{{Short description|British charity leader}} {{Use British English |date=December 2024 }} {{Use dmy dates |date=December 2024 }} {{Infobox person | name = Elizabeth Balgobin | birth_date = 24 April 1965 | birth_place = Skeldon, Guiana, United Kingdom | death_date = {{death date and given age|2024|3|8|58}} | occupation = Charity leader }}
'''Elizabeth Balgobin''' (24 April 1965 – 8 March 2024) was a British charity governance specialist, who held multiple senior roles in voluntary sector organisations throughout her career. She was chief executive officer of Blackliners, the UK's first organisation for Black people affected by HIV and AIDS. Posthumously, she was named an honorary trustee of the National Emergencies Trust to recognise her contributions to its success.
== Career == Balgobin's career in the charity sector began inadvertently volunteering for Amnesty International.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2023-10-23 |title=Cause & Effect: Elizabeth Balgobin |url=https://causeandeffect.medium.com/cause-effect-elizabeth-balgobin-31e2bb3d8e73 |access-date=2024-11-30 |publisher=Hope |language=en |via=Medium |archive-date=13 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250413170711/https://causeandeffect.medium.com/cause-effect-elizabeth-balgobin-31e2bb3d8e73 |url-status=live }}</ref> Her first paid role was for the housing association Clarion.<ref name=":2" /> For the last 20 years of her career she held a range of senior roles: she was chief executive officer of Blackliners, the UK's first organisation for Black people affected by HIV and AIDS.<ref>{{Cite tweet |last=Thompson |first=Marc |author-link= |user=marct_01 |number=1767592363893969144 |title=So sad to hear the news that Elizabeth Balgobin has passed away. In the 90s she was CEO of Blackliners, the UK's first org for Black people affected by HIV. She was a true champion of Black and brown communities and women in the darkest days of the epidemic. |language=en |date=2024-03-12 |access-date=2024-11-30 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240315175022/https://twitter.com/marct_01/status/1767592363893969144 |archive-date=2024-03-15 }}</ref> In 2007, she was CEO of London Voluntary Service Council.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=2007-11-14 |title=Elizabeth Balgobin |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2007/nov/14/guardiansocietysupplement.mentalhealth3 |access-date=2024-11-30 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> She was the founding chairperson at Voice4Change England and had worked as a grant officer at BBC Children in Need.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Elizabeth Balgobin |publisher=National Emergencies Trust |url=https://nationalemergenciestrust.org.uk/elizabeth-balgobin/ |access-date=2024-11-30 |language=en |archive-date=29 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241129223631/https://nationalemergenciestrust.org.uk/elizabeth-balgobin/ |url-status=live }}</ref> She was a former Head of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion at the Chartered Institute of Fundraising.<ref name=":0" /> She was a trustee of National Emergencies Trust,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ricketts |first=Andy |title=Tributes paid to ‘inspirational’ Elizabeth Balgobin, who has died at 58 |url=https://www.thirdsector.co.uk/tributes-paid-inspirational-elizabeth-balgobin-died-58/small-charities/article/1864719 |access-date=2024-11-30 |work=Third Sector |language=en |archive-date=2 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241202012552/https://www.thirdsector.co.uk/tributes-paid-inspirational-elizabeth-balgobin-died-58/small-charities/article/1864719 |url-status=live }}</ref> and was also a life coach.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Speaker profile: Elizabeth Balgobin |url=https://www.charitytimes.com/leadershipforum/balgobin.php |access-date=2024-11-30 |work=Charity Times |archive-date=30 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241130230054/https://www.charitytimes.com/leadershipforum/balgobin.php |url-status=live }}</ref> At the time of her death, she was CEO of the Bowlby Centre, a mental health charity.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Remembering Elizabeth Balgobin, our Trustee and friend |url=https://nationalemergenciestrust.org.uk/remembering-elizabeth-balgobin/ |access-date=2024-11-30 |publisher=National Emergencies Trust |language=en}}</ref> She died on 8 March 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tributes paid to Elizabeth Balgobin – ‘passionate advocate for social justice’ |url=https://www.civilsociety.co.uk/news/tributes-paid-to-elizabeth-balgobin-passionate-advocate-for-social-justice.html |access-date=2024-11-30 |work=Civil Society |archive-date=2 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241202001055/https://www.civilsociety.co.uk/news/tributes-paid-to-elizabeth-balgobin-passionate-advocate-for-social-justice.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Posthumously, she was named an honorary trustee of the National Emergencies Trust to recognise her contributions to its success.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Deamer |first=Lanna |date=2024-07-12 |title=National Emergencies Trust appoints four new trustees |url=https://emergencyservicestimes.com/2024/07/12/national-emergencies-trust-appoints-four-new-trustees/ |access-date=2024-11-30 |work=Emergency Services Times |language=en-GB |archive-date=1 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241201215737/https://emergencyservicestimes.com/2024/07/12/national-emergencies-trust-appoints-four-new-trustees/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
== Personal life == Balgobin had experienced homelessness as child,<ref name=":2" /> and survived a teenage suicide attempt.<ref name=":1" />
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{cite news |url=https://www.onlondon.co.uk/elizabeth-balgobin-peter-lewis-the-response-to-the-pandemic-has-shown-how-well-londons-mayors-and-its-voluntary-sector-can-work-together/ |title=The response to the pandemic has shown how well London’s Mayor and its voluntary sector can work together |first1=Elizabeth |last1=Balgobin |author2=Peter Lewis |work=On London |date=1 March 2021 }} * {{cite news |url=https://www.civilsociety.co.uk/voices/elizabeth-balgobin-covid-19-will-make-or-break-us-as-leaders-and-as-a-society.html |title=Covid-19 will make or break us, as leaders and as a society |first1=Elizabeth |last1=Balgobin |work=Civil Society |date=20 March 2020 }} * {{cite podcast |url=https://goodpods.com/podcasts/bta-charity-voices-272401/the-moments-of-my-career-with-elizabeth-balgobin-32872869 |title=The Moments of My Career with Elizabeth Balgobin |website=BTA Charity Voices |publisher= |host= |date=12 August 2022 |time= |access-date= }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Balgobin, Elizabeth}} Category:1965 births Category:2024 deaths Category:British charity and campaign group workers Category:Deputy lieutenants of Greater London