Changes at the top for Restorative Solutions

At the Restorative Solutions CIC board meeting on 1 st May 2018 Sir Charles Pollard QPM
stepped down as the Chair of the company. Sir Charles pioneered and developed a model
for Restorative Justice in policing whilst he was the Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police,
and founded Restorative Solutions with Nigel Whiskin MBE in 2004. Restorative Solutions
(RS) was formed by well-planned lobbying and influencing Governments, seeking funding for
Restorative Justice (RJ) and developing new and exciting models for restorative approaches
in criminal justice and elsewhere. Through Sir Charles’ leadership, dynamism, tenacity and
courage, he developed an organisation which can rightly call itself the ‘go to organisation for
RJ’.

Sir Charles is not leaving Restorative Solutions, as he will continue to contribute to the work
we do as Honorary President and will retain a seat on the Board as a Non-Executive
Director, where his experience and input will be of significant value as the organisation
continues to develop and grow.

Sir Charles said; “It has been a challenging 12 years as Chairman of RS and a great feeling to
have successfully led and developed the organisation, with the support of colleagues, over
all these years. I have always been proud of the ‘can do’, innovative ethos we have
succeeded in building and sustaining with our top-quality staff, all with the belief in the
power of restorative approaches to change lives for the better. RS still has some way to go
in further improving and spreading the restorative approach in the CJS and schools, whilst
also building on new areas of work. I wish you all good fortune and thank all our RS
directors, managers and staff for their commitment to the values of RJ/RA, and their
determination and hard work to break through barriers that are often put in our way by
those who do not understand the value of the restorative approach. I particularly thank our
visionary, innovative Chief Executive Gary Stephenson and wish him every success in his
new role. I also thank all our partner organisations, and particularly our generous funders
and the wider RJ/RA community, for their support over these years.”
Sir Charles will be succeeded by the current Chief Executive, Gary Stephenson, who will
become the Executive Chair.

Gary said, “It is impossible to replace such a great and inspirational person as Sir Charles.
Thankfully, he is staying with Restorative Solutions to assist in steering and guiding the
organisation. I am sure that when Sir Charles and Nigel Whiskin set up the Company in
Nigel’s kitchen, they would never envisage the success and impact Restorative Solutions
would make. We aim to continue that winning and positive attitude well into the future.”