Taylor Root UK Trustee Network: An interview with Andy Simpson

As part of our interview series for our Trustee Network, Taylor Root Director, Asha Morzaria, recently spoke to Andy Simpson, Head of Compliance at Tysers, about being a Trustee for No Limits.

Who does No Limits as a charity support?

No Limits supports over 7,000 children and young people in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight every year. Its amazing team helps children and young people grow in confidence and manage their life towards a brighter future, despite challenges around mental health, housing, substance abuse, money, or anything else.

Why were you interested in becoming a Trustee?

I suppose there were two motivations for me really. Firstly, going through the adoption process for my daughter, it really opened my eyes to the disadvantage that children in care have at the beginning of their lives. Secondly, I felt that my skills as a lawyer would be valuable to a charity, particularly around ensuring that they have strong governance so that they can focus their resources on their good work. This combination was pretty powerful and giving back in some way has been incredibly rewarding and helped me to develop new skills.

Briefly describe your role as a Trustee and what involvement you have in your organisation? 

Principally it is about providing oversight and challenge to the charity’s senior leadership team and that’s mainly through the quarterly board meetings. We want to ensure that the charity is well placed to continue its work long into the future, so a lot of our focus is on retaining that sustainability. There are always threats around matters such as funding, safeguarding issues, inadequate IT and the pace of change in society, so we support and challenge the charity’s management to ensure that the charity is constantly evolving to meet these demands.

What are the benefits to a lawyer being a Trustee?

Fundamentally, I really enjoy collaborating with a team of people that I wouldn’t come across in my professional life who are all committed to the same cause. I have learnt a lot in the last 3 years!  There is also the reward of applying my skills to a particular issue, such as a supplier dispute I resolved when the charity was being bullied. In the longer term, being a Trustee can be a win-win situation because you’re building experience in a board role. As lawyers, we often attend board meetings in an advisory capacity, so it’s good to take on that primary decision making role.  I believe that having that first-hand experience makes us better equipped to advise those in a board role.  Also, if your career aspirations include a future non-executive role, then a Trustee role provides obvious relevant experience to help you towards that aim.

What would your advice be to a lawyer at the start of their journey looking for a Trustee role?

You must have the drive and be motivated to want to help the charity.  As I talk to Trustees and charity CEOs, the most successful Trustees are those that are passionate about the role. So, look for charities whose cause means something to you. From a practical perspective, you can search for advertised roles online and on LinkedIn, but your network is probably your strongest avenue. Let it be known that you’re looking for a Trustee role and connections will soon be made. For me it was someone I worked with 20 years ago when I did a gap year in the Army who was a good friend of Natalie and put us in touch!

If you are interested in a Trustee role or are looking to hire a Trustee position, please get in touch with Sarah Ingwersen to find out more.

If you would like to join our Trustee network, find out more here. 

We want to reiterate that this is not a paid service and forms part of our referral programme, so please do not hesitate to get in touch.