Trustees are the people in charge of a charity. They may be called trustees, directors, board members, governors or committee members, but they are the people with ultimate responsibility for directing the business of the charity. They are often the unsung heroes, playing a vital role, volunteering their time, working together to make the decisions that really matter about the charity's finances, activities and plans for the future.
People often become trustees to 'give something back', but there is a two-way benefit; charities benefit from the range of skills and experience that their trustees bring, but trustees can learn and develop new skills that may open up new opportunities for them, as well as meeting people who share their passion.
Trustees’ Week 2015 is the sixth annual celebration of trusteeship, to highlight the great work that trustees do, and to draw attention to the opportunities for people from all walks of life to get involved and make a real difference - no formal qualifications are usually needed, and many charities need more trustees.
The Charity Commission is organising Trustees’ Week 2014 in partnership with the Small Charities Coalition, the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), the Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA), Reach Volunteering, Getting on Board, ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales), CFG (Charity Finance Group), The Institute of Fundraising, The Honorary Treasurers Forum, Governance magazine, School Governor's One-Stop Shop (SGOSS), the National Unions of Students (NUS) and Young Charity Trustees.
We hope that charities and other organisations across the sector will get involved by organising events and activities to mark Trustees' Week 2015 to celebrate the fantastic work that trustees do for charities around the country and to encourage more people to think about whether trusteeship is right for them. Check our Events page for details of these.
