A Guide to Celebrate Trustees' Week 2026: 9th - 13th November
🎉 Celebrate Trustees’ Week 2026: 9–13 November 🎉
This November, organisations across the country are joining to celebrate Trustees’ Week 2026.
It is a time to say a massive thank you to the nearly one million volunteer charity trustees across the UK who dedicate their time, skills, and leadership to help our communities thrive.
Whether you are a long-serving trustee looking to brush up on governance, a brand new board member, or someone thinking about taking on your first role, this week is packed with free resources, guidance, and training.
At 3SG, we’re celebrating Trustees Week by inviting 3SG members to a roundtable discussion over lunch. Together, we’ll explore how boards can shape the success of their organisations, with facilitation from Sarah Williment, Founder of Questioning Iris Co. The session will focus on building effective, value-led boards, all while enjoying a delicious lunch. This interactive roundtable is open to charity leaders and trustee board chairs who want to strengthen their board’s impact. Register here.
Here’s how you can get involved during Trustees’ Week:
Take an Action: Check out the CharityIQ Guide to 10 Ways to Use Trustees' Week to kick-start real governance progress, such as running a board skills audit or posting a fresh vacancy.
Join a seminar: Lots of really good online events via the Trustees' Week webpage
Refresh Your Core Knowledge: Read through the essential legal guidance for charity leaders provided by the Charity Commission's "Essential Trustee" Guide.
Say Thank You: Share your stories on social media using the hashtag #TrusteesWeek to celebrate your own board members and inspire the next generation of leaders!
Resources can be found here to help you plan your posts
There are lots of FREE training & learning opportunities hosted by an alliance of charity sector partners who are offering webinars, workshops, and toolkits throughout the week, some of which are highlighted below.
The Festival of Trusteeship 2026: Hosted by Eastside People, this is the UK’s largest online learning gathering for charity leaders. They are hosting a week-long series of free and low-cost online events, best-practice workshops, and breakout debates. For more information and to secure your place please see the Eastside People Booking Page.
Governance Toolkits: Assess your board's health against the national benchmark using the Charity Governance Code.
Trustees' Week Toolkit: Downloadable assets to show your support and get involve.
To find more local sessions: Head over to the central Trustees’ Week Events Calendar to
find interactive sessions happening near you.
Useful and informative articles are also available which give food for thought from various organisations and individuals. Here are a few that may be of interest;
Finally, here are some great tips for Trustees from Steve Allman - Charity Coach & Facilitator and a chair on one of Eastside People Trustees' Week debates.
1. Ask the stupid questions. That thing you don't understand but everyone else seems to? They probably don't either. Be the hero who asks.
2. Your corporate experience IS valuable, but remember charities run on passion and Poundland budgets, not big budgets and bonuses.
3. Read the papers before the meeting. But if you haven't, don't slow it down by asking obvious questions they probably answer.
4. "Strategic not operational" doesn't mean you can't roll your sleeves up. Some of the best trustees I know muck in and run the tea stall at events.
5. If the CEO looks exhausted, don't just add to their to-do list. "How can I help?" beats "Can you just..." every single time.
6. That typo on Page 2 of the minutes? It's not as important as keeping the lights on next month. Let the little things go.
7. Challenge with kindness. It is possible to ask tough questions without making everyone feel like they're in the headteacher's office.
8. Turn up. Sounds obvious, but non-attendance is a big problem for charity boards. And when you do turn up, actually BE there. You're not a seat warmer.
9. Remember why you joined. When you're knee-deep in policies and feeling lost, reconnect with the cause. See the work in action. Remember your why.
10. It's OK to quit. If it's not working, if you can't give what's needed, or if you've done your time - bow out gracefully and make space.
😊🎉 Happy Trustees Week to the guardians, the challengers and the supporters. The people who give up their time to make a big difference, often on small budgets. 😊🎉
Comments