After nearly ten years at the helm of the industry charity Rainy Day Trust, chief executive officer Bryan Clover has announced he will be retiring at the end of June. The search is now underway to appoint a new CEO to lead the organisation into its next chapter.
Mr Clover has become a familiar and much-respected presence at events and exhibitions across the home improvement sector. During his tenure, the Charity has significantly expanded both its reach and its reputation among employees and businesses throughout the industry.
“This has been my first CEO role,” said Mr Clover . “It’s been an incredible journey and I’ve made many great friends along the way. I want to thank the Trustees whose support for both the Charity and me has been phenomenal. I’m very grateful for their trust. Now feels like the right time for someone else—someone with a natural flair for fundraising—to take the reins.”
Chair of the Rainy Day Trust’s Trustees, Richard Campbell-Drew of Akzo Nobel, praised Mr Clover tireless efforts to promote the Charity. “Bryan has worked incredibly hard to raise the Charity’s profile among businesses—not only to secure funding but also to make sure employees know about the support available to them. He’s been instrumental in recognising the hidden struggles faced by many workers and retirees in our industry, and has extended our support to young people starting their careers through our apprenticeship packages.
“He’s become a well-known and trusted figure across the home improvement sectors, always putting the Charity first. Mr Clover will be sorely missed. Thank you, Bryan—we wish you all the very best for the future.”
Among the key initiatives Mr Clover has championed are the Let’s Save Energy programme, a welfare benefits calculator, telephone counselling, and debt advice—services which have become a core part of the Charity’s offering.
He has also led numerous physical fundraising challenges, including coastal walks and treks, with his next being the Jurassic Ultra in May. Despite his modest claim that he’s “not a natural fundraiser”, Mr Clover has raised over £2.5 million for the Rainy Day Trust.
Mr Clover will be attending the Exclusively show in June, giving colleagues in the housewares sector a final chance to catch up with him in person. “I may be stepping down, but I’ll be watching from afar. Some of you might be relieved to see the back of me—and my endless emails!” he joked. “But on a serious note, there are so many people who genuinely need the Charity’s help. We can’t support them unless they know what we do. Let us come and speak to your staff—those who’ve allowed us to do that have seen great results, both for their people and their businesses.”
Looking ahead, Mr Clover is keen to return to his creative passions. “I’m going to take up photography again and finally get a subscription to Photoshop. I’ll also be painting—but not the DIY kind! That said, if anyone fancies a wine-, gin- or whisky-tasting to raise funds, count me in!”
He added: “Thanks to everyone who has supported me and the Rainy Day Trust over the last decade. If you’d like to stay in touch, feel free to drop me a line at bryanclover@hotmail.com. And if I don’t hear from you—don’t worry, I’ll leave you in peace (and this time I mean it)!”
