Our Conference in Numbers...
50+
attendees of the 2026 Mini Conference
98%
found the workshops useful and relevant
100%
found the speakers informative and helpful
96%
came away with new ideas to help their organisation
100%
would attend a future conference
"It was great to network with others, share experiences and discuss challenges together."
CONFERENCE ATTENDEE
"The workshops were really engaging and gave us practical ideas we can take back to our organisation immediately"
CONFERENCE ATTENDEE
"A well organised and welcoming event with lots of opportunities for collaboration and discussion."
CONFERENCE ATTENDEE
"The speaker sessions were informative, relevant and really well delivered."
CONFERENCE ATTENDEE
Our Theme
'Trustees'
In March 2026, Voluntary Action South West Surrey hosted a special two-part Trustee Mini Conference, bringing together trustees, charity leaders and voluntary sector organisations for a series of inspiring workshops, discussions and networking opportunities. The conference began with an online trustee training event on Wednesday 11th March, hosted on Microsoft Teams, before continuing with an in-person Mini Conference at the Wilfred Noyce Community Centre in Godalming on Tuesday 24th March 2026.
Across both events, attendees explored the essentials of effective governance, trustee responsibilities, recruitment, retention and networking. The conference was designed to support both experienced trustees and those considering becoming a trustee, offering practical tools, fresh ideas and opportunities to connect with others across the voluntary, community and charity sector. To ensure the events remained engaging and interactive, attendee numbers were carefully managed, allowing participants to ask questions, share experiences and network throughout the sessions.

Schedule
The Trustee Mini Conferences consisted of two key elements: online trustee training designed for current trustees, and an in-person networking and workshop conference designed for organisations.

Online Trustee Training
The first mini conference took place online and was led by Helen Harvie, specialist charity solicitor and experienced trustee, director and governor. The session focused on providing accessible trustee training for both new and experienced trustees. The session explored the foundations of effective governance and covered the key legal and practical responsibilities involved in being a trustee. The online format gave attendees the opportunity to ask questions, reflect on real-life scenarios and take part in discussions from across the region.

In-Person Organisation Training
The second part of the conference took place in person at the Wilfred Noyce Community Centre in Godalming.
This event focused on bringing trustees and voluntary sector organisations together for practical workshops, discussion sessions and networking opportunities.
Attendees explored the challenges currently facing charities and community organisations while sharing experiences and ideas with peers from across South West Surrey.

Networking
Throughout the in-person event, attendees had the opportunity to connect with trustees, charity leaders and voluntary sector organisations from across South West Surrey.
The networking sessions encouraged collaboration, peer support and the sharing of ideas and experiences across the sector.
Speakers
View our brilliant speaker and workshop facilitator from the Trustees Mini Conferences 2026.
Helen Stanley
Helen is a specialist charity solicitor with a commercial background who has worked for two of the major south east regional law firms. She acts as advisor to a wide range of charitable trusts, associations, companies, mutuals and schools on a national and international basis, as well as for many social enterprises and community interest companies. She has acted as trustee, director and governor of several charities, social enterprises and independent schools. She regularly presents on charity issues, publishes articles in the third sector press and runs training events, both externally and in-house. Increasingly she provides one-off governance reviews and Away-Day training tailored to individual clients.
Helen has a high profile in the charity sector. She is a member of the Charity Law Association and has sat on various working parties, including as a member of the Advisory Group to the working party on Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIOs). She is co-author of “Tolley’s Guide to the Charities Act 2006”. She also sat on the Charities Group Advisory Committee to the UK200 Group of Accountants and Lawyers.
Helen is on the Charity Commission Panel of Interim Managers. She has acted as Interim Manager for a large national religious charity.
During the online trustee training event, Helen led a practical and engaging session exploring what it means to be a trustee, covering governance, legal responsibilities and best practice for trustee boards.
Opening welcome from Caroline Keith, Joint CEO at Voluntary Action South West Surrey.
Workshops
View our diverse programme of workshops from our 2026 Trustee Mini Conferences.
Online Conference Workshop
What Does it Mean to be a Trustee?
Helen Stanley, Eclipse Fundraising
The online session aimed to bring together current trustees and prospective trustees, asking the question “What does it mean to be a Trustee?”.
The event looked at the following topics:
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Duties and responsibilities of trustees
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Recruitment of trustees
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Governance code
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Meetings
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Objects
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Serious incident reporting
In Person Conference: Workshop 1
Recruiting and Retaining Trustees
Helen Stanley, Eclipse Fundraisings
Recruiting and retaining trustees continues to be a key challenge for many organisations. This workshop focused on practical strategies for attracting, supporting and retaining a diverse and engaged trustee board.
Topics included:
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Identifying trustee skills and gaps
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Reaching new and diverse audiences
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Supporting and inducting trustees
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Succession planning
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Building inclusive and effective boards
In Person Conference: Workshop 2
Governance
Helen Stanley, Eclipse Fundraisings
This workshop explored the foundations of good governance within charities and voluntary organisations, helping trustees better understand their roles, responsibilities and decision-making processes.
The session covered:
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Trustee duties and responsibilities
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Governance structures and accountability
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Risk management and compliance
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Effective board meetings and decision making
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Building a positive organisational culture
Gallery
Enjoy some of the highlights of our 2026 Trustee Mini Conferences!












