Gingerbread, the charity for single-parent families, is delighted to announce that Abigail Wood has been appointed as its permanent CEO. Abigail will take up her post on 4 November 2025.

Abigail is currently CEO at Age UK London where she has worked for five years. Her background is in policy and campaigns; advocating for policy changes benefiting new parents, children in poverty, and girls and young women. Prior to her role at Age UK London, Abigail worked in public affairs at NCT, Save the Children and Girlguiding.

Abigail will take over from interim CEO, Lisa Pearce who joined Gingerbread in February 2025 and saw the charity through a period of transformation – including the closure of its helpline services at the end of the last financial year.

Abigail says:

“I’m thrilled and proud to be joining Gingerbread as its new CEO. As a single parent myself, I’m inspired by and grateful for what the charity has achieved for single-parent families over the years – from building supportive communities both online and in-person to securing major policy changes that make life fairer for families like mine.

“However, there’s still much work to be done. Single parents are twice as likely to live in poverty and are more likely to experience issues with their mental health and wellbeing. By improving access to affordable childcare, creating fair job opportunities, strengthening financial support, and investing in wellbeing services, we can ensure every single parent has a secure future for their family.

“I’m looking forward to working with Gingerbread’s board of trustees, and the dedicated staff team to create a society where single-parent families are treated fairly and have the support they need to not just survive but to thrive.”

Sarah Pinch, Chair of Trustees, says:

“I’m delighted to welcome Abigail to Gingerbread as our CEO. She joins us at a crucial time in our history as we strengthen our charity to better support single-parent families who are facing increased demands and pressures.

“The board and I would like to express our sincere gratitude to Lisa Pearce for her excellent work as interim CEO. We know Abigail is joining a committed and dedicated staff team, alongside our amazing funders, partners, volunteers, and supporters. I am so looking forward to working with Abi, bringing our collective leadership experience alongside our lived experience as single parents together to lead the organisation forward.”

For media enquiries, please contact media@gingerbread.org.uk.

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• Gingerbread is the leading charity supporting single parent families in England and Wales.
• The charity provides information, practical support and campaigns to improve the lives of single parents.

For more information, visit www.gingerbread.org.uk