Amardeep Gill is Head of Fundraising and Communications at charity Disability Sports Coach, which creates opportunities for people with disabilities to get physically active. Sam Vardy is Executive Director of Legal Technical and Claims at Howden Insurance Brokers. Sam was keen to volunteer his skills and experience and found ELBA’s BoardMatch event the perfect way to connect with the right charity. He is now Vice-Chair of Disability Sports Coach and together with Amardeep they have worked to make the organisation stronger and more sustainable for the future.

SAM VARDY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, LEGAL TECHNICAL AND CLAIMS, HOWDEN INSURANCE BROKERS

Why did you engage with ELBA’s BoardBuilders programme?
I have been involved in pro bono related projects (providing free legal advice) since I started training as a lawyer in 2005. When I moved out of private practice, I wanted to continue volunteering my time to worthy causes, and to do so in a way that I could use my skills and experience with the greatest impact. ELBA’s BoardMatch event was an ideal opportunity to match me with a charity looking for someone with my skillset.

Tell us about your BoardBuilders experience
Meeting with Disability Sports Coach (and some other charities) at the BoardMatch event took place during Covid, and so was an early experience of using Zoom and virtual breakout rooms! The format meant I had time to listen to the needs and focus of multiple charities, and then to speak extensively with the charities I thought would be the best fit. At the end, I had a clear idea of where I wanted to apply and why, and we went from there!

What have you gained from your trusteeship?
The number one gain is knowing that I play a small part in the benefit the charity provides to participants in our sports sessions. Getting out to the clubs and seeing the joy makes it all worthwhile. From a professional and skills point of view, learning to be part of a governance structure, holding the Senior Management Team to account, working through budgets and driving strategy are all useful aspects of the role. It is also great to be part of a diverse team with a range of skills, to see how different people approach situations in different ways, and to work through problems together for the benefit of all.

Would you recommend volunteering to a colleague and, if so, why?
100%! There are so many great causes out there, and so many that rely on the time and skills of volunteers. You can make a real difference to the lives of people and learn new things along the way.

AMARDEEP GILL, HEAD OF FUNDRAISING AND COMMUNICATIONS, DISABILITY SPORTS COACH

Why did you engage with ELBA’s BoardBuilders programme?
As a young charity with ambitious plans, we knew our leadership team needed a wide variety of experience to help us meet our goals. Having worked with ELBA previously, benefiting from wonderful pro-bono support from corporate partners, we knew that the BoardBuilders programme would provide a great opportunity meet hugely experienced people motivated to make a difference to small charities.

Tell us about your BoardBuilders experience
Our BoardBuilders experience was extremely positive. As we were in the aftermath of the pandemic lockdown, the BoardMatch event was held virtually, and meant we could have more of our Senior Management Team attend to meet prospective Trustees. We had the chance to review candidate profiles before the session. Seeing profiles before the event meant we had a more comprehensive overview of individuals’ skills. Likewise, it really helped that the people we spoke with were already aware of our work, which helped everyone get the most of out the session.

If you have recruited a trustee/s through BoardBuilders, what impact has the trustee appointment made to your organisation?
We spoke with three fantastic individuals during BoardMatch – and we recruited all three! That was four years ago, and Sam, Agneta and Adrian have made a significant impact. Shortly after joining, we benefited from two new corporate fundraising partnerships, while another introduced us to Australian Rules Football – helping give disabled people across London something new to try! Trustee Sam, has gone on to become Vice-Chair, providing even more strategic oversight and guidance to our work. Since becoming involved in ELBA BoardBuilders programme, our charity has successfully navigated the pandemic and emerged as a stronger, more sustainable organisation.

Would you recommend ELBA and, if so, why?
We would definitely recommend ELBA and the BoardBuilders programme. You’ll meet many hugely experienced individuals motivated to make a difference to small charities – all in your local community. Thanks to the expertise of the Trustees recruited through the BoardMatch events, we have been able to grow our networks, improve our resilience and increase our reach.