aladin is vice-chair of the Cultural Strategy Group of the Greater London Authority, founder of the strategic consultancy alkhemiproject and a practising magician.
How did you first get involved in charity work?
The initial spark was doing some volunteering as a student with young people. My partner, who works in community arts for people with special needs and disabilities, encouraged me to consider working in the voluntary sector full time. I retired from working in the City in 1990 and spent the next decade in the charity sector.
What charities are you involved with?
I am chair of Entelechy Arts in Lewisham and on the steering group of Skylight at Crisis. I have also volunteered at the Crisis Open Christmas for the past 12 years. My other activities include pro bono consultancy work and mentoring chief executives in the sector. My involvement in voluntary work is equivalent to two days a week.
How do you decide which charities to support?
I have a strict ceiling on the total percentage of time that I spend doing charity work at any one time. I also question whether the cause is worthwhile as well as achievable. If these two things overlap then I might broker a referral to people who can help. But I do find that giving an hour of my time offering strategic support can be equally valuable.
What is the best way to approach you?
Someone might bump into me at a bus stop or they may have checked out my web site, alkhemiproject.net. I am interested in initiatives with concrete results and which don't require kudos. I am generally wary of projects with big ambitions and high concepts.
