Braving the heat for good: ELBA celebrates a milestone at BoardMatch30

By Zimmie Sutcliffe, Community Development Project Manager, Community Team

Since 2017 ELBA has delivered BoardMatch events that bring together local charities who are seeking new trustees with skilled business volunteers who are looking to join a charity board. Earlier this month during the soaring heat, ELBA hosted the 30th BoardMatch event at T. Rowe Price.

BoardMatch30 gave 12 community organisations the opportunity to pitch their work and vacant trustee roles to employees from ELBA’s network of over 80 corporate partners. Each organisation delivered an inspiring pitch about the work they are doing to empower communities through volunteering, the arts, biodiversity, community development, youth theatre and supporting families and victims of domestic abuse.

During the networking portion of the evening there was great energy in the room, with lots of enthusiastic conversations. Volunteers came away feeling excited about applying to join an amazing community organisation and making a difference in the community. Community partners left energised after meeting lots of highly skilled people who can bring vital new expertise and insight to their boards.

ELBA would like to thank the community organisations and business employees for braving the heatwave and taking part in BoardMatch30! We would also like to thank T. Rowe Price for being an amazing host.

If you are an employee at one of ELBA’s corporate partners and would like to apply to join the board of any of the participating community organisations listed below, please email [email protected].

The BoardMatch30 community organisations

• All Change
• Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park
• Half Moon Young People’s Theatre
• Her Centre
• Manor House Development Trust
• Mary’s Youth Club
• Margaret’s House
• Stoke Newington Music School CIC
• Voluntary Action Islington
• Volunteer Centre Hackney
• Walthamstow Toy Library and Play Centre
• Young Urban Arts Foundation

BoardBuilders

BoardMatch events form part of ELBA’s BoardBuilders programme, which supports charities and social enterprises in east London and Islington to recruit trustees from ELBA’s network of skilled business volunteers. BoardBuilders helps charities to enhance the skills and increase diversity on their Boards by connecting them with a large pool of volunteers with diverse skills, backgrounds and professional expertise.

Next up: BoardMatch31

BoardMatch31 will take place in October 2026 and applications for community organisations will open in mid-August. If you are an east London- or Islington-based charity and would like to participate, please contact [email protected].

Employees of ELBA’s corporate partners can register to attend BoardMatch31 from September. If you interested in attending, please contact your internal CSR team for details.

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