REACT Announces Rapid Response Fund as New Chair Takes the Helm
Posted by Laura Butlin 02nd December 2025 News Fundraising
Estimated Reading Time: 3 mins
Last night, REACT brought together partners, supporters, Responders and long-standing friends of the charity for an evening that marked both a major milestone and an important new chapter.
As REACT enters its tenth year, the charity announced its new Rapid Response Fund, a readiness fund designed to ensure trained Responders can deploy within hours, not days, when sudden-onset emergencies strike.
The event was hosted by Sidley Austin LLP in London and attended by leaders from across the humanitarian, resilience and voluntary sectors. Guests heard directly from Responders who have worked in the UK and internationally, and from partners who champion readiness as a vital part of emergency response.
Responder Lizzie Stileman spoke about her experiences responding to both UK and international disasters.
A Fund Designed for Speed, Readiness and Impact
The new Rapid Response Fund strengthens REACT’s ability to reach communities faster during storms, floods, earthquakes and other sudden-onset emergencies. With the Fund in place, REACT can deploy without waiting for appeals or approvals, an issue that currently slows down many emergency responses across the sector.
Robyn Knox MBE, Director at VCS Emergencies Partnership, captured its importance clearly: “REACT are just the most reliable and most relied upon organisation.”
The Rapid Response Fund ensures REACT can:
- Deploy trained Responders within hours
- Support partners on the ground the moment help is needed
- Maintain 24/7 operational readiness
- Sustain award-winning volunteer training and specialist capability
REACT CEO Toby Wicks described the Fund as a pivotal turning point:
“This is such an exciting and fundamental vehicle for REACT. It’s on the critical path, a readiness fund that gives us the ability to deploy with no regrets and reach affected communities at pace, bringing support when and where it’s most needed.”
The Rapid Response Fund is supported by Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) as a principal partner in its inaugural year, with Festival Medical Services and other long-standing supporters strengthening its foundation.
New REACT Chair General Sir Charlie Stickland talks to Allan Johnson and guests at the event.
A Special Message from the BBC’s Nick Knowles
Nick Knowles, Presenter of BBC’s DIY SOS, sent a message celebrating the milestone and acknowledging the close relationship between REACT and the show.
“I just wanted to congratulate General Sir Nick Parker on his tenure at REACT and welcome the new Chair. Over the last decade or so, we at DIY SOS have enjoyed a symbiotic relationship working with the charity, they organised our huge number of volunteers and used it as a training exercise in managing volunteers before heading out to locations around the world where you do the same alongside specialists in the great work you do. I look forward to continuing our work together with REACT in communities across the UK.”
Marking a Change in Leadership
The evening also marked the handover of the role of Chair of the Board of Trustees from General Sir Nick Parker KCB CBE DL to Lieutenant General Sir Charlie Stickland KCB OBE.
Sir Nick has played a central role in shaping REACT since its early years, providing steady leadership through some of the charity’s most complex and high-impact deployments. The event offered an opportunity to thank him publicly for his service, commitment and guidance.
Sir Charlie Stickland now steps into the role at a pivotal time, bringing extensive operational experience and a deep understanding of crisis response and resilience. His leadership will help steer REACT into its next decade of impact.
Looking Ahead: Strengthening UK and International Readiness
Over the past ten years, REACT has supported more than two million people affected by crises, from UK floods and storms to earthquakes, hurricanes and humanitarian emergencies overseas.
The Rapid Response Fund ensures REACT can build on that track record with even greater agility. It supports:
- Rapid deployment
- Early situational awareness
- Surge capacity for local responders
- Specialist water and flood capabilities
- Training and maintaining a highly skilled volunteer force
As climate risks grow and emergencies become more frequent, REACT’s ability to move fast, on its own terms, has never been more important.
Become a Founding Partner
REACT is now welcoming founding partners to help shape the Rapid Response Fund in its first year. To find out more or explore partnership opportunities, please contact:
Naomi Edler, Director of Partnerships: [email protected]