With the approach of Trustees’ Week), we contacted some of our past and present Trustees to ask them the questions “Why did you become a Home-Start Trustee?” and “What did it mean to you?”, and we were warmed to the heart with the responses.
Some chose to give us some lovely quotes, which you will see across our social media over the coming week, and one in particular, Linda, wrote us this lovely piece, which of course we had to make our next blog post!
So settle down with a nice cuppa and have a little read of what it meant to Linda to be a Home-Start Trustee…
Being able to support the charity’s great team of staff, co-ordinators and volunteers was very fulfilling.
Home-Start Trustee
From ‘Ladies who lunch…’ to ‘Trustees who toil…’
That’s how it started for me. Soon after I retired from work, I was at a lunch gathering of ladies who, on hearing I was interested “to do something to help children have as happy a childhood as I had”, mentioned Home-Start.
Twelve years later, I ‘retired’ again, this time from a challenging, fun and totally rewarding spell as a Trustee of Home-Start Royston, Buntingford and South Cambridgeshire (HSRBSC).
Maureen Brierley, our Chair, and I met on the first day of our induction and became firm friends, dedicated to the success of a service which we could see had such wonderfully positive effects on the lives of families going through difficult times.
With a small group of equally dedicated Trustees, staff and volunteers, we steered our way through the Cambridge and Hertfordshire County Councils’ reluctant withdrawals of grants worth a combined £100,000 a year, made applications to generous corporate and other funders, and raised thousands of pounds through quizzes, ceilidhs and cake sales.
Looking back, in no way was it ‘toil’. We did have significant challenges and some worrying times, but my chief memories are of everyone’s amazing resilience, teamwork and dedication to the well-being of local families. And, despite all the planning, organising and governance of the Scheme and the anxiety over whether anyone would come to our ‘Literary Lunches’, we had FUN! Our Fundraising Events Group planning meetings were famous for the laughter coming from the Meeting Room, and at the events themselves, our team and the local community were – and still are – so supportive that we all found time to enjoy ourselves.
Moving testimonials on how Home-Start has worked alongside parents to meet their families’ challenges and ‘get back on track’ will always have a special place in my heart; I am very lucky that this wonderful service also enabled me to meet my ambition to help some children have as happy a childhood as they possibly can.
Although I didn’t need time off work to be a Trustee, some employers are very supportive and encourage employees to take up this voluntary role in which one learns many skills, including prudent financial control, long-term planning and building community relationships. It continues to be a huge challenge to maintain HSRBSC’s invaluable service. You can find out more about Home-Start and how you can help to continue their great journey here – your support really makes a difference.
Linda, former Trustee
Moving testimonials on how Home-Start has worked alongside parents to meet their families’ challenges and ‘get back on track’ will always have a special place in my heart.
Home-Start Trustee