Have You Considered Becoming a Trustee?
Written by Richard Bruce - Chair of Trustees at Nidderdale Plus
I suppose I followed a more traditional route to joining a charity by waiting until I had finished working in the insurance industry for over 40 years: and then thinking “what next”. I had always been involved in helping run clubs – a treasurer, secretary and an athletics coach to name a few. The concept of volunteering had always been an integral part of my life.
In 2017, I went to the offices of Nidderdale Plus and enquired about volunteering, completing the appropriate application form. A couple of days later I received a call from the Chair who asked whether I would like to become a trustee given my background in insurance and various senior roles in Zurich, the last one being UK Compliance Manager. I agreed to go to a couple of Board meetings and understand the role of a trustee and was appointed in 2018.
Looking back, I wished I had become involved in a charity years earlier. I am often asked what benefits have I gained from being a trustee. I have acquired a whole new set of skills and learnt a great deal about the charity sector, its role in the local community and the interaction with local authorities such as North Yorkshire Council. Being a trustee is like running a small company (we have a turnover of £300,000). I have learnt a lot about financial management, strategy and marketing, and have been able to apply my knowledge of governance. Most of all, I feel that I am contributing to making a difference in the Nidderdale area in enabling a host of services to be run for the benefit of the community.
In the current business world, the landscape has changed in that firms are keen to promote corporate social responsibility and often allow employees paid time to volunteer. Typically, a Board of Trustees would meet six times a year plus the occasional additional meeting (often via Teams). It would be a great opportunity for an individual who may be in a management role and would like to take the opportunity to give something back to society whilst learning a new set of skills. In addition, you would be bringing to the Board your business experience and specialist skills whether it is marketing, finance, sales, legal, operations or HR.
I can assure you that it is a most satisfying and rewarding move to make. You will acquire lifetime experiences which will enrich your personal and business life and also an understanding and appreciation of the challenges faced in the charity sector.
