Relate appoints new Director of Marketing and Fundraising

Relate, the relationship support organisation, has appointed Arezo Shephard to the newly created position of Director of Marketing & Fundraising. This new senior level position forms part of an overall strategy to develop sustainable funding streams as Relate celebrates its 70th Anniversary.

Ms Shephard, who brings over fifteen years of senior management experience from within the private and public sectors, will implement a corporate fundraising programme to attract long-term partnerships with key organisations. This represents a new strategic direction for Relate as it responds to Government funding decisions.

She said: "I am thrilled to take on this role as Relate celebrates its 70th Anniversary. It's a good time to review our overall product portfolio and plot a course for the future of the Relate brand. Too few people know that we can help them with their family relationships for instance - I intend to find new ways of broadening our appeal and reaching out to more people."

The new Marketing & Fundraising team will oversee income generation as well as guarding the brand and raising the profile of Relate with target audiences. Future marketing activity will highlight the lesser known aspects of Relate which include counselling for children and young people; group training courses which develop relationship and life-skills; counselling for people who have gone through divorce or separation and counselling for same sex couples. Marketing activity will also spell out the many benefits to the individual of seeing a Relate practitioner which range from positive feelings to tangible outcomes such as reductions in time taken off work.