Trio of trustees
There are a number of vitally important roles that ensure that Sycamore Trust UK works properly, including all of our valued staff and volunteers. And there are few more valuable roles at any charity than that of the trustees.
Charity Trustees are responsible for governance and strategy, and for making sure that the charity is administered effectively. The duties and responsibilities of a charity trustee include ensuring that the charity is carrying out its purposes for the public benefit, complying with the charity’s governing document and the law, and acting in the charity’s best interests. They must ensure the charity is accountable, whilst managing the charity’s resources responsibly, and acting with reasonable care and skill.
We have benefitted over the years from a wonderful group of trustees but over time, some people step down and new trustees take up the responsibility, and earlier this year, we made three new appointments to our board of trustees. Chris Hobson, Richard George and Terry Hurley all bring different qualities to the role, but the over-riding factor is their knowledge and experience of some of the important issues facing Sycamore Trust.
Richard
Chris has spent 30 years working in the education sector with over 20 being in school leadership positions and governance. He led the formation of Hornchurch Academy Trust in 2017 where he is currently the CEO. The Trust currently consists of six schools and one nursery. Chris has also had extensive experience of working with SEND organisations and has also undertaken multiple related fund-raising activities in support of charities. He has lived experience of ASD within his family and has previously accessed the services of Sycamore Trust.
Richard joined the army and saw active service in the first Gulf war in 1990-1991 and he also served in Northern Ireland. After leaving the army, he joined the Metropolitan Police, becoming a Detective and subsequently a Detective Sergeant in 2007. Richard spent many years working in public protection roles across the East End of London and was widely regarded in Police circles as an expert on the subject with responsibility for the North & East of London prior to retiring in 2020. He still works for the police mentoring trainee Detectives, following a short stint as a safeguarding officer for the Scouts Association.
Chris
Terry was active in Leyton Air Cadets and the Royal Observer Corps and had a career in the Ministry of Defence. He was a volunteer at Queen's Hospital and also at the Royal Artillery Museum at Woolwich. He is an English Civil War reenactor and an avid Leyton Orient supporter, and can be found at Brisbane Road on a regular basis during the football season.
We'd like to welcome them all to our board of trustees!
Terry