The Trustees

The Lyneal Trust is a charity registered with the Charity Commission (No. 516224) and is run by a Board of 10 Trustees.  The Trustees make sure the Trust:

  • has a clear set of goals or strategy
  • is making sure the action to achieve those goals is being taken
  • meets its legal and financial obligations


Why do people become trustees?

Being a trustee should be rewarding and enjoyable.  It is a great way to be involved in a community or cause which matters to you.  Trustees come from all walks of life and being a trustee can help you meet new people, change your community for the better, learn new skills or use your existing skills in a new context.  

You may get involved because it is a cause or an issue you are passionate about or it may be your life has been touched by the work of the voluntary organisation.  You may want to build your CV, have experience of strategy and management or find out more about the not-for-profit sector before making a career change.

Being a trustee can expose you to new experiences and new groups of people.  It can present you with new challenges, constructive and exciting ones as well as some more difficult things to overcome.  You are part of a team as a trustee and will have the opportunity to add your unique skills and experience while learning from others too.

At its heart, being a trustee puts you at the centre of the action for the organisation you are involved in. The more effective the board of trustees, the greater difference you and your organisation will make.

 

What made the Lyneal Trustees become involved?

Some of the existing Trustees explain……………..

“I became involved with Lyneal Trust through Shropshire Scope now called Cerebral Palsy Society. I have got a severely disabled daughter called Sian and can remember the frustration and hard work trying to find a suitable holiday destination. Sian has used the Lyneal Trust when she was at the Katherine Elliot school now part of Severndale School.”

“I have lived and worked in Shropshire for over 10 years, working across the health and social care sector for over 35 years.  I now run the largest care company in Shropshire which operates on a not for profit basis. I bring to the trust a passionate commitment to the communities of Shropshire, a passion for supporting vulnerable people and some experience of governance of charitable and not for profit organisations.  I am married and live in Shrewsbury with four children. The youngest, Cameron, has severe learning disabilities. Cameron and I enjoy all activities to do with water including of course trips along the most beautiful waterways of Shropshire.”

“I first became involved with the Trust in 1985 whilst working for Shropshire County Council, who provided the administrative support for the Charity. Being in a position to help people with disabilities appealed to me and coupled with the uniqueness of canal boating I quickly put my full support behind the Lyneal Trust. Over the years I have seen at first hand the absolute pleasure the facilities have brought many of our guests and given them experiences they would otherwise have missed. My position as Honorary Secretary ended in 2002 whereupon I became a Co-opted Trustee. Since then I have sought to continue to give my assistance and commitment to the Trust through supporting the overall operation of the Trust, including becoming Vice Chair and Partnership Co-ordinator.”

“We moved to Lyneal some 10 years ago, simply because we needed somewhere larger to live but still be in reasonable distance for our daughters and their families in west Yorkshire and south Shropshire. Part of the attraction of living in this beautiful part of north Shropshire is the Llangollen canal and as over the years we have had a number of canal holidays and I like “messing about in boats”, I drifted to the Lyneal Trust as a volunteer. I’d been walking our dog past the wharf on a regular basis and seeing the activity, and having the desire to get involved in the local community, I became interested. This grew through day-skippering (still the most rewarding part of involvement in the Trust) and resolving local operational issues, through being the man on the spot. My appointment as a Trustee came in 2009, and then as chairman in 2011. Since then the Trust has had a review of strategy which has resulted in the broadening of our vision statement, a number of improvements to the facilities (particularly internally at Wharf Cottage), the introduction of an online bookings system, a new website, and the recruitment of more local volunteers to rekindle the link between the Trust and Lyneal village itself. Over the years many 000’s of people have enjoyed using the Trust’s facilities, and it gives me enormous pleasure to see that my involvement has continued this success. We have a group of dedicated Trustees, volunteers, contractors and service providers who share our aim of “making holidays accessible” by providing canal boats and cottage recreational facilities for people with disabilities, illness or injury, and their family, friend and carers who may accompany them, and it is an honour and privilege, to be chairman of such a group.”

“I enjoy being a Trustee of the Lyneal Trust because it is a really worthwhile and very happy charity, focussed on ensuring that our customers have great holidays. I have been on the Board for 17 years now representing Ellesmere College whose pupils have worked on a number of projects for the Trust over the years. I have recently taken on responsibility for communications and PR. My background was in teaching before I started working in the charity sector. I have since been a Trustee of numerous local, national and international charities. As Chair of Age UK Shropshire, I can vouch for the enormous fun and enjoyment the members of our day centres have had taking day trips on the Shropshire Lad and would recommend that local community groups consider joining our Partnership scheme if they would like to take full advantage of what we have to offer.  My favourite memory of the Trust was when we took our boats to London to take part in the Diamond Jubilee Pageant. The rain was horrendous on the day itself and we were drenched (passing under Tower Bridge I could barely make out the Queen standing in her white coat on the bank) but it was a privilege to be involved in such a historic event.  In all ways, the Lyneal Trust is in the business of creating happy memories.”