Volunteering Matters has announced the appointment of five new trustees – Emmanuel Ayoola, Katerina Lambert, Simon Judge, Sue Maskrey and Zara Todd – who will help the charity continue to deliver its mission of building stronger communities and a better future for all.
As part of its ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion, Volunteering Matters wanted a range of different backgrounds and experiences to be part of the Council of Trustees, and these new appointments reflect the diverse range of communities the charity works with and supports through volunteering.
A key part of Volunteering Matters work is enabling young people to drive change in their communities. Three of the new trustees were specifically recruited to ensure young people’s views and experiences are represented on the Council of Trustees. And the recruitment process included volunteers meeting the five candidates as part of the selection process to ensure the ethos of Volunteering Matters is reflected at Trustee level.
The trustees were also appointed to reflect some of the future activity of the charity as Volunteering Matters plans to launch a new strategy and vision later this summer.
Volunteering Matters Chief Executive Paul Reddish said:
“It was key we recruited trustees with an understanding of the positive impact volunteering has on communities. Each of our new trustees brings something new, and we’ll really benefit from their impressive range of experience, perspectives and backgrounds. The need for strong governance is more important than ever as we tackle the current challenges the sectors faces, and start to look ahead to a post-COVID-19 world so we can help support communities to rebuild following COVID.”
Anne Heal, Chair of Trustees said:
“I am delighted that we have appointed such a strong new group of trustees, who together offer great diversity of experience and insight. The Council of Trustees and I are delighted to welcome them and I know they will make an immediate and effective contribution as we grapple with the challenges that the pandemic has brought us. They are all most welcome. I would like to thank all our trustees including those who have recently stepped down for the support they have continued to give Volunteering Matters over the years.”
Emmanuel Ayoola is currently the director of the award winning Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) charity Generating Genius, who have supported over 450 young people progressing into STEM degrees and careers. He is also the founder and chair of Grace Sustains Africa, through which he has built water fountains, agricultural projects and classroom renovation in Sierra Leone.
Katerina Lambert, 19, originally from Edinburgh, is currently in her first year of university at the London School of Economics. She has been a volunteer and activist since the age of 15, advocating on gender equality, human rights, and young peoples’ participation in society. She is part of youth-led network Youth For Change, which campaigns internationally on gender-based violence and is also an ambassador for the #iwill campaign, set up by HRH Prince of Wales, which encourages young people into social action and volunteering.
Simon Judge has recently retired from the civil service, where he worked in a number of Government departments, specialising in policy and finance.
Sue Maskrey is Chief Executive of Hackney-based charity Inspire, which creates opportunities for local young people to find their talents and thrive. Passionate about community involvement and equality, Sue was previously Deputy Chief Executive at national mentoring charity Brightside, and has been a board member for the Mentoring and Befriending Foundation and the National Education Opportunities Network (NEON).
Zara Todd lives in Scotland, and has worked in a wide variety of charities specialising in inclusion and participation work, particularly with young people. She started volunteering when she was 10 years, and it has been an integral part of her life since. Zara is a Winston Churchill Memorial Trust fellow and has advised UK government, the British Council, the council of Europe and the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights on disability and inclusion issues. Prior to joining Volunteering Matters Zara has been the Chair of Inclusion London and a trustee of ENIL, Outside in World, the Children’s Rights Alliance for England and Whizz-Kidz.
To find out more or visit volunteeringmatters.org.uk/about-us
