Beth Breeze

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Elizabeth Ann Breeze OBE (born 3 October, 1971) is a British academic in the field of philanthropic studies. [1] and the current Principal of Harris Manchester College, Oxford. [2] She was formerly the director of the Centre for Philanthropy at the University of Kent [3]

Contents

Early life and education

Breeze attended the United World College of the Atlantic, Wales, where she studied for the International Baccalaureate before going on to study for a degree in social anthropology at the University of St Andrews, Scotland. [4] In 2001, whilst working as a fundraiser and charity manger, she completed a Master of Science at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in Voluntary Sector Organisation, Charity and Philanthropy. Her Master's thesis, which explored the relationship between income and charitable giving, was published as an LSE working paper. [5] In 2005 she embarked on her PhD at the University of Kent on the topic of the social meaning of philanthropy in contemporary UK society, which was awarded in 2011. [6]

Career

Breeze began her career working in fundraising and as a charity manager, starting in 1997 at the Cardinal Hume Centre for young homeless people, where she later became a trustee. [7] In 2004, she was selected as the Labour Party candidate for the Maidstone and The Weald constituency. [8] She then worked in three think tanks: the Fabian Society, Demos and the Social Market Foundation before becoming Deputy Director of the Institute for Philanthropy in 2004. [9]

After completing her PhD she went on to research and teach philanthropy and fundraising at the University of Kent, [1] where she also co-founded the Centre for Philanthropy. [10]

The importance of both fundraisers and philanthropists in generating income for good causes is a theme throughout her work, including her first monograph The New Fundraisers:Who Organises Charitable Giving in Contemporary Society?, funded by a Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship. [11]

Breeze was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for “services to philanthropic research and fundraising” in the 2022 New Year Honours [4] and in the following year she was appointed the UK’s first Professor of Philanthropic Studies at the University of Kent. [3]

In March 2025, Breeze was announced as the incoming Principal of Harris Manchester College, the only University of Oxford college dedicated solely to mature students [12] . She took up the role on 1 October 2025. [13]

Publications

References

  1. 1 2 "Beth Breeze". The Conversation. 2016-01-06. Retrieved 2026-01-13.
  2. ↑ "Beth Breeze". www.hmc.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 2026-01-13.
  3. 1 2 "Beth Breeze is UK's first ever Professor of Philanthropic Studies - www.istr.org". www.istr.org. Archived from the original on 2023-08-07. Retrieved 2026-01-13.
  4. 1 2 "Leeds-born academic follows in father's footsteps with New Year's OBE honour for philanthropy research". Yorkshire Evening Post. 2022-01-03. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
  5. ↑ Breeze, Beth (July 2006). "Robin Hood in reverse: exploring the relationship between income and charitable giving". www.lse.ac.uk. Retrieved 2026-01-13.
  6. ↑ Breeze, Elizabeth Ann (2010). More than Money: The social meaning of philanthropy in contemporary UK society (phd thesis). University of Kent.
  7. ↑ "Beth BREEZE personal appointments - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 2026-01-13.
  8. ↑ "Widdecombe's Labour challenger chosen". Kent Online. 2004-04-08. Retrieved 2025-11-27.
  9. ↑ "About Beth Breeze – Kent Philanthropy" . Retrieved 2026-01-13.
  10. ↑ Admin (2021-12-20). "Beth Breeze, Director of the Centre for Philanthropy, University of Kent: In Defence of Philanthropy". Do One Better. Retrieved 2026-01-13.
  11. ↑ "Eleven characteristics of successful fundraisers revealed at IoF National Convention". www.civilsociety.co.uk. Retrieved 2026-01-13.
  12. ↑ Lake, Howard (2025-04-01). "Fundraising and charity leadership appointments round-up for April 2025". UK Fundraising. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
  13. ↑ "HMC gives warm welcome to new Principal, Beth Breeze". www.hmc.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 2026-01-13.
  14. ↑ Metcalf, Lindsey (2018-09-19). "Book review – The Logic of Charity: Great Expectations in Hard Times". People, Place and Policy. 12 (1). doi:10.3351/ppp.2018.5346352575.
  15. ↑ "Client Challenge". www.ft.com. Retrieved 2026-01-13.
  16. ↑ Lenkowsky, Leslie (2021-11-14). "'In Defence of Philanthropy' Review: Doing Good, Under Attack". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2026-01-13.
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