It's Volunteers' Week this week and today we’re celebrating the vital role trustees play in shaping charities, community groups and non-profits across Gloucestershire. If you’ve ever thought about stepping into governance, our trustee, Kit Boulting-Hodge shares why now is the perfect time to take on a trusteeship in Gloucestershire...

1. Expand your network

As a trustee, you’ll meet people from all walks of life — fellow volunteers, community leaders, funders and service users. Whether you’re swapping stories over coffee or brainstorming at strategy sessions, you’ll build relationships that broaden your horizons and might even open doors in your day-to-day career.

2. Sharpen your skills

Trusteeship is hands-on professional development. You’ll tackle real-world challenges in areas like finance, marketing, risk management and governance. Maybe you’ll chair a meeting for the first time, lead a recruitment drive or help steer an ambitious new project — each task adds a credential to your CV and equips you with transferable skills.

3. See the big picture 

Visiting different places - from youth centres to wildlife reserves - gives you an insider’s view of how organisations operate 'on the ground'. You’ll gain fresh perspectives on what works (and what doesn’t), which can spark creative ideas that you can bring back to your own workplace or community.

4. Be a catalyst for innovation

Your unique background means you bring new ideas and constructive challenges to the boardroom table. By questioning assumptions, proposing fresh approaches and sharing insights from other sectors, you'll help ensure that the charity stays relevant, resilient and responsive.

5. Make a tangible difference 

There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing the direct impact of your decisions — whether it’s enabling a new programme to launch, safeguarding an organisation’s future with sound financial planning, or mentoring the next generation of leaders. Plus, while trusteeship is a significant commitment, most boards expect no more than a few hours a month, making it manageable alongside work and family responsibilities.

6. Grow personally 

Serving as a trustee isn’t just good for your professional life — it feeds your soul. You’ll deepen your understanding of social issues, build empathy and gain a sense of purpose knowing that you’re helping people and causes that really matter.

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:

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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 you 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:

• Tagging us in on your posts on X and Facebook - we're @GlosVCSAlliance on both.

• 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

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're also hosting 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. Bookings for this year's celebrations have now closed, but we will be sharing photos and stories from the evening after the event across our communications.

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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.