David Pitcher is the CEO of Wheely Tots, a community-led charitable social enterprise in London. Wheely Tots promotes healthy, confident, resilient communities through improving connections to each other and the outdoors, and the organisation has evolved to become an expert in walking, cycling and bushcraft. Sudhanshu Deo is a Senior Vice President at Citi and engaged with ELBA BoardBuilders as a way to utilise his professional skills and experience for a greater social good, beyond his day-to-day role. 

SUDHANSHU DEO, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, CITI, VOLUNTEER

Why did you engage with ELBA’s BoardBuilders programme?
I was driven by a strong desire to utilise my professional skills and experience for a greater social good, beyond my day-to-day role. I believed that contributing to a charity at a governance level would not only be personally fulfilling but also offer a unique opportunity to understand and address societal challenges from a new perspective.

Tell us about your BoardBuilders experience
ELBA’s BoardBuilders has been excellent. My experience was incredibly positive and professionally managed from start to finish. The initial stages involved a general assessment of my skills, interests and availability, which helped to refine the types of charities that would be a good fit. ELBA provided excellent guidance throughout the selection process, presenting me with several compelling opportunities that aligned with my aspirations. The interviews with the charity were well-facilitated, allowing both parties to assess mutual compatibility and vision. Overall, the programme demystified the process of becoming a trustee and ensured a well-informed and confident entry into charity governance.

What have you gained from your trusteeship?
My trusteeship has been a deeply enriching experience, offering significant gains both personally and professionally. On a personal level, it has provided immense satisfaction in contributing to a cause I deeply care about, seeing the direct impact of the charity’s work on the community. Professionally, it has broadened my strategic thinking and governance understanding considerably. I’ve gained invaluable insights into the non-profit sector’s operational complexities, fundraising challenges and stakeholder management. It’s also sharpened my leadership, communication and decision-making skills, as I’ve had to navigate diverse perspectives and contribute to high-stakes decisions. The opportunity to collaborate with a dedicated board of individuals from various backgrounds has also expanded my network and provided new perspectives on problem-solving.

Would you recommend volunteering to a colleague and, if so, why?
I would wholeheartedly recommend volunteering as a trustee to any colleague. It offers an unparalleled opportunity for personal growth, professional development and meaningful impact. For those looking to broaden their leadership capabilities and strategic oversight beyond their corporate roles, a trusteeship provides real-world experience in governance, financial stewardship and strategic planning within a different organisational context. It’s a chance to apply existing skills in new ways and develop new ones, all while contributing to a vital cause. Beyond the professional benefits, the sense of purpose and fulfilment derived from making a tangible difference in the community is incredibly rewarding. It’s an investment in yourself and in society, fostering a deeper understanding of the challenges and triumphs within our communities.

DAVID PITCHER, CEO, WHEELY TOTS

Why did you engage with ELBA’s BoardBuilders programme?
We had successfully recruited a brilliant trustee at ELBA’s BoardBuilders BoardMatch event in the past so when we had some vacancies again, we were really keen to take part in BoardMatch27. The ELBA network allows us to access an amazingly talented pool of potential trustees we would not be able to reach through our own contacts as a small charity.

Tell us about your BoardBuilders experience
We attended a BoardMatch event with our current Chair of Trustees. It was really well organised and a great opportunity to meet other organisations seeking trustees as well as have great conversations with individuals actively seeking trustee roles. It was a really efficient use of time as we met a large number of interested individuals during the evening and were able to talk about Wheely Tots and answer their questions. Being able to meet potential trustees in person early on is very useful in the recruitment process and we would wholeheartedly recommend this approach to other organisations.

If you have recruited a trustee/s through BoardBuilders, what impact has the trustee appointment made to your organisation?
We have recruited two trustees so far through the BoardBuilders BoardMatch event and have another application progressing. These individuals bring a range of lived and corporate experience and skills to our trustee team that ensure that our governance continues to be robust. In addition, we are planning to scale our children’s bike borrowing scheme and having trustees with financial, commercial and operational acumen to call on is invaluable. The impact at board level cascades throughout the whole organisation and into our monitoring, evaluation and learning framework, focused on changes to participants’ feelings of connection, improved health and well-being, and social capital.

Would you recommend ELBA and, if so, why?
We would 100% recommend ELBA to other organisations. As a small charity we benefit greatly from the training, access to corporate volunteers and their excellent wider programme.