. 

For Rio, stepping into the Interim CEO role is the latest chapter in an already longstanding relationship with Sailors’ Children’s Society. 

Before becoming an employee, Rio served as a Trustee of the charity, giving her an understanding of the organisation from both a governance and operational perspective. 

She subsequently joined the staff team two years ago to lead fundraising, marketing and partnerships and has played a significant role in the growth of this area of the charity. 

Before joining Sailors’ Children’s Society, Rio held senior and Executive Director positions within the emergency services technology sector, leading teams, supporting organisational growth and delivering strategic change. She has also run her own business and worked alongside a number of charities and voluntary organisations. 

Mark Thundercliffe, Chairman of Sailors’ Children’s Society, said: 

“Natasha leaves Sailors’ Children’s Society with our enormous thanks for everything she has achieved over the last three and a half years. She has led the charity through an important period of transformation and leaves behind stronger foundations, a talented team and an organisation with real ambition for the future. 

“When considering how best to manage the transition, appointing Rio as Interim CEO gives us both continuity and experience. She understands the charity from her time as a Trustee as well as from leading our fundraising, marketing and partnerships activity over the last two years. 

“The Board has seen first-hand the contribution Rio has made to the charity’s growth and stability. We have every confidence in her ability to lead the organisation through this next chapter while we undertake the process of recruiting our permanent Chief Executive.” 

Natasha and Rio have worked closely together throughout August and September to ensure a comprehensive handover across the organisation. 

Reflecting on her decision and her time with the charity, Natasha Barley said: “Deciding to leave Sailors’ Children’s Society has been one of the most difficult decisions of my career. Over the past three and a half years, I have come to love this charity, the maritime community and, above all, the remarkable children and families we exist to support. 

“I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved together. We have modernised the organisation, strengthened our finances, developed the way we support families and built an incredible community of supporters, partners and funders around the charity. Most importantly, Sailors’ Children’s Society is in the strongest position it has been for many years and is exceptionally well placed to continue growing its impact. 

“None of that progress belongs to one person. It has only been possible because of the passion and commitment of our staff, Trustees, volunteers, supporters, partners and funders, and I am enormously grateful to everyone who has been part of that journey. 

“Rio already knows the organisation exceptionally well and has been an important part of its progress. I know how much she cares about the charity and its families, and I’m delighted to be handing over to someone who can build on what the whole team has achieved and continue moving the Society forward.” 

Rhiannon Beeson said: “It is a huge privilege to be asked by the Trustees to lead a charity that has already been such an important part of my life for several years. 

“Having experienced Sailors’ Children’s Society first as a Trustee and then as a member of the team, I know just how special this organisation is. Over the last two years, I’ve had the opportunity to lead our fundraising, marketing and partnerships work and see what can be achieved when a small, passionate team is ambitious about what comes next. 

“Natasha, the Trustees and the whole team have worked incredibly hard to create much stronger foundations for the charity. My job now is to protect that stability while continuing to move us forward. We have exciting ambitions for our welfare services, fundraising and partnerships, but our starting point will always be the same, what will make the greatest difference to the children and families we are here to support? 

“There is a lot to be proud of, but there is also so much more we want to achieve. I’m really looking forward to working with our team, Trustees, partners, funders and supporters as we begin that next chapter together.” 

The transition comes as Sailors’ Children’s Society approaches the final months of its current three-year strategic plan. Alongside continuing to deliver against those commitments, Rio, the Trustees and team will begin developing the charity’s next strategy for 2027–2030. 

The new plan will build on the stability achieved over recent years while looking at how the charity can further develop its welfare services, reach more eligible families, strengthen its national presence and continue building the sustainable income needed to support its ambitions. 

Throughout the transition, one thing remains unchanged: Sailors’ Children’s Society will continue to be there for children and families from seafaring backgrounds facing crisis, providing financial, practical and emotional support when it matters most.