Celebrating Trustees’ Week 2020

Trustees’ Week runs between 2-6 November and is a great opportunity to highlight the work of our Board.

Children North East relies on the expertise of its Trustees to steer the charity’s work and provide good governance.

Each of our Trustees has their own reason for volunteering their time freely, but the Rev Sarah Lunn has a particular motivation for doing so.

John T Lunn

It was Rev Lunn’s great grandfather, John T Lunn, who co-founded our charity way back in 1891 when he and John H Watson established the Poor Children’s Holiday Association out of which Children North East grew.

In Trustees’ Week we asked Rev Lunn to tell us about being a Trustee:

Q&A

Why did you decide to become a Trustee for Children North East? 

The charity has been part of my life for all of my life as my great grandfather John Thomas Lunn was one of the founders and my grandparents Bertram and Anne Lunn and parents Lionel and Ruth Lunn were very active members of the charity and on the boards and committees throughout their working lives.

As soon as I moved back to the North East with my work, I was keen to be part of the Trustees of Children North East because of my history and because I am excited and passionate about the aims and objectives of Children North East now.

I love the fact that my great grandfather and his friend started something entirely new for the benefit of youngsters and which has always looked to the future and has been prepared to develop and change as life and society changed and developed over the years.

What are your early memories of your family’s work with the charity?

As small children we went regularly into the home at Cullercoats, which was on the sea front . We played with the children, in the home and on the beach across the road and they came to play at our house a couple of streets behind. We also visited other homes and my family both held and attended fundraising events throughout my childhood.

The Rev Sarah

What do you enjoy about being a Trustee? 

I enjoy the collaboration with other very skilled folk who are Trustees alongside me. Together we are passionate about the charity and about continuing to move forward and offer relevant services fit for the present time and into the future.

Are you a Trustee for any other charities/organisations? 

No, but my role as a Church of England Parish Priest (Rev Sarah is vicar for the Tynedale parishes of Humshaugh with Simonburn & Wark and Chollerton with Birtley Gunnerton and Thockrington) is considered as work for a charity so all members of the church Council for which, by virtue of my office, I am Chair, are in effect Trustees.

Would you encourage others to seek out a Trusteeship and what advice would you offer them? 

Yes I would encourage others. We all have different gifts, experiences and talents and Trustee bodies need a diverse mix of people on them so that communities are fully represented . If you feel passionate about a cause, do offer yourself as a Trustee!

  • For more about the background to our charity visit Our History