Our Fundraising & Communications team
The Fundraising & Communications team engage our supporters, who generously give their time and money to support our work. They also raise awareness of Tree Aid's work in media and across other communications.
Melanie Knight, Director of Fundraising & Communications
Melanie Knight joined Tree Aid as Director of Fundraising and Communications in October 2019. Melanie has 14 years' senior management and leadership experience in both the charitable and private sectors, specialising in income generation, fundraising, marketing and communications. Melanie moved to the charitable sector in 2011 and has worked for the Churches Conservation Trust, the Soil Association and Deki.
Clare Hanley-Theare, Corporate and High Value Fundraising Manager
Clare joined Tree Aid in 2017 and manages the organisation’s corporate and high value team. She has more than 6 years’ fundraising experience, working at the children’s charities Kidscape and The Sick Children’s Trust in their community fundraising teams before moving to Tree Aid. Clare is also a fully certified member of The Institute of Fundraising and has completed the professional qualification, the ‘Certificate in Fundraising.’
Mora McLagan, Communications Manager
Mora joined Tree Aid in May 2021 and oversees the organisation’s communications, PR and media activity. For several years she worked in film and TV production, mainly on current affairs programmes at the BBC, Channel 4 and Sky. Since 2011 she has combined campaigns and communications management for the International Development and UK charity sectors (Oxfam, Save the Children) with freelance work in filmmaking and advocacy. She is based at Tree Aid's Bristol office.
Louise Swindell, Individuals Fundraising Manager (maternity cover)
Louise joined the Tree Aid team in March 2021 as maternity cover for the Individual Giving Fundraising Manager. Managing the Individual Giving team to support current donors and seek opportunities to attract new supporters. Louise has spent the last few years working for cancer charities to improve and develop their individual giving and legacy income. Having previously worked in arts fundraising, Louise has been a trustee for Theatr na nOg since 2018 and is now Vice Chair for the board, working to improve their income strategy.
Emily Nelson, Individuals Fundraising Manager
Emily joined Tree Aid in 2014 and now manages our Individual Giving Fundraising programme. She has more than 13 years' marketing experience, specialising in direct marketing, initially gained in the publishing industry at BBC Audiobooks and the Geological Society Publishing House, before she moved into the charity sector. Emily is currently on maternity leave.
