An interview with our Board Chair

As Trustee Week comes to an end, we spent some time with our Board Chair, Dr Peter Roberts finding out what motivated him to become a Trustee, and why being a Trustee at Cloverleaf Advocacy matters.

 

What motivated you to become a Trustee at Cloverleaf?

 

It all came about following my retirement from my role as an HR Manager for a medical charity. I started to think about what I wanted to do next. I'd decided against consultancy, but still wanted to use my professional expertise in some way.  I was made aware of Cloverleaf through a mutual acquaintance and told that they were looking to recruit more trustees, including those with HR experience – which they’d identified as a gap in their board skills and experience. After speaking with a number of other board members and Cloverleaf's CEO, I was impressed with the work they were doing and – as I identified with their aims and ethos - decided to jump aboard.

 

What are the challenges and rewards of being a trustee?

 

My biggest challenge, and it remains so, was that I had no idea about the world of advocacy and what it entailed. I am still learning, despite being in the role for over five years. The lack of in-depth knowledge of advocacy was not seen as a barrier though. What was more important was a general grounding in the running of a business, which I had gained as a member of the senior management teams in the different companies I'd worked for over the years. It gave me the opportunity to offer a different perspective to the business issues that came up in Cloverleaf.

 

A trustee can be described as a critical friend to the senior management team. They are there to look at and critique the overall strategy; the day-to-day handling of business affairs is very much the domain of the senior management team. There are some decisions that have to be agreed at board level, however the work is mostly concerning sound governance of the organisation and ensuring that the general direction is in line with its aims and that it remains on a sound financial footing.

 

As to the rewards? Well, it is fair to say they are all non-financial! What you do get is a sense of satisfaction of working as part of an organisation that can genuinely make a difference to people's lives by giving them a voice. 

 

What impact have you had as a trustee?

 

Since joining the trustee board I have seen significant growth in the size of the organisation. That growth led the trustees to challenge the organisation in terms of whether the structure was fit for purpose or needed to change. That led to a strategic organisational review and a new structure put forward that was agreed by the board. The senior management team was strengthened, allowing for opportunities for growth for Cloverleaf staff. Trustees have also been able to offer advice to the organisation based on their professional expertise and act as a sounding board for business growth.

 

What have been the highlights of being a trustee at Cloverleaf?

 

There has been unprecedented business conditions over the last five years for all organisations, not just Cloverleaf. We have had to endure the pandemic followed by very difficult economic conditions, and the continued squeeze on local authority spending which is where most of our income comes from. I feel immensely proud that we, as an organisation, have sailed through these choppy waters and have emerged stronger. Despite the difficulties we have grown significantly and remain on a strong financial footing. We have worked hard to ensure all staff are paid the living wage as a minimum. By working closely with the management team, we were able to make the right decisions for the organisation at the right time through an open and collaborative approach.

 

Find out more about becoming a Trustee for Cloverleaf by visiting our Become a Trustee page