Our trustees
The Role
The Board of Trustees is the governing body of the Centre, with the responsibility to ensure compliance with both charity and company law.
The Board meets five times a year, and there are 6 Sub-Committees, which meet 2 to 3 times per year on which Trustees are invited to serve, according to their interest and experience.
The Sub Committees are:
· Finance
· Risk and Compliance
· Personnel and Staffing
· Service Development
· Building Development
· Fundraising and Communications
The Memorandum and Articles of Association allow for 15 Trustees to serve for a term of three years, with the possibility for re-election up to a maximum of 9 years in total. In July 2009 there were 10 members, with two due to retire from the Board in November 2009, having served their maximum term of office.
Each Trustee is appointed because of their commitment to the Centre, its work and its founding ethos, as well as the experience and skills, which enable them to undertake their responsibility of trusteeship and governance. In addition to attending the meetings, we ask that our Trustees get engaged with the Centre and its work, and are happy to act as its ambassadors at key events.
The Centre is also a company limited by guarantee and as such has 8 Members of the Company of which the Trustees are also Directors.
WHAT DO TRUSTEES DO?
At its simplest, the role of a charity Trustee is to:
· Receive assets from donors
· Safeguard them
· Apply them for a charitable purpose according to the wishes of the donor
A SERIOUS RESPONSIBILITY
In practice, trusteeship is a serious responsibility requiring you to take an active role in the governance of the organisation, as described by NCVO.
Trustees:
· Take the big decisions about the future
· Ensure everything is legal and safe
· Support the C EO and Senior Management
· Ensure the work of the charity is carried out
· Ensure the Trustee board is up-to-date and skilled
FULFILLING THE ROLE
Trustees are obliged to:
· Act in the best interests of the charity's beneficiaries
· Act together as a group rather than as individuals
· Set aside their personal interests
· Take legal responsibilitiy for the organisation
· Exercise the duty of care that a prudent person of business would in looking after the affairs of someone for whom they had responsibility
The Centre provides a job descriptions and a Trustee code of conduct, as well as an induction to the Centre. We recommend that all prospective Trustees read the 12 essential board roles and responsibilities for Trustees as recommended by NCVO.
