Eastside People Festival of Trusteeship 9-13 Nov 2026

The UK’s largest gathering for trustees is now confirmed to take place from 9th to 13th November 2026 in conjunction with Trustees Week.

The 2026 programme will once again provide a week-long series of low cost and free online events, workshops, discussions and debates, thought leadership, best practices, learned experience, educational topics and breakout sessions (new for 2026).

Building on last year’s themes, the event will offer practical, accessible learning for trustees, aspiring trustees and charity leaders across all levels of experience.

The Eastside People Festival of Trusteeship’s week-long online series of events, is full of exciting options for:

• Anyone who wants to become a trustee
• Current trustees who want to keep learning and developing
• Charity leaders who want to understand best practice in trustee relationships, governance, recruitment and diversity.

Weekly Pass and Bring your Board tickets now available!

Festival of Trusteeship Ticket Types:

Note that links to join Festival sessions will be emailed to you on Wednesday 4th November 2026.

The 2026 Eastside People Festival of Trusteeship Programme.

Festival of Trusteeship 2026: Monday 9th November – Friday 13^th November 2026

Monday 9th November:

11:00 – 12:00: Charity Commission Keynote
Festival Launch: How will tomorrow’s boards be different? 

Speaker: Dame Julia Unwin, Chair of the Charity Commission for England and Wales and chaired by Richard Litchfield, CEO, Eastside People.

Introduction: Penny Wilson, Director of the Festival of Trusteeship, Trustee of London Plus & the Association of Chairs.

With: Yeme Onoabhagbe, Board Racial Diversity UK & Pride in London, Dhivya O’Connor, Coutts Charitable Foundation, Jack White, Groundwork, Chris Dayson, Centre for Charity Effectiveness Bayes Business School.

12:30 – 14:00: Thought Leadership (supported by the Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland)
Building board chemistry: What makes boards click?

What’s the secret formula for a brilliant board? The best boards aren’t made up of brilliant individuals – they’re made up of people who work brilliantly together. Our panel will explore what we can learn from high-performing boards: the behaviours that help, how different personalities and perspectives can make a board stronger, where ego gets in the way, the role a good chair can play and how to create the right chemistry without getting so cosy that everyone stops asking difficult questions.

Chaired by: Bernice Rook, Deputy CEO, Eastside People.

With: Hannah Kowszun, Inter-Cultural Youth Exchange (ICYE UK) & Street Exchange, Mubeen Ahmed-De Marco, Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity & London Friend, Keisha Delpeshe, Kingston Women’s Centre, Michael Tabirade, Institute of Leadership.

18:00 – 19:00: FREE Aspiring Trustees strand
The joy of trusteeship

Why do so many trustees love what they do? In this lively, audience-led session, people interested in trusteeship can put their questions directly to trustees and hear about the moments that have challenged, surprised and inspired them.

Chaired by: Ambreen Shah, the Smallwood Trust.

With: Peter David Robertshaw-Corbett, Barnsley CVS, DIAL Barnsley & Carer’s Garden Network, James Hancock, Dogs Trust & The Bird of Prey Project, Nicola Tallett, Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm & The Elischer Foundation, Amsel Page von Spreckelsen, former trustee at Switchboard, Gendered Intelligence and Bi Pride UK, Raisha Rafa, WECIL, Ramika Prajapati, National Youth Arts Trust & Women’s Aid Luton, Nick Phillips, The Almshouse Association UK & former trustee of Trustee Conservation Lower Zambezi, Julia Tybura, Association of Chairs & HPMA Healthcare People Management Association, Chris Menon, Bonitas Multi-Academy Trust.

Tuesday 10th November:

11:00 – 12:00: Thought Leadership (Supported by the Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland)
Boards, bots and big questions: How trustees are navigating AI

AI is already changing the way charities work. What does that mean for trustees? Where is it genuinely useful, where should boards be cautious and how on earth are trustees supposed to keep up?

Chaired by: Phil Kerry, The Young Women’s Trust

With: Tim Gordon, Full Fact, Damon Boughen, Voluntary Impact Northamptonshire, People & Planet, The Lowdown, KFC Youth Foundation & Mental Health Northants Collaboration (MHNC), Dominic Ellison, WECIL, Zoe Amar, Charity AI Task Force & Charity Digital, Kayla Schembri, Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland & Next Generation NED Network.

12:30 – 13:30: Money Matters (supported by Evelyn Partners)
Not a numbers person? 10 questions every trustee should ask

You don’t need to be a finance whizz to make a useful contribution to financial discussions – but you do need to know what to ask. Discover ten simple questions that will help you understand your charity’s finances, spot trouble early and contribute with confidence around the board table.

What actually are restricted funds (and are we accidentally spending them)? Could we survive a funding shock?  Are our investments helping us to achieve our mission? And why are my fingernails suddenly so fascinating when someone starts talking about budgets? No technical finance knowledge required.

Chaired by: Kemi Olafare, former trustee of Faces in Focus.

With: Alice Clementi, St Mary’s School Ascot, Sarah Ann Moore, Charity Finance Group, Edgbaston Priory Club, Empower Squash Foundation & Lisieux Trust, Inno van den Berg, Evelyn Partners & Sisters Of Our Lady Of The Missions, Krystle McGilvery, Abianda.

16:30 – 17:30: Good Governance (supported by Stone King)
The great merger debate

Should far more charities be merging, or is merger too often touted as the answer to problems it can’t solve?

Chaired by: Cara Evans, Head of Partnerships & Mergers, Eastside People

With: Clive Vergnaud, Stone King LLP, Carys Williams, Age UK East Sussex, Arvinda Gohil, Turn2us & British Gas Energy Trust, Nicola Upton, b:friend, Marie-Elise Howells, BeeWell & PCC of St Mary Hanwell.

18:00 – 19:00: FREE Aspiring Trustees strand
What is a trustee and how do I become one? 

In this friendly and informative session, we’ll cover what trustees are and what they do, how to find a trustee role that’s right for you and what to expect if you join a board.

Presented by: Leon Ward, TaxAid & Let Me Know.

Wednesday 11th November:

11:00 – 12:00: Money Matters (supported by Evelyn Partners)
Raising it, reporting it: a guide to the new rules

The rules around charity finance, accounting and fundraising have changed. So what’s changed, and which bits do trustees actually need to know about? From new financial reporting requirements and the Charity SORP to changes in fundraising rules and reporting, we’ll help you get to grips with what’s new and what your board needs to do differently. No finance or fundraising background required.

Chaired by: Claris D’cruz, Laidlaw Schools Trust.

With: Jo Pittman, Charities SORP committee, Mo Wiltshire, Former trustee & school governor, Damian Chapman, Rogare, Learning and Standards & Chartered Institute of Fundraising. 

12:30 – 13:30: Thought Leadership (Supported by the Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland)
Trusteeship Today: Turning research into better boards

What does the latest research tell us about charity trustees? Hear from leading researchers as they share fresh evidence on how boards are changing, what’s helping trustees succeed and where the biggest challenges lie.

Chaired by: Alex Evans, Barely Civil Society.

Presentations by: Shirley Otto, University of Glasgow, Neal Green, Charity Commission for England and Wales & Cheam Baptist Church, Valentina Dotto, The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland & the Working Well Trust, Vidya Panicker, Citizens Advice Charnwood, Tim Harrison-Byrne, nfpResearch.

16:30 – 17:30: Good Governance (supported by Stone King)
There may be trouble ahead: What should trustees really worry about?

What really leads to a charity’s downfall? What should keep trustees awake at night and what are we wasting our time worrying about?

Chaired by: Felicia Willow

Pitches by: Andrew Willis, Stone King LLP, Sarah Smith, Ecclesiastical Insurance, Tim Toulmin, former trustee of Stonewall & Action Against Abduction, Liz Gadd, Environmental Funders Network & Eating Better, Daniel Chan, UK Youth, King William’s College & The Buchan School.

18:00 – 19:00: FREE Aspiring Trustees strand
Trustees Like Us: Where are all of the working class trustees?

Charity boards often talk about diversity, but what about class? Why are working class people still so under-represented around our board tables? Join our panel to explore what gets in the way, what we’re missing as a result and what charities can do differently.

Chaired by: Duncan Exley.

With: Stacey-Leigh Dolan, National Football Museum & Vagina Museum, Heather Paterson, Proud Changemarkers, Alexander Colling, Break Free From Plastic & Centre for Workplace Equity, Ghazal Ghaffary, CoppaFeel! & The Association for Youth People’s Health.

Thursday 12th November:

11:00 – 12:00: Money Matters (supported by Evelyn Partners)
Barking up the wrong tree? What trustees get wrong about fundraising

Trustees can be one of a charity’s greatest fundraising assets, but we can also, with the best of intentions, get it spectacularly wrong. Join our panel for a look at common fundraising howlers, myths and missteps, what fundraisers and funders wish boards understood, whether trustees are asking the right questions about fundraising and investments, and how brilliant trustees can help bring in the money. No fundraising background required.

Chaired by: Mona Vadher, former trustee of ReachOut

With: Howard Lake, Luke Genevrier-Mallett, Ben Automotive Industry Charity, The Elischer Foundation & The Terrence Higgins Trust, Anja Batista Sonksen, The Funding Network & Kids Matter UK.

12:30 – 14:00: Good Governance (supported by Stone King)
When boards turn toxic

Most boards experience disagreement and conflict from time to time. But what happens when relationships between trustees, or between the board and staff, break down? With optional breakout session.

Chaired by: Steve Allman.

With: Karen Bishi, former trustee of Youth Access, Sajda Shah, Royal Air Force Air Cadets, Frances Godden, Senior Associate Charities, Stone King LLP, Louise Kelly, Community Action Sutton & London LGBTQ+ Community Centre.

16:30 – 17:30: Thought Leadership (Supported by the Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland)
Brave boards in an age of hostility

It can feel harder than ever to lead a charity. What happens when your cause attracts public criticism, political pressure or outright hostility? And when should a board speak up rather than keep its head down?

Chaired by: Fiona McAuslan, the Literacy Pirates.

With: Katie Roberts, The Sheila McKechnie Foundation & Greenbelt Festivals Ltd.

18:00 – 19:00: FREE Aspiring Trustees strand
Trusteeship Transformed: Who gets a seat at the table?

Could one bold idea transform trusteeship? Hear a series of short, thought-provoking pitches on how we can attract and include a wider range of trustees, then vote for your favourite.

Chaired by: Anj Handa, former charity chair

Pitches by: Valentina Dotto, The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland & The Working Well Trust, Ambreen Shah, The Smallwood Trust, Christina Poulton, Kevin Taylor-McKnight, Queer Trustees, Third Sector Against Transphobia & The SASC Trust, Holly Hendrie, Citizens Advice Scotland & The National Lottery Community Fund Scotland, Vondy Thornton, Young Trustees Movement, James Tulley, Plumpton College & Queer Heritage South, Briony Nesbitt, Friends of the Earth & The Woodland Trust, Angela Alabi, Open Door.

Friday 13th November:

11:00 – 12:00: Money Matters (supported by Evelyn Partners)
Show me the money: a trustee’s guide to fundraising

Where does charity income actually come from, and what’s working in 2026? From grants and donations to trading, major gifts and investment income, get to grips with how charities can bring in money and hear expert insights on the latest fundraising trends and what trustees need to know. No fundraising background required.

Chaired by: Richard Litchfield, CEO Eastside People

With: Juliet Ellis, former trustee at The Sleep Charity, Sarah Goddard, Former trustee at The Sleep Charity & Stay Brave, Jo Simpson, Eastside People Head of Programmes, Jo Jeffery, The List, Victoria Davie, Evelyn Partners & Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature.

12:30 – 14:00: Good Governance (supported by Stone King)
Goldilocks Governance: Big, small or just right?

Can a charity be too big? Too small? Or just right? Is bigger really better, are small charities more nimble, and what happens to governance as organisations grow or shrink? When it comes to charity size, are there a few fairy tales that need rewriting?

Chaired by: Frances Brown, Former trustee at Kazzum.

With: Paul Townsley, Waythrough & Collective Voice, Vic Hancock-Fell, Fair Collective & former trustee at Team Kenya, The Reef-World Foundation, Go-Forward Youth & Our Moon Education, Sarah Elliot, Brain & Spine Foundation & Trussell, Nicole Reed, Stone King LLP.

16:30 – 17:30: 
Festival Close: Well, this is awkward…

A series of tricky governance scenarios where you decide what happens next. The CEO has just resigned. Two trustees aren’t speaking. The charity is taking a battering in the press. Someone’s eaten the last biscuit. What now? Vote in live polls, compare your thinking with other trustees in breakout rooms and explore the different ways a board might respond.

Chaired by: Penny Wilson, Festival Director, Eastside People and Bernice Rook, Deputy CEO, Eastside People.

With: Laura Carter, Ecclesiastical Insurance, Michael Tabirade, The Institute of Leadership.

Full programme details are available on the Festival of Trusteeship Eventbrite page.

2026 event partners and sponsors

Working with a range of sponsors and partners enables Festival tickets to be offered at the lowest possible cost (with free sessions for aspiring trustees). The 2026 Festival sees the return of The Institute of Leadership (IoL) as headline sponsor. The involvement of this global professional body with its community of over 50,000 leaders and managers dedicated to inspiring great leadership will bring insights and trends from a cross-sector perspective to the Festival, enabling further tailoring of the agenda to help Trustees feel more confident leading in increasingly complex and challenging environments.

Institute of Leadership blogs:

Ahead of Trustee’s Week and the Festival of Trusteeship, 2 members of the IoL’s board have written blogs covering current governance topics:

1. Chair Emrys Green asks what makes a board fit for the future – and argues that good governance starts with more than simply having a seat at the table.
2. IoL trustee Oliver Rendell reflects on what trusteeship really means, how it’s helped his journey, and why investing in leadership development should never stop.    

Our other co-headline sponsor is Ecclesiastical, who we are delighted to have return as a sponsor following their years of support for the Festival of Trusteeship. Ecclesiastical offers specialist insurance built to protect your charity, your people, and the vital services you provide. They are part of the Benefact Group.

Civil Society Media a new partner for 2026, is the UK’s only independent media company dedicated solely to supporting the charity sector. They deliver essential information, expert analysis and thought leadership through high-quality printed and digital publications plus online charity training courses covering a breadth of governance, finance and legal topics.

The Chartered Governance Institute will sponsor our Thought Leadership strand, bringing the latest thinking on charity governance. The Institute is the only globally recognised chartered professional body for governance professionals.

Evelyn Partners will sponsor the Festival’s new Money Matters strand, focusing on what trustees need to know about finance and fundraising. Evelyn Partners’ experienced investment managers help trustees and charity executives make informed, mission-driven decisions that strengthen your charity’s future.

Stone King LLP, a specialist law firm working extensively with charities, social enterprises and education bodies, brings deep expertise in charity law, governance, constitutional matters, safeguarding and regulatory compliance. Stone King will particularly support the Good Governance stream that has sessions addressing trustees’ legal responsibilities and the practical realities of good governance.

In addition, we’d like to say thank you to our sector partners. These organisations support trustees (and people who work with trustees) all year-round: ACEVO, the Association of Chairs. Board Racial Diversity UK, the Centre for Charity Effectiveness at Bayes Business School, Fair Collective, the ICAEW, the Young Trustees Movement, Charity Finance Group, #QueerTrustees and Charity Excellence.

Visit our Trustee Hub, the one-stop shop for resources, events, blogs & top tips for charity & not-for-profit trustees plus info about the Festival of Trusteeship:

Acknowledgements

Proud to be part of #TrusteesWeek 2026.