Trustee
Our Commitment
The Trustees of Topic of Cancer play a crucial role in guiding the charity and ensuring its success. Their responsibilities range from setting strategic direction to acting as stewards of public trust. Here’s an overview of their key duties:
Role of Our Trustees
The Trustees are responsible for:
- Determining policy: Setting policies that align with the charity’s mission and goals.
- Strategic direction: Establishing the overall strategy for Topic of Cancer while distinguishing between strategic decisions and day-to-day management.
- Overseeing operations: Monitoring performance to ensure the charity meets its agreed objectives and delivers planned results.
- Major decisions: Using their collective expertise to decide on significant resource allocations and acquisitions.
- External representation: Representing Topic of Cancer to the public and external stakeholders.
- Fundraising support: Assisting in private sector fundraising to support the charity’s initiatives.
Trustees make decisions collectively, ensuring a balanced and fair approach. Some decisions may be straightforward, while others are more complex and have long-term impacts, underscoring the importance of collaboration and careful consideration.
Role of the Chair
The Chair holds a vital leadership role within the charity, ensuring the Trustees are fully briefed on their duties and responsibilities. Key responsibilities include:
- Providing effective leadership and direction to the charity.
- Representing the Trustees’ views to the public and stakeholders.
- Signing, on behalf of the Trustees, important documents such as the annual accounts and governance statements.
- Ensuring meetings are properly conducted, with accurate minutes and opportunities for all Trustees to contribute.
- Facilitating fair decision-making, including calling for votes when necessary and recording results.
- Encouraging high standards of governance, propriety, and accountability.
- Overseeing the process for appointments and other matters in which the Trustees are involved.
The Chair also communicates the views of the Trustees, unless the Trustees agree to delegate this responsibility to another member.
Public Service Responsibilities of the Board
Trustees have a responsibility to ensure the charity adheres to high standards of governance and transparency. This includes:
- Statutory compliance: Ensuring the charity meets all legal and administrative requirements for the use of public funds.
- Good governance: Upholding high standards of governance and providing critical oversight of the charity’s strategy and activities.
- Value for money: Ensuring resources are used efficiently, effectively, and responsibly.
- Accountability: Acting openly and responsibly in all dealings with the public, ensuring that Topic of Cancer remains accountable for its activities.
- Integrity: Demonstrating impartiality and objectivity, and ensuring resources are used with probity and without political bias.
Role of an Individual Trustee
While Trustees act collectively, individual Trustees also have specific responsibilities, including:
- Acting in good faith and in the best interests of the charity.
- Avoiding the use of privileged information or their role as Trustees for personal or private gain.
- Declaring any potential conflicts of interest in a formal Declaration of Interests or during meetings.
- Complying with the charity’s rules regarding the acceptance of gifts and hospitality.
- Upholding the highest standards of conduct and adhering to the principles of using charitable funds responsibly.
The Trustees of Topic of Cancer are vital in ensuring the charity operates with integrity, transparency, and accountability while driving forward its mission to support cancer research and patient care. Their collective and individual responsibilities work together to ensure the charity delivers its goals effectively and responsibly.
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