Some 700,000 people in England and Wales support a charity by giving up their time to become a trustee, but there’s a lack of diversity (pdf) among those who do so: two-thirds are men, 92% are white, and most are aged 55-64.
To celebrate trustees’ week, the Charity Commission asked four prominent women why they became a charity trustee and what they have learned as a result. Here’s what they said:
Dame Judi Dench, trustee of the Chickenshed Theatre Trust
“When my late husband, Michael Williams, and I first heard about a theatre company operating out of a chicken shed, we were intrigued and wanted to find out more about it. We knew Sandy Gonzalez, who was a volunteer at Chickenshed, because her son was at school with our daughter Finty. When I was asked to be a trustee, I jumped at the chance to support such an innovative young company and what it was trying to do.
“Since being a trustee, I’ve learned that all of us represent the company and we all have to do all we can to further its aims and support it in every way possible. Practical support is just as important as putting a name on the letterhead. Michael and I and our daughter Finty have all supported Chickenshed in practical ways over the years.”
Maxine Peake, trustee of the Working Class Movement Library
“I became a trustee at the Working Class Movement Library (WCML) in 2012, because I feel it is an essential educational asset, not only to Salford but also the rest of the country. It is a unique building and facility. It was founded by two inspirational comrades, Ruth and Eddie Frow, and their legacy has been preserved by a group of inspirational staff and volunteers who have stayed true to Ruth and Eddie’s vision. Because of their dedication it continues to grow and evolve.
“It was one of my proudest moments when I was approached to be a trustee. I believe we need to preserve and pass on our working class history at all costs.
“I have learned that the role of trustee must not be taken lightly and I’ve also learned the responsibility being a trustee involves. I have learned the joy of feeling a connection with a place and a belonging, the pride that comes with an affiliation to a place like the WCML. The ability to work as a team is very important and to be open and responsive to others views and ideas.”
Monica Ali, trustee of the St Giles Trust
“I became a trustee of St Giles Trust in 2015 because I met a member of their staff at HMP Brixton, when I was doing some voluntary work there as a member of the independent monitoring board. She mentioned me to the chief executive, Rob Owen, who then asked if I’d like to come in for a chat and find out more about the charity, which helps ex-offenders to turn their lives around. It went from there.
“As a trustee I’ve met a wide range of people on the board, within the organisation, and also clients. I’ve learned how tough the climate is for the charity sector, how desperate the need is for the services that St Giles provides, and how a relatively small number of dedicated and passionate people can make a real difference to so many lives. I’ve been awed and inspired, and grateful to be able to play a small part.”
Katie Piper, trustee of the Katie Piper Foundation
“Being a founder of a charity doesn’t always mean staying on the board years on. I started the Katie Piper Foundation in 2009, soon after I’d survived an acid attack the year before. But for me, this is a great way to make sure that the direct experience of people with burns and scars is embedded right in the heart of the foundation. My passion to open the UK’S first residential rehabilitation centre for adult burn survivors keeps me motivated as a charity trustee.
“Being a founding trustee showed me the importance of getting the complicated governance stuff right. I also learned that you have to work at being a strong decision making team – you can’t rely on that coming naturally. And I learned the need to be brilliant at recruiting people, to bring onto the board and to work at the charity.
“As a trustee you should trust the staff team to be experts on their part of the detail, so they can thrive and trustees are free to focus on what we’re there to do, which is make the best strategic decisions and keep the charity operating in a safe and compliant way, so that the staff and volunteers can transform lives of burn survivors for decades to come.”
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