20 June 2026
As we say farewell to Alison Goodman, Noah’s Ark’s Deputy CEO, after twelve years of dedicated service, we reflect on her journey and the lasting impact she has made across the charity.
From the earliest days, when the land was purchased but The Ark was still just an idea, Alison knew she wanted to work at Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice. She wrote letters and emails and was told, more than once, that they just weren’t ready and so Alison got on with her life, but she never forgot Noah’s Ark. When she saw the job of Fundraising Director advertised, she jumped at it and secured the role. Twelve years later, and now Deputy CEO, Alison has made Noah’s Ark into a reflection of herself - kind, courageous and excellent.
A Proud Moment
As Alison prepares to leave Noah’s Ark, she reflects on her proudest moment. She says: “It has to be completing the fundraising target to enable us to build The Ark.” Alison and her team spent four years, devising and implementing a range of innovative fundraising events and campaigns to raise the £10m needed to build The Ark. Alison secured the support of the local community, celebrities and major donors by doing what Alison does best – building and nurturing relationships. Construction started in 2017 with Samantha Cameron breaking ground and The Ark was opened on the 26th of September 2019 by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan. Building The Ark wasn’t always smooth sailing and Alison and her team faced significant challenges along the way. Alison explains: “We came up with some fantastic ideas of how to engage the public to raise the last £1m we needed but it was hard to get the projects off the ground as we didn’t have the same visibility as we do now. But in the end, we did it.”
In Time for Sophie
There were choirs, there were film premieres, gala dinners and no stone was left unturned. One of the most moving campaigns Alison remembers was ‘In Time for Sophie’. Sophie’s grandmother, Rose, has looked after Sophie, who has a life-limiting genetic condition, since she was little. Sophie’s brother Ben died in 2014 from the same condition and Rose wanted Sophie to have the care and comfort that wasn’t available to Ben. And “London's Crying Out for a New Children's Hospice” where she and her team handed out tissues at King's Cross to publicise the campaign. Even when things were tough, Alison never doubted that The Ark would be built. She says: “We have some incredibly loyal funders, donors and partners who always reassured me that we would be okay. That is the biggest gift you could get as a fundraising director, it’s what enables you to sleep at night. It didn't make us work any less or stop us from being ambitious, but we knew we’d be okay.”
A Team Effort
Alison, being Alison, insists that everything she has achieved has been a team effort. She says: “I haven't done any of the big things on my own. There are little things I did on my own, like the idea for the charity mascots and introducing a monthly Culture Champion but I was able to do these things because of my privileged position.” Alison has also established the Noah’s Ark on Holiday programme, which she is rightly proud of. She says: “Our Holiday Lodges are really special, and we get such fantastic feedback from families when they stay there.” Alison is also the go-to person for everyone at Noah’s Ark, from IT conundrums to dripping taps. Alison says: “Being that person means that you're constantly helping people out and solving problems and that's a great feeling. I’m going to miss being needed and wanted, which I've really felt here.”
A Lifetime Award
Alison’s critically acclaimed comedy routine, ‘State of The NACHion’, which also serves as our monthly all-staff meeting, is the highlight of the Noah’s Ark calendar. It’s also where one staff member, who embodies our values of kindness, courage and excellence, is named Culture Champion. Alison says: ‘When I joined, we already had monthly all-staff meetings, but I've kind of made it my own.” At Alison’s last ‘State of the NACHion’, the staff awarded her a Lifetime Culture Champion Award.
Saying Farewell
At the end of her 12 years, we asked Alison what she’s going to miss most. She said: “The people. The children and families, the staff, the volunteers and the donors. I’ll really miss spending time with our families, who are just phenomenal. It’s such a grounding and humbling experience to spend time with people who are facing that kind of adversity.”
Alison’s real forte is building the long-lasting relationships that have been key to Noah’s Ark’s success. A testament to Alison’s skill in donor care was a relationship Alison carefully nurtured over many years, which ultimately resulted in a substantial legacy gift accompanied by a note that read: “I like the way you go about things.”
So do we. Over and out Ali G.
