The Patchwork Foundation is delighted to announce that Claire Eadington has been appointed as its new CEO, with effect from 2 October 2023. Claire will lead Patchwork’s mission to strengthen democracy by giving young people from disadvantaged backgrounds the opportunity to develop the skills, experience and confidence they need to play an active part in public life and civil society in the UK.

Claire is a former Patchworker, who herself benefitted from the Foundation’s programmes, before going on to pursue a successful career within the civil service.

Since its establishment in 2012, the Patchwork Foundation has evolved from a voluntary initiative in London to a dynamic charity promoting political engagement nationwide. The organisation focuses on individual development and inclusivity, welcoming young people from various underrepresented groups. Much of our success stems from our ability to build and maintain positive but impartial relationships with all national political parties, senior civil servants and government departments.  This is supported financially and in-kind through our partnerships with private sector organisations who value the social benefit and impact of the organisation’s work.

Claire will lead the next phase of Patchwork’s growth and development, strengthening its existing programmes and introducing new ones to further its mission of empowering young individuals and promoting their positive contribution to public life. 

Claire Eadington said:

“I am delighted to be appointed as the new CEO of the Patchwork Foundation. I look forward to working with the brilliant team who have already accomplished so much and am excited for what the future holds for us. There are so many opportunities for Patchwork to engage with young people and unlock their potential to be more active in civil society, at a time when this engagement is more important than ever.”

Farmida Bi CBE, Patchwork’s Chair, said:

“As a former Patchworker with a successful career in the civil service, Claire is ideally suited to leading Patchwork, and I look forward to working with her. I would also like to thank Imran Sanaullah MBE, our outgoing CEO, for his highly successful time in this role, overseeing the establishment of the Patchwork Foundation as a charity and expanding its work so that it has been able to support more young people. Claire will bring her own skills and enthusiasm to help Patchwork become even more successful in the future.”