This week, Young Bristol is celebrating National Trustee Week, which is an annual celebration of the achievements and incredible work Trustees offer to our charity, between Monday 3rd November - Friday 7th November.
Young Bristol's Board of Trustees are a group of volunteers who help to drive our developing work with children and young people across Bristol. We are pleased to work with 11 trustees, who are responsible for the strategic direction and development of the charity.
Meet our Trustee's - Cathy Dodsworth
Cathy Dodsworth is a HR Director living in Bristol. She initially heard about Young Bristol through one of the coaches at my son’s rugby club, Owen, who is also an Outdoors Activity Instructor at Young Bristol.
She wanted to become a Trustee to combine her passion for volunteering and utilising her business experience, with learning about the charity sector. The work that Young Bristol does in supporting young people is something that she felt she could really add value to.
Over the past year, Cathy has really enjoyed visiting our youth clubs, meeting a number of young people we work with across the city, and witnessing how children benefit, grow and thrive as a result of our programmes and services. Cathy has also attend regular Trustee meetings, supporting with our finances, fundraising and future developments.
“A key highlight for me was being able to attend the Awards, AGM and Celebration event. Being able to recognise and celebrate the achievements of so many young people and staff was just fabulous to see. It was a great start to being a trustee and really brought home what Young Bristol can offer to our young people.”
One piece of advice Cathy would give to anyone looking to become a Trustee would be to be prepared to make the commitment to get involved and attend meetings or activities. Finding a charity that you feel passionate about, can really help you to feel like you can make a difference with your contribution.
Meet our Trustee's - Shannon Ringland
Shannon moved to Bristol in 2015 and began working at Bristol Zoo Gardens as part of the high ropes instructor team. This is where Shannon first heard about Young Bristol, with her colleagues speaking highly of the Outdoor Employment Programme (better known as the Instruictor Training Scheme at the time). Shannon joined the programme and found it a fantastic opportunity to meet like-minded people and develop new skills. A year later, she began working at the SS Great Britain, leading the “Go Aloft!” climbing experience, and has since continued to work in visitor attractions across the South West.
Having experienced the positive impact of Young Bristol first hand, Shannon was excited to become a Trustee, and saw the role as a chance to give something back to a charity she respected, while also gaining valuable insight into how charities operates at a strategic level.
Since joining the Board less than a year ago, Shannon has focused on learning more about Young Bristol’s programmes and priorities, while contributing to discussions about the charity’s future plans. She has particularly enjoyed celebrating the successes of the team and the young people we support.
“Seeing the impact of the team’s hard work, through the success of fundraising events and the positive outcomes for young people, is incredibly motivating. Those moments of shared achievement really capture what makes Young Bristol so special.”
For Shannon, becoming a Trustee has been both rewarding and inspiring, helping her to build confidence, broaden her perspective, and learn from fellow Trustees and the wider staff team. One piece of advice Shannon would give to anyone looking to become a Trustee would be to find a charity you feel passionate about, as that passion will make your contribution all the more meaningful.
Thank you to our Board of Trustees for your continued support and voluntary efforts to support Young Bristol and the young people of Bristol! Find out more about our Board of Trustees here!
