On Saturday, 13 June 2026, the BDA Benevolent Fund held a virtual meeting of its Advisory Council to discuss the Board’s proposal to incorporate the Charity.
The meeting, chaired by Co-Chairs Molly Deykin and Shafaq Hussain, brought together supporters and stakeholders to learn more about the proposal and discuss the potential implications of establishing a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) to continue the BDA Benevolent Fund’s work.
Opening the meeting, Molly Deykin welcomed attendees. She outlined the purpose of the session – to provide an opportunity for participants to learn more about the proposed incorporation, understand the Board’s rationale, and ask questions ahead of the proposal being presented to members.
Laura Hannon, Chief Executive, then delivered a presentation explaining the rationale for the proposal and the key considerations behind the Board’s recommendation. This included an overview of the proposed CIO structure, the reasons why the Board believes incorporation is appropriate at this time, and an explanation of what would change and what would remain the same should the proposal proceed.
During the discussion, a question was raised regarding the British Dental Association’s position on the proposal and whether the Charity would continue to have access to the membership information required to administer its membership arrangements.
Martin Woodrow, Chief Executive of the British Dental Association, confirmed the BDA’s support for the proposal and advised that the Charity would continue to receive the information required to administer its membership arrangements. He explained that this would operate in a similar way to the permissions currently provided to other BDA partners, including the British Dental Journal and Lloyd & Whyte.
Under Any Other Business, Co-Chair Shafaq Hussain highlighted that the Charity will shortly be launching a trustee recruitment process. Three trustee positions will be available for election by members at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting, and supporters were encouraged to look out for further information in the coming weeks.
Closing the meeting, Shafaq Hussain thanked attendees for their participation and contributions. She noted that the purpose of the session was to provide an opportunity for supporters and stakeholders to understand the proposal and raise any questions ahead of the AGM.
The Board would like to thank everyone who attended the meeting. We are grateful for the continued support and engagement of our supporters and stakeholders.
The proposal will now continue through the Charity’s governance process and will be presented to members for consideration at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting. Members will receive formal AGM documentation in due course and are encouraged to participate in the AGM and upcoming trustee elections.
