- Are you passionate about preserving history and enriching your community?
- Do you have a keen interest in promoting education and cultural heritage?
- Do you have knowledge and skills you’d like to share with a small, local charity?
What Does It Mean to Be a Trustee?
Joining the Museum of Cambridge’s board of trustees means contributing to the running of a vital cultural and heritage venue that has preserved the history of our region for generations. In particular, Trustees hold a crucial role in ensuring the Museum acts as a responsible charity – but what does that really mean? Helpfully, the Charity Commission gives us some guidance:
- Compliance: Upholding the Museum’s values and objectives, and ensuring its operations align with charity laws form the core of trustees’ responsibilities. This keeps our actions ethically grounded and legally sound.
- Best Interests: Trustees work collaboratively to make informed decisions that serve the Museum’s mission. These decisions should include both short-term and long-term impacts.
- Resource Stewardship: Responsible management of the Museum’s resources safeguards its assets and reputation. Careful decision-making and adherence to financial restrictions mitigate risks and misuse.
- Effective Leadership: Trustees contribute their skills and expertise to effectively govern the Museum. Active participation, meeting preparation, and seeking advice contribute to the Museum’s continued success.
- Accountability: Trustees ensure adherence to statutory accounting and reporting requirements. Demonstrating the Museum’s accountability and effectiveness to members and the broader community is paramount.
Who We’re Looking For:
We want our board to represent the different people in Cambridgeshire. We know we need more skills and different experiences to make this happen. We’d love to hear from you if you know about:
- Leadership: Particularly in small charities and businesses.
- Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: Within the arts, heritage sector, and beyond.
- Fundraising: Crafting and delivering on successful funding strategies.
- Business Planning and Development: With an emphasis on commercial growth.
- Visitor Experience and Museum Curation: Enhancing visitor engagement.
An Exciting Time to Join:
Right now is a great time to join us. Our recent launch of an ambitious Strategic Plan [AD1] marks an exciting chapter for the Museum of Cambridge. This commitment to growth and diversification opens doors for greater engagement, events, funding, and commercial development. We’re in need of trustees with diverse expertise to navigate this transformative phase.
What Our Trustees Say:
- Matt Lowe: ‘”I enjoy being a trustee at the Museum of Cambridge because… it’s so different to what I’m used to in my museum career. Whilst I have a lot of experience from 20 years of working within University Museums, it’s such a different collection to those I’ve managed that it offers me a fresh perspective. I have gained so much and it also helps that the team are dynamic, super welcoming and care passionately about what they do.”
- Lucy Astill: ‘I enjoy being a trustee at the Museum of Cambridge because I like being part of a team of staff, volunteers and trustees that problem solve and innovate every day!’
- Roger Lilley: ‘I enjoy being a trustee at the Museum of Cambridge because it enables me to put something really worthwhile back into our community in a really enjoyable and rewarding way.’
- Lucy Walker: ‘I enjoy being a trustee because I feel I can make a difference.’
How to Get Involved:
If you’re excited about improving our shared understanding of the history of Cambridgeshire’s rich and diverse communities, think about becoming a trustee. Your know-how and commitment can help the Museum of Cambridge do amazing things.
To learn more about this opportunity and what trustees do, check out section 5 on the Charity Commission website. If you’re ready to learn more, just drop a message to Roger Lilley (Chair) or Lucy Walker (Trustee). Their emails are roger.lilley@museumofcambridge.org.uk and lucy.walker@museumofcambridge.org.uk.
Get ready to be part of something amazing – let’s shape the future of the Museum of Cambridge together!
