Trustees’ Week 2026: Thank You, Trustees

From 9 to 13 November, Trustees’ Week 2026 celebrates the people who volunteer their time to help charities do their work well. At Zetetick Housing, we are fortunate to have a great group of trustees. They bring their experience, judgement and enthusiasm to the charity, alongside their jobs, families and other commitments. It’s a good opportunity to recognise what they contribute and say thank you.

As well as being Zetetick’s Chief Executive, I am also a charity trustee. I know that the role brings a mixture of enjoyment and responsibility. There are papers to read, meetings to attend and sometimes difficult decisions to make. There is also the pleasure of working with interesting people, learning something new and being part of an organisation whose work matters. I think we sometimes forget to talk about that side of trusteeship.

What our volunteer trustees contribute

Most of the work trustees do happens quietly. They read reports, consider proposals, attend Board and committee meetings and help us work through decisions that can have lasting consequences. They give their time freely, often fitting these commitments around an already busy life. There is much more involved than simply turning up to a meeting every few months.

A good Board brings experience that extends well beyond the charity itself. Our trustees come from different backgrounds and see things from different perspectives, which is enormously useful. Someone who works in finance may notice something different from a person with experience of housing, safeguarding or developing organisations. Often, a straightforward question from somebody looking at an issue for the first time can lead to a better decision.

As Chief Executive, I value having people around the table who are prepared to ask those questions. Sometimes that means explaining something again or recognising that what seemed obvious to the person presenting a proposal wasn’t actually clear to everyone else. That is a useful discipline. It also reminds me that we have a responsibility to give trustees clear information and make good use of the time they volunteer.

Why their decisions matter to the people we house

Zetetick provides homes for adults with learning disabilities, autism and other additional needs. The decisions our trustees make can affect the long-term security of those homes, the quality of our housing services and whether the charity remains financially sound. These are substantial responsibilities, even though much of the work takes place away from the people who benefit from it.

Trustees are responsible for overseeing the charity, rather than managing its day-to-day work. They need to know that we are looking after our tenants, maintaining our properties, managing risks and using our resources properly. That includes paying attention to what tenants tell us. Tenant involvement at Zetetick is an important part of understanding whether our work is achieving what it should.

We wrote more about the responsibilities of trustees in supported housing during last year’s Trustees’ Week. Those responsibilities remain important, particularly as supported housing faces changes in regulation. But I want this year’s article to recognise the people who willingly take them on.

The enjoyable side of trusteeship

There is a tendency to describe trusteeship almost entirely in terms of duties, legal responsibilities and governance. All of those things matter, but concentrating on them alone can make the role sound rather forbidding. People should know that being a trustee can also be interesting, stimulating and good fun.

You get to work alongside people you might never otherwise have met. You hear different views, learn about unfamiliar subjects and sometimes discover that your own assumptions need questioning. A good discussion can be enjoyable even when people disagree, and there should always be room for humour around the Board table.

I think that matters. People who enjoy working together are often better able to have the difficult conversations when they arise. They can challenge one another without making it personal and still be pleased to see each other at the next meeting. That combination of trust, openness and good humour is valuable in any organisation, particularly one dealing with people’s homes and lives.

Welcoming new people to the Board

We have been doing some recruitment to Zetetick’s Board recently. It is a useful opportunity to consider the experience and perspectives we need as the charity develops. A Board benefits from a mixture of people, including those who bring professional knowledge and those whose personal experience helps them understand the lives of the people we house.

There is no single background that makes somebody a good trustee. Curiosity, sound judgement, a willingness to learn and the confidence to ask questions are all important. Nobody needs to arrive knowing everything about supported housing. Much of that understanding comes from becoming involved, meeting people and seeing how the organisation works.

Our trustees have taken different routes into the role. You can get a sense of that from our interviews with Debbie Page and Natasha Hussain, who talk about their backgrounds, what attracted them to Zetetick and what they bring to the Board.

If you have considered becoming a trustee, I would encourage you to explore it. There are charities of every size and purpose looking for people willing to contribute. The Charity Commission’s guide to becoming a trustee explains the responsibilities and the benefits of getting involved.

Trustees’ Week 2026: Thank You to Our Trustees

Trustees’ Week 2026 gives us a chance to recognise the contribution of volunteer trustees across the UK. For me, it is also an opportunity to thank the people who give their time to Zetetick throughout the year, often without much public recognition.

I appreciate the support, the questions, the different points of view and the commitment our trustees bring to the charity. Their contribution helps us make better decisions and remain focused on the people whose homes we provide.

To everyone who volunteers as a trustee, thank you. I hope you enjoy the experience as much as the organisations you support value your contribution. There will always be serious work to do, but there should be plenty of satisfaction, friendship and enjoyment along the way.