Trustees’ Week 2024: Celebrating trustees’ dedication and impact

As Trustees’ Week 2024 comes to a close, I want to recognise the unwavering dedication of trustees across the UK. Nearly one million people volunteer their time, skills and expertise to help charities achieve their goals and make a difference.

It’s no small feat. Trustees guide charities’ purpose and oversee finances and legal responsibilities. Their dedication and support make a huge difference every day to millions of people who use charity services.

Without their commitment, these vital causes simply couldn’t thrive.

This week, we highlighted a key challenge for charities: recruiting and keeping trustees.

Our trustee recruitment and retention report, sponsored by iBabs and Trustees Unlimited, reveals that 79% of charities find it difficult to fill board vacancies, often with delays of over six months.

For smaller charities, recruiting trustees with marketing, legal, and finance expertise can be especially challenging. Filling these gaps is essential. Having the right skills on boards strengthens charities and enables them to work effectively.

Trustees’ Week events showcased the invaluable contributions of trustees and offered practical support to strengthen boards. Sessions provided strategies for inclusive governance, better decision-making and streamlining processes.

Trustees also shared personal reflections on how the role has helped them grow as leaders and allowed them to make meaningful impact on the causes they care about. Trusteeship offers a unique way to develop skills and make a difference.

Trustees bring diverse perspectives to governance. They oversee strategy and operations to ensure charities are not only compliant but also impactful.

Charities are addressing some of society’s biggest challenges. These range from social justice to sustainability and health. Having a range of voices and skills on boards is essential.

But with more than half of charities reporting multiple board vacancies, it’s clear that recruitment and diversity are ongoing challenges. Addressing these gaps is crucial to building resilient, forward-thinking charities.

At NCVO, we’re here to support trustees at every step with accessible guidance and practical resources. Our online materials include the following.

• Governance templates: Ready to use templates and examples for board basics.
• Governance guidance: Best practices and standards for charity boards.
• Consultancy services: Expert support in governance, strategy and volunteer management.
• NCVO small charity support: Resources to help smaller charities maximise impact.

To each trustee across the UK: your commitment is the heart of every charity. Thank you for the difference you make, day in and day out.

As Trustees’ Week draws to a close, I hope even more people will consider lending their skills as a trustee. Not only does it offer huge benefits to charities and the communities they serve, but it is also personally rewarding.