Hampshire Trustees Forum

Location(s)

Following a decade of success and national recognition, "The Hampshire Chairs' Forum" has been expanded and updated to reach an even wider audience.  Community Action Hampshire, together with Hampshire's district Councils for Voluntary Service, has launched this revitalised forum open to all of Hampshire's trustees.

The Hampshire Trustees Forum (HTF), in close partnership with the district Councils for Voluntary Service  in Hampshire, will run at least two events a year, open to ALL trustees of voluntary and community organisations operating in the county.

The new HTF format will include the traditional networking time and presentations from expert speakers, but will also include workshops allowing delegates to explore the implications of what they've been hearing about in greater detail.  Workshops will be followed up by Q & A sessions.

Hampshire Trustees Forum - May 2010 - Alton
 
A packed meeting of Hampshire trustees was held in Alton on 24 May organised by Community Action Hampshire.  Over 30 trustees met to discuss how to recruit new trustees and how to manage a charity in a recession. 
 
There was much concern expressed about the full effects of recession, many of which are still to bite.  Marilyn Smuland of CAH lead the workshop and suggested that a good safeguard for trustees is to consider incorporation for their charity if they had not already done so. Being or remaining solvent  and sorting out liquidity were regarded as vital.   It is always the trustees role to ask questions and to communicate with staff and volunteers, but it was agreed that communication was more important than ever in the current climate.
 
The group went on to discuss how best to recruit new trustees with Tim Toghill from CTN.  Getting the right mix of skills on trustee boards was regarded as essential but some times it can be a difficult task.  Using the skills you already have and identifying skills gaps so that recruitment can be then be targeted was important.  Using skills audits with all your trustees were regarded as useful.  The group agreed that having a strategy for trustee recruitment and giving it a high priority will benefit the board.  Nominating one trustee to project manage the task was seen as essential.  Looking ahead to who is needed after, say, the next AGM, can save the mad rush to recruit using the old favourite "word of mouth" methods which are often ineffective.  Ensuring that your  board has a diverse range of skills and experience will give you a better performing board.
 
Hampshire Trustees Forum meets twice a year in various parts of the county.  They discuss a wide range of topics.  Keep an eye on the website for information about future meetings.

 For more information about the Forum and its events is available at:

 www.action.hants.org.uk