Why trusteeship matters: from oversight to active leadership
Julie Kent MBE is chair of the trustees at the Pied Piper Appeal and also chair of the Honourable Company of Gloucestershire and has extensive experience of trusteeship over many years. She offers her thoughts on active leadership below
People often become trustees because they care deeply about a cause. They want to give something back, support their community or use their experience to help an organisation grow. What many do not initially realise is that trusteeship carries real responsibility. It is rewarding, inspiring and often hugely enjoyable, but it also requires commitment, accountability and leadership.
New trustees come in many guises. Some arrive full of enthusiasm and immediately overcommit before realising how difficult it can be to balance trusteeship with businesses, careers and family life. Others do not fully understand the governance responsibilities or the potential liability attached to being a trustee, particularly if an organisation is not being managed correctly. Trustees are ultimately responsible for ensuring charities are properly governed and accountable to the Charity Commission. These things matter.
Over the years, I have always valued having a lawyer and an accountant around the Board table. Strong trustees bring different expertise and perspectives. Legal oversight, financial scrutiny, reserves planning, leases, constitutional matters and risk management are all critical areas where trustees need confidence and clarity. Good governance is not simply about compliance; it creates stability and protects the future of the charity.
Trustees also help fundamentally shape the direction of an organisation. They are there to ask difficult questions, challenge constructively and sometimes make incredibly tough decisions. Effective trusteeship requires confidence, curiosity, compassion and professionalism in equal measure.
“If volunteers are standing outside shaking buckets in the rain, I will stand there too”
At different stages, I have been Chair of Trustees at Cheltenham Open Door, trustee at Goals Beyond Grass and Vice Chair of The Pied Piper Appeal all at the same time. Each organisation operated differently, with its own culture, pressures and priorities. I am now Chair of Trustees at Pied Piper and Chair of the Honourable Company of Gloucestershire. Across all of these roles, one thing has remained constant: trusteeship is most effective when leadership is active, visible and grounded in service.
I have always believed strongly that I would never ask trustees or volunteers to do something I would not do myself. If volunteers are standing outside shaking buckets in the rain, I will stand there too. If raffle tickets need selling, I will happily sell them. To lead a charity well, you must earn the respect of staff, volunteers and fellow trustees. Leadership cannot happen solely in boardrooms and strategy papers. People need to see that trustees genuinely understand the organisation and are prepared to roll their sleeves up when needed.
Some of my favourite memories of trusteeship have come from those very moments that remind us charities are powered by people, not policies. While helping cook for guests at Cheltenham Open Door, I accidentally left a tea towel on the hob and promptly set it on fire. I was swiftly removed from cooking duties and reassigned to washing up instead. On another occasion, I found myself calling numbers at a drag bingo fundraiser for Pied Piper. Some of the phrases I had to read out alongside the bingo numbers certainly pushed me well outside my comfort zone, but the evening raised significant funds for sick children and was absolutely worth it.
Those moments matter because trusteeship is not simply about governance. It is about connection. You cannot lead effectively if you are unwilling to engage fully with the cause, laugh at yourself occasionally and understand the experiences of the people your charity supports.
“Local leadership matters because communities trust people who understand local realities and care deeply about the people they serve”
One of Gloucestershire’s greatest strengths has always been its community spirit and collaborative VCSE sector. Over the years, I have watched charities, businesses, schools, local authorities and volunteers repeatedly come together to solve problems collaboratively rather than competitively. Increasingly, trustees need to think beyond their own organisation and ask important questions, such as :
Who else has already experienced this challenge?
Could partnership create greater impact?
Are we duplicating something that already exists?
The best outcomes often come when organisations work together, share knowledge and build trusted relationships across communities. Local leadership matters because communities trust people who understand local realities and care deeply about the people they serve.
At the same time, trustees must remain grounded in purpose. During periods of financial uncertainty, charities can understandably become distracted by funding pressures and opportunities that may pull them away from their mission. Trustees play a vital role in bringing focus back to the “why” and reflecting on the following:
Why are we here?
Who are we serving?
How are we making a meaningful difference?
These are the questions that should sit at the centre of every board discussion.
“When that letter of thanks arrives from someone whose life has genuinely been changed by the charity’s work, it reminds us exactly why trusteeship matters”
If only passion alone could sustain charities long term, then most would be thriving!
Difficult decisions sometimes need to be made earlier than expected. Innovation matters, but so does sustainability. Strong trusteeship means being willing to make brave decisions, explore new income streams and adapt services where necessary to protect the future of the organisation.
As we move towards 2027 and beyond, trusteeship will become even more important. The charities that thrive will not necessarily be the biggest, but the ones with clear purpose, adaptable leadership and trustees who are willing to lead actively and responsibly through change.
Strong trusteeship shapes lives, strengthens communities and supports organisations to weather difficult times. And when that letter of thanks arrives from someone whose life has genuinely been changed by the charity’s work, it reminds us exactly why trusteeship matters: serving people and communities wherever support is needed most.
Find out more about Julie Kent by visiting her website here.