October 28, 2021

During October we celebrated Black History Month and highlighted the work of some of the voluntary and not for profit organisations working with and for people of colour across Cumbria.

However, a recent survey found that only 8% of trustees in England and Wales are from Black and Asian backgrounds – this figure may be even smaller in Cumbria. During Trustee Week we celebrate the role, and the importance it has in growing and developing our organisations, whilst recognising that the lack of diversity on our boards has long been a significant challenge.

Having a diverse board is the best way to ensure representation and that our organisations continue to meet the needs of the diverse population of Cumbria. Action for Trustee Racial Diversity have published ‘From Here to Diversity’, the first ever guidance specifically designed to support boards with recruiting diverse trustees, which gives boards some useful guidance on improving the diversity among its trustees.