Respond is pleased to announce that the charity has formally joined the Bild Group and welcomes Dr Foziha Hamid, who this week joins the charity in the new role of Director to provide strategic and clinical leadership to the organisation.
In June, we announced that an in-principal decision had been made for Respond to join the Bild Group. With the necessary legal processes now complete, Respond joined the Bild Group at the beginning of October.
As a member of the Bild Group, Respond joins Bild, the Restraint Reduction Network (RRN) and Bild Association of Certified Training (ACT). All charities within the Bild Group operate independently with their own Board of Trustees and governance arrangements, while benefiting from pooled back-office functions such as HR, finance and communications. All charities share a common goal – to help build a more inclusive society where everyone can enjoy the same rights and opportunities.
There will be no changes to the services received by Respond clients. Respond will continue our vital work providing specialist psychotherapy, advocacy and trauma-informed training and consultation for people with learning disabilities and autistic people who have experienced trauma.
Newly appointed Director of Respond Foziha is a BACP accredited psychotherapist, who brings a wealth of experience in organisational leadership and delivering trauma informed care. Her expertise includes strategic and operational development of high-quality services anchored to robust governance structures, advocating for holistic healing from trauma, and leadership through collaboration and innovation. Foziha is committed to addressing inequalities and seeing positive change at community and systemic level.
Oliver Lewis, Co-chair of Respond, said:
“Bringing Respond into the Bild Group is a positive step and unites the charities’ shared commitment to improving support for people with learning disabilities and autistic people.
Building on years of collaboration, the move will enable both organisations to increase their impact, with Respond remaining focused on delivering life-changing trauma-informed services, whilst benefiting from the Bild Group’s infrastructure and expertise in training delivery, influencing and coproduction.
The Board is delighted to welcome Foziha to Respond. Foziha brings considerable experience to the role of Director, and we are confident that her appointment will further enhance the vital services provided by Respond at this exciting point for the charity.
We look forward to working with Foziha as she leads Respond through this next chapter.”
