White Ribbon UK welcomes Lynne Elliot as new CEO
White Ribbon UK, which has its headquarters in Hebden Bridge, has announced the appointment of Lynne Elliot as its new Chief Executive Officer – with the experienced charity executive bringing a wealth of leadership experience to the organisation at a critical time in the movement to prevent violence against women and girls.
Having spent more than 17 years in the third sector as a charity CEO, Lynne has long-standing expertise which has seen her at the forefront of empowering initiatives to support vulnerable individuals and drive social change.
Her leadership roles have spanned diverse areas – from youth support networks and rape crisis services, to health and social care commissioning and championing the rights of older people. Furthermore, she’s also led a local Community and Voluntary Service, as well as the Vegetarian Society – giving her a broad and wide-ranging background.
Lynne’s dedication to making a difference began at an early age. Introduced to volunteering at just seven years old, she has since committed herself to roles as a trainer, coach and advocate for positive societal change. Her desire to help others spans both her working life and her private life with Lynne most recently having spent a year providing end-of-life care for her 93-year-old mother, an experience she describes as the most rewarding but hardest work she’s ever done.
Now, as she takes the helm at White Ribbon UK, Lynne is eager to build on the charity’s successes and continue engaging men and boys in the prevention of violence against women and girls. Speaking about her new role, she said:
“I am so excited to be stepping into the role as CEO at White Ribbon UK. I am in awe of the incredible work the staff, Ambassadors, Champions, organisations, and supporters do. I can see the difference we are making every day, and I’m proud and humbled to be a part of it.”
White Ribbon UK works to challenge the attitudes and behaviours that lead to harassment, abuse, and violence. By promoting allyship and positive masculinity, the charity encourages men to take an active role in creating a culture of respect and equality. As CEO, Lynne will lead White Ribbon UK’s ongoing efforts to influence policy, expand outreach, and drive forward its campaign to end men’s violence against women and girls.
As White Ribbon UK welcomes Lynne, the organisation also takes this opportunity to extend its deepest gratitude to Anthea Sully, who has served as CEO since 2018. Under Anthea’s leadership, White Ribbon UK has grown significantly, strengthening partnerships with local authorities, businesses and communities to embed White Ribbon principles across the UK. Her dedication to the cause has been instrumental in increasing awareness, engagement and action on men’s role in preventing gender-based violence.
White Ribbon UK is proud to continue building on this strong foundation, ensuring that men and boys are part of the solution in creating a safer and more equal society for all women and girls.
And as White Ribbon UK embarks on its new chapter, it invites individuals, organisations and communities to take action. Whether through White Ribbon Accreditation, ambassador and champion programmes, or simply by making the White Ribbon Promise – "I will never use, excuse or remain silent about men's violence against women" – everyone has a role to play in ending gender-based violence.
For more information about White Ribbon, please visit https://www.whiteribbon.org.uk/