Julia’s House CEO inspires business leaders at Evolve Leaders Lunch

Local business leaders gathered at the Marsham Court Hotel, Bournemouth last week for the latest Evolve Leaders Lunch, where guest speaker Martin Edwards, CEO of Julia’s House Children’s Hospice, shared the story of his remarkable 20-year leadership journey with the charity.
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Rachel Hadfield
October 16, 2025

Hosted by Warren Munson, founder of Evolve, the bi-annual Leaders Lunch event – sponsored by Azets and Ellis Jones Solicitors – welcomed nearly 100 business leaders for an afternoon of excellent food, conversation and leadership discussions.

 

During an exclusive Q&A session, Martin offered an honest and engaging reflection on two decades at the helm of Julia’s House, one of the UK’s most respected children’s hospices. He spoke candidly about the challenges of driving cultural change in his early years, the importance of recruiting for values over skills, and the leadership philosophy that has guided him throughout his time at Julia’s House.

 

Martin also shared recent highlights, including his 20/20 Challenge – an ambitious personal fundraising goal to complete 20 physical challenges in 2025, from skydiving and abseiling, to a gruelling 110km walk and an upcoming month of winter sea dips, aiming to raise £100,000 in support of the charity.

 

Warren commented: “It was a real pleasure to welcome Martin as our guest speaker for this special edition of the Leaders Lunch, marking his 20th year leading Julia’s House.

 

“Martin is a truly inspiring leader, he exemplifies what it means to lead with heart – his unwavering commitment to serving families, building a strong and compassionate team and driving constant improvement is something we can all learn from, regardless of our sector. His energy, humility and humour brought something incredibly special to the event.”

 

The bi-annual Leaders Lunch is part of Evolve’s on-going commitment to providing business leaders locally with opportunities to connect, learn and grow.

Authored by:

Rachel Hadfield

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