With extensive experience in the charity sector and a passion for supporting children, Sarah Woods has worked across a number of communications, fundraising and strategic roles at similar organisations. Woods will join the charity from Starlight Children’s Foundation where she is Director of Fundraising & Marketing.

Woods’ key achievements within her current role include rebranding Starlight which saw the charity grow substantially to over 2 million service touchpoints a year. Sarah, who lives in Epsom, Surrey, also holds a voluntary position as a Trustee at Age Concern, where she has a specific responsibility for fundraising.

Joining Momentum at the beginning of May, Sarah Woods will replace Founder and CEO, Bianca Effemey OBE, who established the charity in 2004. Sarah will be based at the charity’s offices in East Molesey, Surrey.

Talking about her new position, Sarah Woods said: “I am deeply honoured to accept the role of CEO at Momentum Children’s Charity. Following in the footsteps of Bianca Effemey, whose leadership over the past 21 years has been nothing short of extraordinary, I am committed to continuing the incredible work she has built.

Sarah Woods continued: “Momentum’s mission to support children and families facing cancer or life-challenging conditions is one that resonates profoundly with me, and I am excited to lead this incredible organisation as we remain a steadfast source of care, compassion, and strength. No family should ever have to face these challenges alone, and I look forward to leading this vital work forward for as long as we are needed.”

Momentum supports families across Sussex, London and Surrey whose children are facing cancer or a life-challenging condition, offering personally tailored support to the entire family through their family support workers, both in hospital and at home.   Momentum has grown significantly over the last 21 years, expanding their reach and impact across the hospitals and communities they work with. Today, the charity supports more than 400 families who have a seriously ill child. If the unthinkable happens, and a child dies, Momentum has a specialist bereavement service called Echoes, which currently supports more than 150 families.

Graham Smith, Chair of Trustees at Momentum Children’s Charity said: “We are delighted to welcome Sarah Woods to Momentum Children’s Charity. Her experience and passion will be invaluable as we continue to support families facing some of the toughest challenges, and as the charity continues to grow.”

Graham Smith continued: “I would also like to take this opportunity to express our heartfelt gratitude to Bianca Effemey for all that she has done for Momentum. Her exceptional leadership and unwavering commitment to the charity will continue to inspire us all as we move into this next phase.”

Bianca Effemey OBE is entering retirement but will remain part of Momentum Children’s Charity as Founder and lifelong President.

To find out more about the work of Momentum Children’s Charity, please visit www.momentumcharity.org

Notes to Editors:

Momentum Children’s Charity supports families across London, Surrey and Sussex whose children are facing cancer or a life-challenging condition. We partner with local hospitals to offer personally tailored support to the entire family through our family support workers, both in hospital and at home. Our services include counselling, creative therapies, special experiences, and respite breaks. If the unthinkable happens, and a child dies, we offer specialist bereavement support. The charity receives no government funding and is reliant entirely on voluntary support. 

Founded in 2004, Momentum Children’s Charity was started when Bianca Effemey OBE was working as a receptionist on the Paediatrics Ward at Kingston Hospital. Side effects of chemotherapy treatment can be very painful and she became aware of the impact they were having on young cancer patients. It became her mission to get white goods donated to the hospital which could be kept full of refreshments, providing some relief to children suffering with mouth ulcers caused by chemotherapy. Momentum has grown from a very small charity to now supporting over 2,000 individuals across 583 families in 2023/24. This includes 419 families with children in active treatment and 164 bereaved families.

If you are interested in learning more about the work Momentum does, seeing the roles they are currently recruiting for or would like to get involved by attending an event, volunteering or making a donation please visit www.momentumcharity.org

www.momentumcharity.org Registered charity number: 1195373

For more information about Momentum and future press opportunities, please contact:  Claire Smith, PR and Communications Officer: clairesmith@momentumcharity.org  /  0208 974 5931