Charles Middleton, Head of Taxation at British Land, talks about his motivations for volunteering as a charity board trustee at Hackney CVS and Jake Ferguson, Chief Executive of Hackney CVS, highlights the impact it has made.

Describe the charity you are a trustee of: Hackney CVS is the umbrella body for local voluntary and community organisations that provides support and information as well as leading a range of projects which benefit residents

What is your role on the board and how does it feed into the work of the charity? I am the Treasurer of the Board. I have a range of financial skills, experience of working within small organisations and contacts that can assist Hackney CVS.

Becoming a trustee is a big commitment, how do you manage your time? I try to ensure that my work and volunteering time run in unison.

What motivated you to become a trustee? I have been a major beneficiary of education which, in return, has enabled me to thoroughly enjoy my working life and has opened my eyes to many different things – I felt it time that I gave something back to the community.

How did ELBA support you? ELBA supported me by helping me to find the right and most suitable trustee board to join and organised the initial meetings and introductions.

What advice would you give to other charities to get the most out of their trustee’s skills and expertise? Be clear and to the point as to what is expected, appreciate their time and effort, be flexible when possible, and give as much time as possible to organise meetings.

What are the top three pieces of advice you would give to a business volunteer interested in becoming a trustee? Have a genuine interest in your chosen charity, stay focussed and motivated and be proactive.

Jake Ferguson, echoes Charles’ comments by giving the following advice to charities in order to get the most out of their trustees, ‘Audit the skills that trustees have. Make it clear want you need from them. Always thank trustees for their time and commitment.’ Encouraging other charities to take on business volunteers, Jake stresses that the key characteristics needed by a trustee are ‘commitment to the organisation, business skills (around HR, legal or financial matters for example) and strategic thinking’.

Jake highlights the value of business volunteers on the board and the impact Charles has already made. ‘Business volunteers help myself and the senior team by advising on the strategic direction to the organisation, setting overall policy, defining goals and setting targets and as well as reviewing performance against agreed targets. They bring fresh perspectives about the sustainability and focus of the organisation. They have skills that we need as a board around finance and legal matters. Charles has helped us secure pro-bono VAT advice for a number of important finance matters. He has also volunteered to be our treasurer which is very helpful to the Finance Director and CEO in particular as it means we will have someone who can cast an expert eye over our management accounts.’

Visit hcvs.org.uk to find out more about Hackney CVS.