GambleAware has announced its plans for closure and after the departure of current CEO Zoe Osmond it will be Anna Hargrave who will step up from 30th September to oversee the charity’s closure.
Hargrave will guide the day-to-day running of the charity and follow on with the wind-down before closure. Earlier in the year it was revealed that GambleAware would be closing by March of next year with its work moving over to the UK Government. With the new statutory levy being introduced this year it meant that the responsibility of gambling harm now sat with the government commissioners across Great Britain.
The Charity confirmed that the appointment of Hargrave marks a shift in the focus from a long term plan to a closure making sure the transition goes smoothly.
Andy Boucher from the Chair of Trustees, thanked Osmond for her leadership and welcomed Hargrave into the new role at the organisation.
“The next few months are all about delivery and legacy. I’m confident that under Anna’s leadership we’ll achieve a positive ending for the charity and ensure a smooth handover into the new system.”
New CEO Is A Familiar Face At GambleAware
Hargrave isn’t a new face to the organisation, she joined the charity back in 2021 as chief commissioning and strategy officer and then progressed to the deputy CEO. Before she held senior roles in the NHS which included strategy and transformation roles in South Warwickshire.
Speaking to the new CEO, Hargrave said “
Looking ahead to her new responsibilities, Hargrave said “The coming months are critical for making sure the transition runs smoothly. I’m looking forward to working closely with the new commissioners so they can build on the progress we’ve already made.”
Time To Say Goodbye to Zoë Osmond
Osmond has left GambleAware after seven years with the last three of those being the CEO. During her time in the role she was involved in some big changes which included the decommissioning of the National Gambling Support Network.
When we spoke to her about her time at the charity she said:
“It’s been a privilege to lead GambleAware. I’m proud of how we’ve put the voices of people with lived experience at the heart of our work and helped frame gambling harms as a public health issue. Few charities get to say they’ve achieved their founding mission, but GambleAware has played a key role in shaping what comes next. I’m delighted Anna will now take things forward.”