Ann Limb

1. First of all, about you: what attracted you to becoming a chair/trustee?

I spent 20 years as a high level public sector Chief Executive, working with voluntary groups/boards of governors/trustees. I knew first hand how vital it is for the executive team to have a good group of non-executives working with and for the organisation – but not trying to do the organisations day-to-day work! I made a conscious decision that from my early fifties, I would pursue an unpaid career as a charity chair/trustee in order to make a contribution to improving the general level of non-executive competence in the voluntary and charitable sector.

2. Which organisation(s) do you represent?

I am Founder and Chair of Trustees of the Helena Kennedy Foundation - an independent educational charity that works to promote social mobility and social justice by making specific social action interventions. I also founded the charity/social enterprise – the Network for Woman Managers in Further Education, now known as the Women’s Leadership Network and I chair number of other national and local charities. I describe myself as a ‘serial charity entrepreneur’. 

3. What particularly attracted you to these organisations?

I approached Baroness Kennedy QC in 1998 to suggest that following publication of her report “Learning Works’, combined with adverse changes in governmental higher education policy (that had already begun to affect widening access and increasing participation at university from disadvantaged students from non-traditional backgrounds in further education colleges), a national charity, specifically to take social action to support FE students should be set up in her name – and that I was willing to do this and to fund it. She agreed – and became President of the Foundation.

4. Is there anything that would make you an even more effective trustee/chair?

I think it is important to stay as close to the users/beneficiaries of the charity you are working with as possible and to make sure you see things from their point of view all the time – this also makes it easier to describe the impact your charity is having to others.

5. What’s the biggest challenge you have faced in your role?

Raising money without question! As a small independent charity with no endowment, no benefactors and working in a ‘non sexy’ part of the third sector, we just can’t attract the level of financial support given to the big names – who seem to us to get all the money and all the kudos.

6. What do you consider the most satisfying aspect of your role?

Seeing how the small amount of money and support we give to individuals has a profound, lasting, and life changing effect on them.

7. Do you think there is enough general recognition of the value of the trustee/chair role?

No not really  - as often the work Trustees do is very much ‘behind the scenes’, supporting the executive team, professionalising behaviours, giving advice, mentoring the CEO and senior team, monitoring finances, resolving delicate issues - and this sort of governance work is not generally very visible. That said if it is not done, the charity and the staff often get into difficulties.
 
8. (If you have been a trustee/chair for some time) have you felt that the demands made on trustees/chairs have grown over time?

I think there has been an increased and necessary focus of attention on the voluntary and charitable sector since the Charities Act and therefore the demands made upon Boards of Trustees are more and more rigorous – and this is a good thing.

9. What do you think is the ideal term of office that a trustee/chair should serve?

I don’t think there is an ideal but I think a minimum of one term of 3 or 4 years is desirable in order to get to know the work of the charity well  - and that this can be extended to two terms once the Trustee is established

10. What tip would you give to a new trustee?

Don’t get involved unless you are really interested in the work that the charity does.

11. If you weren’t a trustee, what would you do with that time?

Grow more organic vegetables!

12. What steps do you take to increase/retain your organisation’s membership?

The Helena Kennedy Foundation doesn’t really have a ‘membership' but we operate a ‘Friends of the Foundation’ scheme that encourages FE colleges whose students benefit from our work to make a small regular contribution to the charity

13. What question do you want to ask next week’s trustee?

What motivated you to become a charity Trustee?

For your opportunity to answer Ann's question, please click on the link to the Forum