Governance

Background

Carers in Bedfordshire (CiB) was founded in 2004 and registered in 2010 with the Charity Commission. Its mission is to support unpaid carers of all ages and backgrounds.  It offers emotional support, connection with other carers, information and advice, and support for young carers. 

Over 8,000 carers are registered with CiB, with 100 new registrations per quarter.  CiB employs around 40 staff, supported by over 100 volunteers and currently has seven trustees.  The board has a good mix of business, financial and operations skills and most board members have lived experience of being a carer themselves.

This was the sixth Cranfield Trust consultancy project for Carers in Bedfordshire; Cranfield Trust has been supporting the charity since 2010.

The Challenge

In May 2021, Chris Stelling, CEO, requested the support of a Cranfield Trust volunteer consultant to review CiB’s governance processes to help the Trustees embed best practice, and to ensure the sustainability of the organisation going forwards.

The Solution

East of England Project Manager, Ian Williams, worked with Chris to agree a project brief which included:

·     Setting a benchmark for CiB’s current governance

·     An action plan for improvement

·     A recommendation of how and when the Board should self-audit in the future

Ian matched the charity with Cranfield Trust volunteer Chris Hilliard, an expert in Governance and National Leader of Governance (NLG), recognised by the National Governance Association, with a background as a senior leader within the public sector. Chris brought his governance experience and expertise to this project to support the alignment of the Board with the charity governance code. This included a review of paperwork, one-to-one meetings with staff and Trustees, and observation of a Board meeting.

Impact

Chris Stelling was delighted with the support he received from Cranfield Trust, saying:

“Chris Hilliard has competed his work with us and I just wanted to thank you for putting us in touch. The process Chris undertook was direct, efficient and highly professional. Chris's considerable experience enabled him to review how we worked and come to a professional judgement that was universally accepted within a very short space of time. He made what could be a complicated and gruelling process into worthwhile exercise that will form the foundation of workstreams for the foreseeable future.”

Volunteer Chris Hilliard is also very positive about the experience working with CiB. Chris said:

“The Cranfield Trust through its pro bono management engagement can make a real difference offering direct, efficient, objective, and professional support. The charitable sector is making a huge difference to individuals and society as whole and it is real privilege for a volunteer through The Cranfield Trust to contribute in some small way.”

If you are a welfare charity leader in Bedfordshire and would like to explore how Cranfield Trust could support your charity, please contact Ian Williams, Regional Manager (South East & East of England) at [email protected]