Being a trustee or director is the same as being a committee member, people just use different terminology. Some people will say they have a Board of Trustees while others will say they have a Management Committee or Council of Management. The roles and responsibilities of both are exactly the same.

When a charity like Renaissance is both a charity and limited company a member of the Council of Management applies to be both a trustee and director and is responsible to the Charity Commission and Company’s House.

For ease we will use the word Trustees to encompass the role of director.

Trustees are responsible for controlling a charity’s management and administration; they are responsible for ensuring that a charity’s income and property are used for the purposes set out in the charity’s governing document (constitution) and for no other purpose. Trustees have a responsibility to act reasonably and prudently in all matters relating to the charity, and have a responsibility to act in the best interests of the charity.

Above all, trustees need to work together as a team to ensure their charity is run effectively and efficiently. As a body, the trustees should contain people who collectively have the skills and confidence that will enable the charity to confront and challenge any issues affecting it.