Charlie Cattell

Charlie Cattell Consultancy

Overview

I have over 30 years’ experience of solving problems and developing opportunities for organisations with a social purpose, particularly in the fields of legal structures and governance. My main areas of work are:

  • explaining in non-legal language what a group's options are in terms of legal structure, and helping them decide which to adopt;
  • drafting constitutions, Articles of Association, special resolutions, partnership agreements, trust deeds and all manner of governing documents;
  • advising on the availability and impact of charitable status, including the power to trade;
  • analysing and explaining existing constitutions;
  • designing suitable legal structures for mergers, consortia and collaborative ventures;
  • support with due diligence exercises;
  • setting up trading subsidiaries for charities;
  • setting up charitable arms for trading social enterprises;
  • amending, up-dating and improving legal structures;
  • re-writing archaic documents in plain English.

I operate my own registration services for charities, limited companies, and community interest companies with a 100% success rate over many years. I oversee every stage of every job personally and the client can always contact me directly to discuss any aspect of their project.


Clients

I work with dozens of different organisations every year, from large charities through innovative social enterprises to new-start community groups. A very small sample of the many and diverse organisations that have commissioned me to undertake work for them might include:
School for Social Entrepreneurs – Irish In Britain – Muslim Women’s Council – Newcastle Theatre Royal Trust – Mermaids – Sikhs in the City – Citizens Advice Manchester – The Quest For Gay Men CIC – Harrogate Deaf Society – Dunamis Bible Church – Clackmannanshire Third Sector Interface – Worldwide Radiology – National Enterprise Network



Experience

I offer a rare combination of four complementary areas of expertise:

  • a wide-ranging understanding and experience of governance matters in the charitable and social enterprise sectors – i.e. ownership, control and accountability issues;
  • an in-depth knowledge of relevant legal matters, such as company, charity and trust law;
  • the ability to apply this knowledge practically and effectively to things that people actually want to do;
  • a personal lifelong immersion in the values and principles that drive the charity and social enterprise sectors.

I have worked as a freelance consultant since 1996.