Celebrating Trustees’ Week 2021
B-inspired News • November 1st, 2021
Trustee’s Week is a yearly event that takes place the first week in November. This is where 196,000 charities all over United Kingdom (UK) celebrate the hard work that goes on behind the scenes to run charities.
There are over 1 million Trustees in the UK helping lead charities. A Trustee is a volunteer who sits on a board, that meets with the leadership team of a charity to make important decisions on a charity’s future.
Trustees generally are not involved with the day to day activities of the running of a charity, so are often not recognised publicly. We want to change this as on average trustee volunteers for 5 hours a week.
‘I would like to personally thank all of the Trustees we have on our board. What brings our trustees together is a passion and commitment to Braunstone. Working with you enables B-inspired as a charity to make a real difference in the community.’
We would like to share some comments from our Trustees on why they became a trustee and what being a trustee means to them.’
‘I’ve been a trustee for over a year with b-inspired and had the privilege of chairing the board meetings. I am continuously impressed by the way the whole team delivers to make a difference in Braunstone. It obviously hasn’t been a simple year in Lockdown Leicester, but our trading arm kept the Business Box open and assisted many of our commercial tenants to successfully claim Covid grants to stay in business. I’m not sure other managed workspaces would have done that. The residents working on the Power to Change programme found ways to set up their community businesses, a café, a bar and a pre loved shop while our flagship, the Grove opened, closed, opened a bit and is now fully open and thriving. Alongside these more commercial activities the foodbank has supported many families and individuals, alongside welfare rights advice and well-being support with regular phone calls to many households.
I get to hear about all of this through regular catch ups with Angie, our CEO and Linda who manages the trading arm. As a result, I feel I have a real grip on what is happening, and they are kind enough to laugh at my jokes. I’ve spent nearly forty years encouraging others to take responsibility for their neighbourhoods and I guess, I owe it to them to do the same.’
‘I have been an active member of the Braunstone Community for the last 10 years.
I became a last year and I really enjoy sitting on the board of trustees. I am community minded and want to do my bit for the Braunstone. It’s great to see ideas come to life and to volunteer with a charity that really cares about the community.’
Trustees play a vital role in encouraging and embracing change in charities like us. So, let’s take our hats off to all the hard work they put in and are not always recognised publicly for.
Thank you to all of our Trustees for your commitment:
Tim Morton – Chair Person
Henry Thompson – Palmers of Leicester (Local Business) Representative and Resident
Bethan Lloyd – Braunstone Adventure Playground Representative and Resident
Cllr. Elaine Halford – Leicester City Council Representative and Resident
Edward Rodgers – Independent Trustee / Former Braunstone Blues Project lead
Geoff Stagg – Braunstone Residents Network Representative and Resident
Could you become a Trustee?
B-inspired are currently looking for trustee’s, with a 21 year proven track record of delivering services to the Braunstone community. We also own and manage several key buildings in Braunstone Community including the Hockley Farm Health and Social Care Centre, Business Box, Braunstone Park Lodge, 45 Wellinger Way, the Neighbourhood Support Base on Gallards Hill and The Grove Community Hub on Braunstone Park.
All the services the charity deliver are for the benefit of Braunstone residents and include Befriending for older residents, Social Groups, Foodshare (Food Bank), welfare and debt advice, training courses, sports and fitness activities plus events throughout the year. We also support the creation of new community businesses such as Preloved@45 Community Shop, Parkside Community Café and The Penalty Box Social Bar.
These are exciting times in our development and our services are growing. It is a great time to get involved and be part of the team, joining with committed staff and volunteers with a passion to make things happen!
Whilst the position is voluntary (not paid) it does offer the opportunity for personal development, gaining skills and knowledge and the satisfaction of putting something back into the community.
Our Board meets 4 times a year and you may choose to sit on a sub-committee’s. We are looking for people from a range of backgrounds and we are particularly keen to welcome local residents onto the Board of Trustees and can offer an induction and training.
If you would like to come on board and support us in our passion for delivering services where they are most needed… we would love to hear from you!
If you are interested in the first instance, please call our Chief Officer, Angie Wright for an informal chat on 0116 225 2490 or email at angie.wright@b-inspired.org.uk
