'There's no ducking the issue, Trustees are entirely responsible for what happens to a charity.'

This week is Trustee week celebrating the? important work of the nearly one million trustees across the UK. The theme of this year’s Trustees’ Week is?‘Many voices. Working together. With purpose’. Celebrating the individual talents, viewpoints and experiences that trustees bring to their boards, and how a diverse collective of people can help make a charity stronger and achieve its purpose.

?In this short article Jeremy Archer, a long standing Trustee of THE BURMA STAR MEMORIAL FUND - reflects on his experience of decision making as a Trustee.

Over 10 years ago when I first encountered The Burma Star Memorial Fund I didn’t think the charity had a future and had to be persuaded to become a Trustee.

Many years later, while I cannot exactly say with conviction that the battle is yet won, with the right support we have made some positive choices which have turned out to be good decisions in time.

So, for those who are Trustees and for those, who like me all those years ago are considering the first steps on their own journey here are my reflections…

1.Trustees are entirely responsible for what happens to a charity. There's no ducking the issue. Recruit Trustees with notably different but complementary skills to your own.

2. When approached to support a charity look carefully at the cost/benefit ratio or, differently expressed, how much does it cost to run the charity compared with the benefits disbursed to beneficiaries? This is the key ratio.

3. The two key risks - for most charities - are either financial or welfare, particularly if there is interaction with vulnerable beneficiaries.

4. Charitable goals are the foundations upon which a charity is built: articulate them clearly and be prepared shift your ground if, or when, circumstances change.

5. One of the most difficult challenges you will have and continue to face is the availability of funds, we've always known that. However, so far we are proud to have raised sufficient funds for our first six Burma Star Scholars with more to be achieved together.

The Burma Star Memorial Fund was established in 2005. The charity is dedicated to the Benevolence, Remembrance and Legacy of those who served in the Allied Forces during the Burma Campaign of WWII and exists to allow the legacy of the Burma Star veterans to live on and to continue to be commemorated.

The Memorial Fund runs a Burma Star Academic and Military Awards programme, where award recipients study in fields related to the Burma Campaign. The Charity aims to draw scholars from around the world who, like the 14th Army, are excited by the thought that the world can be a better place.

If you would like to find out more about the work that the Burma Star Memorial Fund do, take a look at their website - https://burmastarmemorial.org/

Charity Intelligence would like to express sincere thanks to Jeremy Archer - Trustee of Burma Star memorial Fund for sharing his reflections on Trustee week as we celebrate his service as the Trustee of various charitable organisations over the last 26 years.