Today is the final day of celebrating Trustee Week.  We thought this would be a good time to try and explain what Trustees do and their importance to running a charitable organisation.  

Did you know that you can become a trustee from the age of sixteen?  There are certain requirements, but almost anyone can be appointed to be a trustee for a charity.  There are almost one million trustees, in the UK, helping to make the decisions to ensure charities thrive and keep moving forward.

This year the theme of Trustee Week is about making a difference during challenging times.  This is especially true of our Board of Trustees at The Abbeyfield Wessex Society and we are grateful to them all for their guidance and positive impact on behalf of our residents and teams.

We thought this would be the perfect time to take this opportunity to have a chat with our Chair of The Abbeyfield Wessex Society and Chair of Trustees.  Jane kindly took time to talk to us about how and why she became a Trustee and her experiences in the role.

The role of being a Trustee is voluntary.  Jane's Trustee journey started with her father volunteering at their local Abbeyfield Society House.  It was then that she discovered about The Abbeyfield Society's community living ethos in retirement.  This remained with Jane and after her career in the NHS, she became  a Trustee at Tamar House, in Plymouth.  Jane subsequently joined The Abbeyfield Wessex Society as a Trustee and was appointed Chair of The Abbeyfield Wessex Society and Chair of Trustees this year after seven years as a trustee board member.  

Being a Chair of Trustees is a 'rewarding but sometimes challenging experience.'   During our conversation with Jane she told us, 'being Chair means you have to make difficult decisions.  We play an integral role ensuring the sustainability and financial viability of the charity.  However, also knowing that our residents living in our Houses feel happy, safe and secure, makes what we do feel very fulfilling.'  Jane's tenure, in her role as Chair of Trustees, continues until March 2023.  We are very grateful to Jane and her Board of Trustees for their continuing contribution to the running of The Abbeyfield Wessex Society.

If you are considering being a Trustee it is important to recognise the charity's ethos rings true with your own beliefs.  By joining as a Trustee, you will be playing a major part in planning, developing and evolving your charity as well as having a lot of fun, meeting new people and learning new skillsets that wouldn't normally happen in a working environment, for example. You will receive relevant training and have support of the trustees around you as well as the management team of the charity.  You are never left to work out what to do on your own.

If you are interested in joining The Abbeyfield Wessex Society as a trustee why not get in touch!  Our Society is growing and we are excited to be moving forward with new developments and opportunities.  Our board enjoys a wide range of backgrounds and skills.  At present, our board are looking for someone to join with some financial knowledge or background.  However, we welcome anyone who is considering joining us.

To finish with Jane, our Chair, 'Your contribution will be rewarded by  helping  develop an evolving and even more successful organisation in the company of dedicated managers and fellow trustees.' 

Happy Trustee Week 2022!