Steve Allman ran a team building workshop for our charity’s small team of 7 people.  The day was really interactive and we all came away feeling really positive about our achievements over the last 12 months, and our plans for the future.  I’d highly recommend Steve to charities who want someone with lots of knowledge of the charity sector and the ability to lead productive and enjoyable workshops.

Emily Linnemann, Executive Director, Association of British Neurologists

Steve delivered two sessions for us at our NHS Charities Together national conference; one on Terrific Terminology and one on Marvellous Methodology.  Feedback from attendees was particularly positive on the Terrific Terminology session. 

Steve really engaged the room, pitching the session at the right level, and managing to get a lot of information across in a short space of time – with a good level of humour and a confident, relaxed style.

The planning and development process wasn’t without its challenges, but Steve turned up and delivered, creating a good foundation for further conversations on impact!  I am looking forward to working together on a webinar later in the year.

Amy Woolger, Head of Evaluation, Learning & Insights, NHS Charities Together

Steve facilitated our board away day at North Kent Mind.  He delivered a dynamic, entertaining and thought-provoking day.  Steve gave his time before, during and after the day.  I felt it was of excellent value and our board came away with concrete actions and plans.  His facilitation is first class and Steve is a very likeable, approachable consultant, who makes people at all levels feel at ease.

Lindsey Stukalov-Stone, Chair, North Kent Mind

We had the most fabulous Governance Workshop with Steve Allman. He encouraged creativity, banter (if you know us, you know that’s helpful!) talking, flow and best of all drawing!

If you haven’t looked into Steve honestly go and follow him and if you need his amazing service I would encourage everyone to book him now! As funny in real life as he is on here but really gets to the nitty gritty and has a way of explaining things so you can actually understand it!

Coffee4Craig have a relatively new board so it was lovely to get together and really look at any issues and how we start the ball rolling. Me and Hendrix Lancaster are really looking forward to working with the board and hopefully more with Steve Allman.

Risha Lancaster, General Manager / Co-Founder, Coffee4Craig

I’ve had the privilege of working with Steve on numerous occasions through my role at Home-Start in Suffolk, and I can confidently say he is exceptional at what he does.  Whether it’s refining our strategy, developing our team through coaching, or enhancing our governance, Steve has consistently brought his deep knowledge and experience to the table. What truly sets him apart is his uncanny ability to understand how individuals tick, enabling him to deliver a bespoke, person-centred approach that drives real outcomes.

I’ve long admired Steve’s LinkedIn posts and his great sense of humour, so when we had the opportunity to host our inaugural volunteer conference, I knew immediately who I wanted as the keynote speaker. Steve did not disappoint. He delivered with clarity, seamlessly weaving real-life examples with facts and figures, all underscored by his signature wit and raw authenticity. He had the room laughing, engaged, and deeply motivated- no mean feat for 9.30 am on a cold, wet morning in October.  But don’t just take my word for it—our volunteers scored Steve’s keynote 100% in their feedback! Here’s what some of them had to say:

“I really liked what Steve Allman said and think I could use it to convince friends and family to volunteer. It was great that he had been a volunteer himself, so he really knew what he was talking about, which made it all the more relevant.”

“Steve Allman was excellent. Sometimes I feel like a fraud because I don’t volunteer as much as others, but he made me feel valued no matter how much I do.”

“A very motivational speaker.”

“It was uplifting, and I felt truly valued.”

Steve is a true expert, a motivator, and a joy to work with. I highly recommend him to anyone looking for top-notch strategic insight, coaching, or speaking engagements, just make sure you have decent biscuits available otherwise you might find yourself as the feature in one of his future Linkedin posts!

Tara Spence, CEO, Home-Start in Suffolk

Steve facilitated a charity development day for our small NHS charity. It was a first for us and we were all amazed at how much we achieved in just half a day! It was invaluable to have an outside perspective to draw out conversations and perspectives from the group. Steve worked brilliantly with all the attendees who represented a broad range of roles from within the charity and from the NHS Trust. Our aim by the end of the session was to have worked our way to an agreed Vision for the Charity, which we did! I would highly recommend Steve, we found the day very valuable, energising and have used our feedback report as a jumping off point for further development.

Sophie Burt, Head of Fundraising & Community Development, Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Charity

Steve Allman delivered a fantastic interactive Strategy Workshop for our charity. It was engaging, illuminating and inspiring. I’d have no hesitation in asking Steve to work with me again.

I believe that connection with a cause and the person is key to building trust, and that trust is key to ensuring the message lands and resonates with the audience. If you believe this too, then Steve is your man! His generosity in sharing his story, his sensitivity and kindness which stem from having walked in the shoes of many of us and his less than traditional approach make him an impactful and engaging keynote speaker and more!

Matthew Fellows, Chief Executive, St Michael’s Hospice (Hereford)

I have had the privilege of being coached by Steve for a year now and can’t recommend him enough. He has helped me grow both in terms of knowledge and leadership. What I like, besides his humour and love of biscuits, is that he offers a real supportive space for reflection while offering real, practical tools that have impact. He cuts through the “crap” and asks insightful questions which helps me to reflect and think. It is because of this I asked him to run some leadership workshops for our management team, and he has helped to bring us all onto the same page and get us working more effectively together.  Diolch Steve!

Vicky Friis, Chief Executive Officer, Vale Domestic Abuse Services

Steve worked with us recently as a facilitator on our Learn, Test, Change series for local trustees. 

I find Steve so thoughtful and curious, just as you’d hope a great facilitator to be – he really wants to get the best from working together. 

Steve’s knowledge of our work and the wider sector helped greatly and he brought a sense of perspective and humour to some difficult circumstances. I look forward to when we can work together again.

Alan Webb, Assistant Director, Home-Start UK

Steve gave a presentation on Working Together at a recent Stronger Kent Communities event.  He was engaging, funny and very informative – he gave loads of good ideas for people to take away. I’d definitely recommend him.

Sue Tucker, Operations Manager, Stronger Kent Communities

Steve Allman ran an in-person workshop with our charity’s Trustee group to progress and support our governance review work. The session was tailored to our small charity and offered us practical steps for the future direction of our improvement programme.

Steve’s style, delivery and expertise was utterly brilliant – engaging, interesting and no death by PowerPoint. The feedback from the Trustees has been really great and the actions from the workshop have moved us further towards our goals both for the governance of the charity, but also for the ambitions of charity long-term; it’s helped us be more effective in our work supporting children and their families in hospital.

I can’t recommend Steve Allman enough – thank you for helping us be better.

I recently had the pleasure of working with Steve Allman for our charity team’s away day, and the experience was truly exceptional. Steve’s refreshingly ‘analog’ approach—avoiding PowerPoint in favour of flip-charts, the universally loved post-it notes, and meaningful face-to-face interaction—created an environment where genuine collaboration flourished.

What impressed me most was Steve’s ability to maintain high energy throughout the session with his adaptable facilitation style and dynamic pacing. His extensive knowledge of NHS charities and their unique challenges was evident throughout the day, allowing him to tailor activities specifically to our context and needs.

Every team member remained fully engaged as we tackled problem-solving exercises, mapped out our vision, and developed greater self-awareness. Steve’s understanding of the healthcare charity sector helped us address our specific challenges with relevant, practical solutions.

The impact of Steve’s work extended well beyond the day itself. Our team left with valuable insights to reflect upon and, more importantly, actionable steps to implement. I highly recommend Steve to any organization, particularly those in the NHS charity sector, looking for a facilitator who can deliver meaningful results through authentic engagement.

Steve’s training at our away day for The Cowshed Charity was an incredible experience.  

His humour, unique ideas, friendliness, and ability to make us think outside the box left a lasting impact on our team. 

Steve created an enjoyable and inclusive environment that empowered us to embrace our strengths and explore new possibilities. 

We are immensely grateful for his exceptional guidance and highly recommend him for transformative training experiences.

Sally Russell, CEO, The Cowshed Charity

Steve Allman provided a valuable and impactful training day for We Too! SC045895. His friendly and warm style helped alleviate the team’s anxiety, enabling them to focus on the workshop tasks and achieve the objectives efficiently.

The abundance of usable information generated during the workshop empowered the Board of Trustees to strategize and address organisational challenges effectively.

Moreover, the realisation of the organisation’s achievements and impact, despite its size, serves as a testament to the effectiveness of Steve’s approach in fostering a positive and empowering environment.

I would positively recommend Steve’s services to help teams maximize their potential and celebrate their successes.

Tori Chamberlain, Chair, We Too!

Steve has a superb knowledge of all aspects of the charity sector all the way through from volunteering to Chairing the Board of Trustees. 

He is generous with sharing his knowledge and expertise and does so in such a way that you really remember what he says – and the humour that accompanies it.

Steve has just led a strategy development session for us and in a short space of time enabled us to see so many aspects and make decisions that no amount of work over the previous 8 months had achieved. 

Thanks, Steve, you are thoroughly recommended!

Karen Wilson DL, Chief Executive, Greater Manchester Youth Federation

Steve Allman recently delivered an excellent second workshop for Greater Manchester Youth Federation. He is a fantastic facilitator and brought a great deal of experience, warmth and humour to our discussions. He knows when to challenge, when to encourage and when to have a break for a well-earned cuppa!

Steve is really enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the charity sector and is great at reading the room and getting the best out of people. Thanks Steve for your support, it was very much appreciated by all who attended.

Helen Robinson, Chair, Greater Manchester Youth Federation

Steve ran a great session on internal values and behaviour at our recent staff residential. He was highly professional and very personable from our first point of contact. He listened to what I thought we needed as an organisation, gave suggestions and guidance and shaped the session to achieve our desired outcomes. The session was relaxed, well-planned and extremely productive. Steve managed the room really well, keeping all 55 team members engaged (and smiling) during the 3-hour session. Feedback from staff has been very positive. I would definitely recommend Steve to other charities.

Kate Steele, Chief Executive, SHINE

No death from powerpoint here! I contacted Steve to hold a workshop between our Board of trustees and staff, to get them to engage with one another and discuss the key factors in our organisation and our strategy. This workshop was held after our AGM so I was slightly worried that we would be a long time sat down and spoken to.

I needn’t have worried as Steve put everyone at ease, engaging with each team member through humour and keeping the conversation and ideas going through an interactive workshop. Sweets, flip charts, coloured pens and fidget toys, Steve won my team over, provided us with an opportunity to interact with each other in an informal way.

Steve has left us with a set of actionable next steps, along with all our ideas and ‘brain dumps’ from the day on PDFs for us to return to as a team. I highly recommend Steve, he delivered a workshop that was fun, engaging and above all he knew his stuff, having past experience of the Charity sector really shone through. We will be getting Steve back again for our next workshop.

Sabiene North, CEO, Be Free Young Carers

I worked with Steve in his capacity as a facilitator for Home-Start UK.  The work took place over 3 months and had a focus on trustee, governance and succession planning.  

Steve supported the structure of the work-plan and supported participants in the main group and breakout groups.  He made suggestions and proposed ideas to aid conversations and discussions and was at all times flexible when participants had issues they need to explore in-depth.

Steve has an in-depth understanding of the charity sector and of Home-Start.  At all times Steve was personable, accessible, flexible and professional and I would recommend him for similar work.

Tracey Simpson-Laing, Chief Executive, Home-Start Leeds

Steve sat on a panel at a Getting on Board discussion on “Boards behaving badly”. He was funny, hard-hitting, perceptive and entertaining! He has a lovely way of always being the person to cut through the noise and point out how the people involved with charities can do better.

Penny Wilson, Chief Executive, Getting On Board

Steve ran a really engaging Governance Workshop for our Trustees at Home-Start in Suffolk. We left the day refreshed, re-invigorated and with a plan of action – just what we needed. 

Sometimes a Board of Trustees needs to step away from the usual routine to think and work together. This was a perfect blend of personal thinking time, team activities, teamwork and ultimately establishing a way forward. I heartily recommend Steve.

Rob Thacker, Chair, Home-Start in Suffolk

Steve kicked off our first-ever event, and it’s safe to say it was an overwhelming success! His talk on “How to Navigate the Minefield of Charity Leadership” was not only engaging but also provided great insights, offering valuable takeaways to our attendees.

Despite the event being virtual, Steve’s presence and energy made it just as engaging as an in-person event, and he had us all laughing at his jokes!

The communication process throughout was seamless, a refreshing change from the challenges often faced when organising and liaising with speakers, and he promptly posted a write-up of his talk on our website.

The feedback we received from his talk was amazing, and I can’t think of a better speaker to have launched our events. I thoroughly enjoyed working with Steve and recommend him to my colleagues every chance I get!

Ocean King, Community Executive, CharityJob

If your charity’s looking for standard, text book, copy and paste training….scroll on, that’s not what Steve Allman delivers. Steve delivers bespoke, insightful, powerful sessions and workshops to suit your needs

If you are a trustee or a frustrated CEO or SLT member and are looking for something unique, insightful, fun (yes really, training can be fun) and bespoke training, then Steve Allman is the guy for you.

Our charity needed a refresh, we had new trustees, new ideas and lots of enthusiasm but needed sitting down in a room and herding up to properly formulate this in a meaningful way. Steve did that!

His knowledge is vast, his humour is quick and he has the perfect balance of support, guidance and challenge to move people into new ways of thinking and to help get the best out of each one of you in the room.

If charities need refocusing, refreshing or reminding them of why they are doing the ‘stuff’ they do then Steve is the guy. If you want to take your team on a journey with you to achieve success together as a team, then Steve is the guy to facilitate, I recommend you get in touch and start the conversation to see where he can help, you won’t regret it.

When I first approached Steve Allman, I knew we needed support with our management and leadership team but wasn’t sure where to start. Steve talked me through the (very!) wide variety of services he could offer and made some recommendations on what could work for our Charity that came well within our training budget.

There was absolutely no pressure from Steve throughout the scoping process and after following him on LinkedIn, it was quite clear he was the person for the job with his extensive Charity background and varied leadership journeys.

We had a diagnostic workshop with 2 follow up workshops to deliver on what he had discovered about us as a group and as individuals. You can’t get more bespoke than that!

Steve’s no PowerPoints approach was refreshing and created an open forum of ideas being exchanged in a way I’ve rarely seen on leadership workshops before.

Steve’s workshops have brought us closer as a leadership team, allowed us to have a better understanding of each others personalities in an extremely engaging few sessions. His approach has definitely made me think twice about how we deliver our messages and projects internally especially when trying to initiate some more cultural changes.

A huge thank you to Steve Allman for his expertise and inspiration of changing up some of our delivery.

Gemma Bradley, Head of Operations, Trading & Governance, The Children’s Hospital Charity, Sheffield

We really enjoyed our Values Workshop with Steve, he’s a brilliant facilitator and trainer.

Not only was it fun with amazing colourful sticky notes, pens and string but it felt as if everyone’s views and, most importantly, values were listened to and validated.  That’s no mean feat with such a large group and range of people!

This is what I was really keen to achieve when briefing Steve and I really felt like he spent the time listening to me.  The other great thing is that he adapted his plan on the day to meet the additional needs within the group, so we really appreciated that.

I highly recommend Steve and look forward to working with him again soon.

Amy Griffiths, Chief Executive, Citizens Advice Diss & Thetford

Steve nailed our team away day today. He listened to the brief, developed a great session plan which was engaging and fun and he managed the energy and pace brilliantly. It’s Steve’s experience in the charity sector (he’s been there and got the t-shirt) coupled with his fun and engaging style that made him a perfect fit for us. If you’ve over away days that feel like PowerPoint overload or where you’re expected to build a life raft out of two pencils and a paper clip, then I’d highly recommend a conversation with Steve, you won’t be disappointed.

Emma Clarke, CEO, Weston Park Cancer Charity

We recently worked with Steve to explore our ethical framework for fundraising and investment. It’s a potentially challenging topic so I felt a little trepidation but Steve immediately put me at ease.

After introducing the work to the Board he followed up with individual calls with each Trustee to explore their personal perspectives before facilitating a half day workshop to tease out any issues and develop a shared approach.

Steve’s style, use of humour and real world examples encouraged everyone to contribute, question and collaborate. He skilfully managed the workshop to help us reach a conclusion that everyone was comfortable with and both staff and Trustees enjoyed it.

Steve’s report was a focussed summary of what we’d agreed and we are now using it to build our policies and processes. He was a dream to work with and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Steve.

Kat Lee, CEO, Family Holiday Charity

Steve Allman facilitated our Strategic Away Day in December 2023 at a time where the organisation had faced some real challenges across its governance and finance.

The focus was tailored entirely to our needs and Steve brought a sense of calm, focus and fun to the day which allowed us to critically think about our vision for the remainder of our new strategic plan.

His facilitation style, in my opinion, really suited the room where we have incredibly dedicated and passionate trustees who can often veer of course in conversation. Steve allowed for this discussion time, but kept us on track so that we let’s the day coming out of it with what we had hoped for.

Steve offered very honest feedback after the session and concluded our outcomes to revisit in our 2024 board meetings which was very useful. I can’t recommend Steve enough for any away day facilitation. 5 stars from me!

Ryan Beasley, Executive Director, BELMAS

Steve Allman ran a Saturday session for Survivors UK charity trustees. Steve was an excellent facilitator, building a good rapport and was both well prepared and adaptable. He was good at drawing out points and making us work through trickier issues during the day. He draws on a wide and deep understanding of the third sector to provide support and challenege. Steve provided a clear and comprehensive write up after the session which has been very beneficial for our on-going board work. I can thoroughly recommend Steve.