Baroness Delyth Morgan has been appointed president of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations.
Morgan, who recently stepped down as chief executive of Breast Cancer Now, succeeds Baroness Jill Pitkeathley, who has been in the role since 2017.
Morgan, who has been appointed NCVO president for the next five years, has led breast cancer charities for a total of 23 years.
She joined Breakthrough Breast Cancer as chief executive in 1995 before she was appointed to the House of Lords as a Labour peer in 2005.
She held various government posts over the next five years, including children’s minister, before joining Breast Cancer Campaign as chief executive in 2011.
In 2015, Morgan led the merger of Breakthrough Breast Cancer and Breast Cancer Campaign before the charities combined in 2019 with Breast Cancer Care to form Breast Cancer Now, with Morgan taking the top job.
She now sits as a crossbench peer in the House of Lords.
She said: “I feel extremely honoured to have been approached to become president of NCVO.
“My career has been dedicated to the charity and voluntary sector, and championing their needs in every way I can, including in the House of Lords.
“Through the innovation and the richness of lived experiences that the voluntary sector gives a voice to, it plays a critical role in society, and it’s a privilege to continue to champion and support this extraordinary sector’s work through this role.”
The NCVO also announced it had appointed Lord Simon Woolley as an ambassador.
Woolley, who is principal of Homerton College, Cambridge, is the founder and director of Operation Black Vote, a not-for-profit organisation that seeks to encourage greater political engagement among ethnic minority communities.
He said: “I want to play a role that wonderfully acknowledges the power of volunteering and inspires more people to get involved. I also want to be a cheerleader for charities that support communities and transform lives.”
Sarah Vibert, chief executive of the NCVO, said: “We are delighted to welcome Baroness Delyth Morgan and Lord Simon Woolley to NCVO. Their combined expertise and passion for social change will undoubtedly strengthen our organisation’s impact and effectiveness in supporting the voluntary sector.”
Morgan and Woolley take up their new roles from today.