Understanding the role of a trustee
Being a trustee is an opportunity to make a real difference either on a national or local level. The contribution a trustee makes is vital to the success of an organisation and should never be underestimated. However, for people new to the VCSE sector the role of a trustee is not always clear.
Ian Bowes, one of our new board members, agreed to share his time to talk about his role as a trustee of various organisations. His day-to-day schedule is very busy and can be varied, undertaking tasks such as financial planning to rigging up equipment for a performance of Peter Pan!
How long have you been a trustee at Action Hampshire?
Ian joined the board in April 2023. He has already chaired the Hampshire Leadership Forum and was recently appointed chair on the research ethics committee.
Why did you want to get involved with Action Hampshire?
As a trustee of a community centre, Ian interfaced with Action Hampshire through our Community Buildings Project and has also attended the School for Social Entrepreneurs which he found invaluable. He saw the potential of Action Hampshire through its extensive community links bringing different VCSE organisations together. He believes Action Hampshire has the voice to advocate and act in the sector.
Have you worked as a trustee or volunteered for other organisations?
Ian is an active trustee of Kingsclere Community Centre. He has been pivotal in growing the centre into the thriving success it is today. He is also Chairman of the Kingsclere Performing Arts and Youth Charity which was saved as an important community asset from residential development. He is a governor of his local primary school and a treasurer of a youth football club.
What is your career background and how has your industry experience helped shape your work as a trustee?
Ian started his career in education as a teacher before leaving to work in Business Development on very high-profile projects. He won a highly successful contract with AWE (Automatic Weapons Establishment) and has been heavily involved in the field of energy.
He has been able to transfer numerous skills and qualities from his former career into the role of a trustee. Being financially astute, knowing how to satisfy customer needs and building solid relationships are all strengths he has applied to his work in the VCSE sector. He strongly believes a trustee should have a clear vision and mission to drive the organisation forward.
What are the qualities of a successful trustee?
Ian believes that to be effective in this role you need to able to dedicate time the organisation. As a trustee you must be present and visible in the community. Not only that, keeping informed and engaged with a solid goal for the organisation is paramount.
A trustee can find themselves getting involved in an entire range of activities from accounts and governance to physical hands-on tasks such as climbing ladders to rig up sound systems! It’s often a case of rolling your sleeves up and helping out with the nitty gritty, day to day running of the organisation as well as looking at the bigger picture.
Where would you advise someone to seek help from if they were new to the role and needed guidance?
The role of a trustee is to make an organisation thrive by keeping it permanently on its toes. It’s a considerable responsibility to take on but there is plenty of help available. Organisations (such as Basingstoke and Deane Council) offer induction programmes which are helpful and give people the opportunity to link with peers. He also recommends the Charity Commission’s online support.
