31st August 2025
The founder, staff and the trustees of The Talk About Trust Charity, that works nationally to equip children and young people age 8 – 25 with the knowledge, skills and resilience to make safer choices around drugs, alcohol and nicotine, are thrilled to announce the appointment of Steve Morton as CEO, who begins his role on the 1st September.
Steve brings a wealth of experience from the charity sector which includes a decade at the NSPCC, acting CEO for Action on Addiction (now part of The Forward Trust), leading transformational change at The Deaf Academy and most recently heading capital fundraising at Rowcroft Hospice in Devon.
Helena Conibear, Founder of the Talk About Trust commented, "We are so looking forward to benefiting from Steve’s strategic, leadership and fundraising expertise, he has a clear passion for improving the lives for the most vulnerable young people in our society and so he feels an integral part of our team already! I feel I can confidently hand over the reins after 15 years as I partially step back from the Talk About Trust to take on the role of High Sheriff of Dorset 2026 – 27."
Steve Morton comments, ‘‘I am delighted to be joining the Talk about Trust as their new CEO. Prevention of harm to children and young people has been my passion since I first joined the NSPCC IN 2003. Though I’ve worked with some truly inspiring people since then, the undeniable impact Helena and her small team have had on young lives over the last 15 years has profoundly impressed me. In a world where new risks from drug and alcohol use present themselves at an alarming rate, it’s a privilege to be able to take the Talk About Trust forward, ensuring we remain exactly who we need to be to help children and young people make the right decisions and stay safe."
Notes to Editors
Steve Morton short biography Steve Morton joined The Talk About Trust as CEO on the 1st September 2025. He has worked in the charity/voluntary sector for almost thirty years including ten years at the NSPCC in various senior fundraising leadership roles. Seven years at the Deaf Academy (formerly Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Education) saw Steve jointly lead the charity and deliver a £10 million world-class residential deaf school in Exmouth, East Devon which opened in 2020. More recently, Steve has been working with a range of charities to make transformational changes, including Action on Addiction as CEO, managing the merger with the Forward Trust, helping the Meningitis Research Foundation secure international funding to defeat meningitis globally and leading capital fundraising at The Rowcroft Hospice. Steve can be contacted via steve@talkabouttrust.org
The Talk About Trust Charity mission is to keep young people safe around alcohol and drugs, improve life chances and reduce negative risk taking. The charity supports teachers, parents, carers, community leaders and those under 25. The Talk about Trust equips young people with the knowledge and life skills to make safer choices. This primary goal has been enhanced with targeted work for children and young adults most vulnerable to alcohol and drug misuse, plus harm reduction approaches for older teenagers and young adults including support on alcohol, illicit substances and vaping. To learn more talkabouttrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Partnership-leaflet-2024.pdf