My role

As someone with extensive experience of working with national and international charities, I advise on restructures, mergers and internal governance. Often working alongside boards and chief executives, I advise and mentor them through difficult changes aiming to make them as simple and as positive as possible.

I have a particular responsibility for charities, including churches, with a Christian foundation, and also regularly work with health and social care charities and those working in the arts, such as theatres. I am also responsible for Anthony Collins Solicitors trainees, ensuring that the training they receive with the firm is of the highest possible standard, as well as being enjoyable and challenging.

My experience

I have extensive experience of advising and establishing all types of charities - unincorporated, trusts, charitable companies limited by guarantee, charitable incorporated organisations etc. On a regular basis I deal with asset transfers; establishing trading subsidiaries and social enterprise companies; group structures; advising on payment of trustees; contracts; grant agreements; and liaising with the Charity Commission concerning all aspects of charity regulation. This includes registration, serious incident reporting, altering charitable objects, and charity investigations. I enjoy training trustees on their duties and potential liabilities.

My passion is to help faith-based charities achieve their goals and vision. Doing so, I am also a member of the Ecclesiastical Law Society, and am married to the pastor of a black majority church in Handsworth, Birmingham.

‘The whole team is outstanding. Edwina Turner is technically superb, immensely experienced and has excellent client handling skills – she is a real person of integrity.’ Legal 500, 2021


My specialisms

  • Charity governance structures
  • Mergers and take overs
  • Asset transfers
  • Contracts and trading
  • Grant agreements
I have been recognised for the work I do
See the rest of our awards

Blog

My latest articles

Kids Company: Encouragement for charity directors and trustees

The case was brought by the Official Receiver who sought disqualification orders under section 6 of the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 (CDDA 1986) against the seven trustees of Kids Company and its CEO. It illustrates well the tension between the role of a fulltime paid CEO of a large charity and the role of its board as voluntary trustees/directors.

Charities fortnightly round-up 22
Charities fortnightly round-up 22

Charity Financials, the financial information program from Wilmington Charities, has published its latest Income Monitor report.

Charities weekly round-up - 7
Charities weekly round-up - 7

As we make our first tentative steps out of strict lockdown, many of us have been thinking about what the future will look like for charities, both in the short and long term.

Charities weekly round-up - 2
Charities weekly round-up - 2

There was some good news as the Chancellor unveiled a £750 million package for UK charities to support them through the next few months.

The Times’ Christmas Appeal 2019
The Times’ Christmas Appeal 2019

The Times is looking for three or four charities to feature in their editions running in December 2019 and early January 2020.

Charities and mergers
Charities and mergers

To merge or not merge? That is the question. Could a merger help you to best achieve your charitable purpose? Edwina Turner explains.

Social investment for charities: too complicated or misunderstood?
Social investment for charities: too complicated or misunderstood?

So what is social investment and is it really relevant to charities especially those that do not have millions of pounds turnover? Social investment can take many forms, examples of which are: loans – interest-free/paid back with interest; an investment in exchange for shares in your organisation; social impact bonds; and yes, it can be reward-based crowdfunding.

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