Celebrating those who shape our mission
This Trustees’ Week (3–7 November 2025), we’re celebrating the passionate people who guide, shape, and support the Association of Carers throughout the year — our dedicated Trustees.
Trustees’ Week is a national celebration of the almost one million charity trustees across the UK who volunteer their time, skills, and experience to help charities thrive. We are joining them with our own THANK YOU to the people whose decisions, insight, and commitment make our vision for unpaid Carers in East Sussex possible.
Guiding our work
At the Association of Carers, our Trustees come from all walks of life — and bring a variety of professional expertise in areas like accounting, IT, HR, health and social care, legal, teaching and the charity sector. Most of them have lived experience of caring for someone themselves, and this is often what brought them to us.
Together, they ensure that our charity is well-governed, financially secure, and always focused on what matters most: supporting unpaid Carers to take a break, find connection, and preserve their own health and wellbeing whilst they care for those they love.
Our Trustees don’t just attend meetings or review reports. They help shape the direction of our services, ensure we remain true to our values, and plan for the future so we can keep supporting Carers for years to come.
Although more behind-the-scenes than Volunteers who directly deliver services to Carers, their strategic thinking ensures we reach as many Carers as possible. Every phone call answered, every home visit arranged, and every Volunteer recruited is made possible because our Trustees make sure the foundations of our charity are strong.
Why does good Governance matter?
Trustees’ Week 2025 highlights good governance, which may sound formal, but it’s what enables us to have the best impact. It means Carers can trust us, Volunteers can rely on us, and funders can support us confidently.
Our Trustees make decisions that keep Carers at the heart of everything we do; from ensuring funds are spent where the make most difference, to supporting Volunteers to give Carers the services they need.
What do our Trustees get from their role?
Being a Trustee isn’t about knowing everything; it’s about caring, learning, and helping a charity make the best decisions it can.
Our Trustees get a lot from supporting us and tell us:
“The Trustee role has also made me feel that I am playing a positive part in supporting my fellow Carers.” Claire Baldry
“I’ve learned how much strength and compassion Carers show, and how vital it is that they receive the right support and understanding.” Luke Apps
Another of our Trustees, Andy Thomas, first joined us as a Volunteer after caring for his late mother, where he came to realise how stressful the role is and how great the need for respite from it for a few hours. He then became a Trustee four years ago because he wanted to give something back:
“The Association of Carers deserves all our support in its mission to provide that respite to isolated full- time carers”
Andy has recently used his own musical talents and network to host a wonderful fundraising evening for Association of Carers in Lewes, East Sussex, raising over £1,000 – and going above and beyond the governance aspects.
So, this Trustees’ Week, we want to say thank you to every one of our Trustees — past and present — for their insight, time, and empathy. Your guidance makes it possible for us to keep helping the Carers who need us.
We are welcoming more Trustees – would you care to join us?
If you’re passionate about supporting unpaid Carers and have time, experience, or lived insight to offer, becoming a Trustee could be an incredibly rewarding way to give back.
We welcome people from all backgrounds — especially those with personal caring experience — who want to help strengthen the support network for carers in East Sussex.
If you are interested, please call us on 01424 722309 and ask to speak to Louise.