Local charity selects experienced leader with Dorset roots
Margaret Green Animal Rescue (MGAR), the long-established animal welfare charity with premises in Wareham, has appointed Joanna Tiffin as its new chief executive. The charity, founded over six decades ago, provides care, rehabilitation and rehoming services for a wide variety of species across the south west.
Background and experience
Tiffin brings more than 15 years of senior leadership experience gained in the NHS, adult social care and the not-for-profit sector. She has strong local connections, having moved to Dorset at the age of two and grown up in Poole. She lives with her wife and two children and shares her home with several four-legged family members, including dogs and ponies. Over the years her animal care interest has extended to less common companions, such as sugar gliders, snakes and lizards.
Leadership and local continuity
The charity’s chair of trustees, Lorraine Suchanek, said the board were pleased to welcome Tiffin, highlighting her leadership background and local ties as key factors in the appointment. MGAR described the new chief executive as well placed to build on the organisation’s founding legacy and lead it forward.
“It is a genuine privilege to lead Margaret Green Animal Rescue. As someone who grew up in Dorset, returning to lead the county’s oldest animal charity feels like coming home.”
The appointment signals an emphasis on continuity and a desire to grow the charity’s impact for animals and communities that rely on its services.
- Location: Wareham, Dorset
- New chief executive: Joanna Tiffin
- Experience: 15+ years in senior leadership roles across NHS, social care and charities
What this means locally
MGAR is one of the south west’s better-known animal welfare organisations and its leadership shapes local rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming work. A chief executive with both sector experience and local roots may influence partnerships with other Dorset services, volunteer recruitment and fundraising efforts. The charity has emphasised its multi-species mission and the commitment of long-serving staff and volunteers, which Tiffin has said she aims to build upon.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Premises | Wareham |
| Founder | Margaret Green (over 60 years ago) |
| New CEO | Joanna Tiffin |
| Experience | 15+ years in senior roles |
As MGAR moves forward under its new chief executive, local residents who use or support the charity can expect a continued focus on animal welfare and community-facing services. The organisation’s next steps will be watched closely by volunteers, donors and partner groups across Dorset.
