A major Welsh homelessness and rough sleeping charity has appointed a new chief executive.

Karen Robson will join The Wallich from September 23, succeeding Lindsay Cordery-Bruce who left earlier this year.

Ms Robson has a history of advocating for the rights of disabled people, young people and veterans across her career.

She has previously worked as CEO, director and senior leadership experience for organisations such as the Royal National Institute for Deaf People, The Care Collective, the National Association of Disability Practitioners and Cardiff Metropolitan University.

Karen Robson has been appointed as CEO of The WallichKaren Robson has been appointed as CEO of The Wallich (Image: The Wallich)

She said: "I can already see from the outside the ways in which The Wallich is changing lives for the better through the charity’s mission and values - which I feel incredibly passionate about.

"From the inside, I believe I can be an asset to the organisation and I cannot wait to get stuck in."

The Wallich has been in operation since 1978, helping more than 8,000 people experiencing homelessness, risk of homelessness, or financial hardship across Wales in 2023/24.

Ms Robson will oversee 132 homelessness and prevention services, working across 21 of the 22 Welsh local authorities.

In 2018, she was part of a team that received the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, and she is also a former Welsh Woman of the Year, recognised for her work ensuring equity for disabled students.

Oliver Townsend, chair of The Wallich’s board of trustees, said: "We appointed Karen from a highly competitive field of candidates, and are very excited about the future with our new chief executive.

"We saw in Karen a real understanding of the need to build on what our organisation is good at - working across Wales with people who are facing some of the most entrenched inequality and injustice we can imagine."

As of June, 11,301 people were recorded in temporary accommodation and 153 individuals were said to be sleeping rough across Wales.

Mr Townsend added: "The Wallich will continue working with the government to ensure homelessness is rare, brief and unrepeated, but we also need to see the Welsh Government doing its part by increasing the Housing Support Grant in the approaching Welsh budget."