Restore has been supporting people with serious mental health challenges since 1977. As one of the UK's longest-standing community rehabilitation charities, it has helped thousands of individuals across Oxfordshire take control of their recovery, build skills, and lead lives that feel genuinely their own. A charity like that deserves a board that truly reflects its ambition. So when Restore decided it was time to strengthen its governance, it turned to Charisma.

The brief: more than filling seats

Restore's ask was thoughtful and multi-layered. The charity needed to bring new trustees onto its board with specific expertise across property, clinical and health knowledge, and commercial analysis. But this wasn't simply a case of plugging gaps. Restore also wanted to welcome candidates with a broader range of backgrounds, bringing fresh perspectives to complement those specialist skills.

Running alongside all of this was an equally important task: identifying serious candidates for the role of Chair. That meant the search needed to operate on two distinct tracks simultaneously, each requiring its own approach, while remaining part of a coherent, well-governed process.

Restore needed a recruitment partner with real sector expertise, not a generalist firm applying a standard approach to an organisation with a very specific mission and culture.

Getting under the skin of the organisation

Before any search begins, Charisma invests in understanding. That process started with a comprehensive briefing, giving the team the chance to explore Restore's mission, the nuances of its culture, and the dynamics of its existing board. This groundwork matters because the strongest candidates are not always the ones who tick the most boxes on paper. The ones who genuinely thrive in a trustee role tend to be those who connect with what an organisation is actually trying to do.

Armed with that understanding, the team built a targeted search campaign drawing on Charisma's established networks and deep knowledge of the health and social care charity sector.

"Charisma delivered a high-quality and diverse set of appointments that strengthened the board's capability and ensured strong alignment with Restore's values, culture, and future direction."

A campaign built on relationship, not just reach

The numbers behind the search tell a story of genuine rigour. Charisma engaged 104 candidates from its existing database, then went further, undertaking a focused headhunting approach that identified and directly approached a further 60 individuals with relevant specialist experience.

That proactive element is significant. Passive advertising will only ever reach candidates who are actively looking. For trustee and chair appointments at a charity of Restore's standing, the strongest prospects are often those who are already committed elsewhere and simply haven't considered making a move. A relationship-led approach, where conversations are opened directly and candidacies are developed with care, is what makes those appointments possible.

Every candidate was assessed thoroughly. Charisma conducted ten in-depth vetting interviews and presented all ten for shortlist. That shortlist was not narrowed down artificially to create a sense of selectivity; it reflected the genuine quality of the field that had been developed.

The outcome: five appointments, all the right people

Restore interviewed each shortlisted candidate. The result was the appointment of four trustees, covering all three of the required disciplines: property, clinical and health, and commercial analysis. Each appointment brought the specific expertise Restore had identified as a priority, while also contributing to a more diverse and rounded board.

On the Chair track, Charisma identified two strong candidates, both of whom progressed to interview. One was subsequently appointed, giving Restore new leadership at board level that is aligned with the charity's values and ready to support its next chapter.

Five appointments from a single, coordinated campaign. Two workstreams, one partnership.

Why it matters

Restore exists to help people recover and live well. Behind every programme it runs, every partnership it holds, and every individual it supports is a board taking responsibility for the organisation's direction and health. Getting those appointments right is not an administrative exercise. It shapes what the charity can become.

For organisations working in mental health and community rehabilitation, board diversity and capability carry particular weight. The people making governance decisions need to understand the environment the charity operates in, the communities it serves, and the complexity of the statutory and voluntary partnerships it depends upon.

Charisma understands that context. It is what distinguishes a search rooted in sector knowledge from one that simply matches CVs to job descriptions.

If you are looking to strengthen your board, appoint a chair, or find trustees who genuinely understand your organisation's mission, we would love to hear from you. Get in touch with the Charisma team