In the last of our Volunteers' Week blogs, Lucy shares the benefits of being a trustee in Gloucestershire and encourages anyone interested to give it a go.
"When I first joined a board of trustees, I thought I was just lending a hand to keep things ticking over. But it was so much more than that.
Being a trustee means being part of something truly meaningful. At meetings, you sit around with fellow passionate volunteers who share a commitment to their communities. I think there’s a belief that being a trustee is just overseeing budgets and policies, but it’s a lot more than that. It’s having the ability to make tangible change to a cause you really care about.
The rewards are immeasurable. I've helped young people make a start in their careers, seen people find forever friends, and helped protect a longstanding community asset. As trustees, we ensure these things continue to happen by making strategic decisions that balance creative vision with financial sustainability.
The skills I've gained are invaluable. Understanding charity law, developing fundraising strategies, reviewing constitutions and policies, and managing stakeholder relationships. Trusteeship has expanded my professional toolkit in ways my day job never could. The network of professionals, local business leaders, and community champions I've met has enriched my life immensely.
Most importantly, there's the deep satisfaction of knowing that every decision we make, every challenge we navigate, and every success we celebrate contributes to our community. I feel an enormous sense of pride knowing I'm part of the team that makes these things possible.
Charities can’t operate without trustees, and so many people across the county rely on charities to sustain their quality of life. If you're considering trusteeship, do it. If you think you can’t, you don’t have the experience or the right skills, I promise that you do. There’s always lots of trustee opportunities out there, so go and find one!".
Ready to take the next step?
Volunteers' Week is the perfect opportunity to explore the range of trustee opportunities in Gloucestershire. Local organisations will likely offer a comprehensive induction, training and mentoring, so you won’t be diving in alone. Finding a trusteeship cannot be simpler too as we host Go Volunteer Glos, the online home of volunteering in Gloucestershire.
Becoming a trustee is more than just a chance to give back — it’s an opportunity to grow personally, professionally and socially. To search through local vacancies and unlock the many benefits of being at the heart of change within our communities, please visit the Go Volunteer Glos website today!
About Volunteers' Week
Volunteers’ Week is a campaign that runs throughout the UK during the first week of June each year. It's a time when organisations are encouraged to celebrate the contributions of their volunteers (including your trustees of course!). Volunteers' Week has been running for over 40 years and is a really great campaign to utilise if you'd like to thank current and past volunteers for their much-valued time, commitment and dedication to your organisation.
Get involved
Each year, our team love seeing the range of stories and celebrations shared by local charities and community groups in Gloucestershire. We encourage as many local organisations to get involved as possible, in their own unique way, so that we can all come together and celebrate volunteering within our county.
Here's a few ideas about what you could do to get involved this year:
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Send your volunteers a thank you card to show them how much their support means to your organisation - you can send an e-card or one in the post, it's up to you.
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Share your volunteer stories on your website, in your newsletter or on your social media. Not only do volunteer stories help recognise your current volunteers – they may also attract new volunteers to your organisation.
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Organise a coffee morning or brunch for your volunteers to connect with each other and your team. From coffee and croissants to afternoon tea, there are lots of ways that you can bring people together to celebrate. You could even ask your team to do a 'bring and share' lunch or to bake some cakes to share.
Whatever your plans are – big or small – we'd be happy to share your posts on our social media or share your stories next week. You can share your stories and information about your celebrations by:
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Tagging us in on your posts on X and Facebook - we're @GlosVCSAlliance on both.
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Sending us the weblink to your volunteer stories This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to share in our News Bulletin and on our social media.
Access free resources
The Volunteers' Week website has a range of resources including:
- A social media pack for you to use across your social media channels.
- A downloadable certificate that you can give to your volunteers.
- A range of other printables (they even have bunting some years!).
You can download these resources here: https://volunteersweek.org/get-involved/resources/
If you're also looking for some ideas and tips, you can find lots of inspiration and advice on the Volunteers' Week website.
Join us to celebrate online
Our team will be sharing links to free resources, stories from the sector and more next week. Please follow us on X and Facebook (we're @GlosVCSAlliance on both) or sign up to our News Bulletin to keep updated.
We also hosted the 2025 Gloucestershire's Volunteer Awards on Thursday 5 June. You can find out more about this year's finalists on the Go Volunteer Glos website. We will be sharing photos and stories across our communications from next week.
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Support for the VCSE sector in Gloucestershire
We provide a range of support for VCSE sector groups & organisations of all shapes and sizes in Gloucestershire, including fully funded training & events, a range of thematic mailings, regular news updates, free membership and help recruiting volunteers.
We are the independent voice of the VCSE sector in Gloucestershire and are passionate about promoting equal partnerships at every level. You can find out more about how we work in partnership and represent the sector on our About Us page.
