The importance of trustees at Active Sussex

To mark Trustees Week, Active Sussex chair Christine Gibbons talks about the importance of trustees and their work for Active Sussex.

I joined Active Sussex in 2022 because I am passionate about everyone’s right to equal access to sport and physical activity in Sussex. 

This year, I was privileged to take on the role of the chair of the Board of Trustees.

Our board comprises 12 trustees, all volunteers, and charity directors limited by guarantee, plus one ex-officio co-opted board member.

As trustees, we share a collective responsibility for the charity’s management. To ensure effective collaboration between the trustees and staff, the Board delegates much work to its three committees: Strategy Progress and Growth, HR & Nominations, and Governance & Audit.

The trustees are responsible for the charity’s general operation, including making decisions about its strategic direction and ensuring it has the necessary resources and policies. 

It is also essential that we comply with the legal and regulatory requirements.  

As most of our funding comes from Sport England, our work must be within their strategic priorities and adapted to meet local needs. The trustees also periodically review the charity’s activities to ensure effectiveness.

We have a competent staff team who work hard to implement the strategic business plan and support organisations in Sussex in getting more people active.

Both staff and trustees spend time measuring our work’s impact on activity levels in the county, and we work closely with many partners, including public health.

Our board is a rich tapestry of diverse backgrounds, including pharmaceutical, public relations, law, the Premier League, councils, the health sector, civil servants, human resources, and environmental. This diversity of expertise is our strength. 

However, the one thing we have in common is the drive to ensure everyone across Sussex can access the health and wellbeing benefits of being active. 

We love hearing about all the work the clubs and community organisations do to deliver activity opportunities in Sussex.

While the Active Sussex team is on the ground working with partners to create change, the trustees support, encourage and provide advice and direction to the team. 

If you’re curious about the individuals driving Active Sussex forward, we invite you to visit our Board of Trustees webpage.