The Charity Commission, in partnership with Charity Trustee Networks (CTN), the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), Reach Volunteering, Getting on Board and the ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales), is to launch the first annual Trustees’ Week.
Trustees’ Week will take place from 25 to 31 October. The week and the supporting campaign celebrate the fantastic work done by existing trustees and aim to increase awareness and understanding of the trustee role. The campaign is being supported by a number of high-profile trustees, including newscaster, Jon Snow; cricketer, Andrew Flintoff; former newspaper editor and journalist, Eve Pollard; model, Natalia Vodianova; former newsreader and journalist, Martyn Lewis and actresses, Brooke Kinsella and Jenny Seagrove.
Whilst there are around 800,000 trustees in England and Wales, estimates suggest that almost half of charities have a vacancy on their trustee board. A number of the organisations behind Trustees’ Week provide trustee matching services, details of these can be found at www.trusteesweek.org.uk.
Dame Suzi Leather, Chair of the Charity Commission, said:
“The work of charities touches millions of people every day and is a real force for social change in every community and neighbourhood in the country. Trustees are the driving force behind every great charity – large and small – and are responsible for making decisions about their direction and activity. Usually volunteers, motivated by passion, commitment and enthusiasm for a charity’s work, trustees give their time to make a difference.
“During Trustees’ Week we want to celebrate trustees’ huge contribution to society. We would also like to raise awareness beyond the charity sector of just what trusteeship is all about. Many people have skills and experience that they could bring to being a charity trustee, but our research shows that often people do not know what the role entails. Talking to trustees I’m always struck by the thing they have in common – a desire to live a life beyond themselves.”
The Trustees’ Week website will be updated regularly in the run-up to 25 October with information about the campaign and details of events and activities planned by charities and other organisations. If you are organising a Trustees’ Week event you can send details to trusteesweek@charitycommission.gsi.gov.uk and the information will be included on the website.