Eastside People became the new home for the Festival of Trusteeship in 2025 and the revived event formed a central part Trustees’ Week which ran from 3rd to 7th November 2025.
The Festival of Trusteeship is a week-long online series of events, full of exciting options for anyone who wants to become a trustee, for committed trustees who want to keep learning and developing, and for charity leaders who want to understand best practice in trustee recruitment and inclusive governance.
The Festival delivered a mix of informative and practical webinars and workshops, and lively panel discussions relating to good charity board governance with a focus on diversity and inclusion. All sessions for aspiring trustees were free.
Get the Festival recordings
Festival recordings have been provided to every ticket holder and will be available for non-attendees on our website sometime in 2026. If you missed the Festival and are keen to find out what happened, you can buy a pack containing recordings of every session held across the week for just £30 here.
Get Your Recording Tickets
Keep me updated for 2026
If you’re interested in being kept informed about the 2026 festival of Trusteeship, you can sign up here:
Sign up for news about the 2026 Festival
If you attended the Festival this year, please complete the Festival of Trusteeship feedback form.
Your feedback will help us improve and design future Festivals that are relevant, accessible and useful for trustees, aspiring trustees and those who work with trustees.
The form will be open until 21st November 2025. It should take around 5 minutes to complete and contents are completely anonymous.
Complete Festival Feedback Form
Find more resources for trustees
Visit our Trustee Hub which is full of resources for charity and not-for-profit trustees.
Visit our Trustee Hub
2025 Event Partners and Sponsors
We are incredibly grateful to our headline sponsor Institute of Leadership, for all their support and we were delighted to have the support of Stone King who are sponsoring our governance strand.
Thank you to our other partners including Fair Collective who are sponsoring the inclusion fund for people who couldn’t otherwise volunteer to take part as a Festival of Trusteeship panellist, ACEVO, Association of Chairs, Board Racial Diversity UK, Centre for Charity Effectiveness (at Bayes Business School), Ecclesiastical Insurance, the WI Learning Hub and the Young Trustees Movement.
The 2025 Festival Agenda
Festival of Trusteeship 2025: Monday 3rd November – Friday 7th November 2025
Monday 3rd November:
11:00 – 12:00
The Future of Trusteeship: Keynote from the Charity Commission
David Holdsworth, CEO of the Charity Commission, shares his vision for trusteeship, followed by a panel exploring bold, practical ideas for the future of the role.
Read David’s speech here.
Read Keynote Speech
12:30 – 13:30
Crisis? Sorted! A trustee’s toolkit for tough times
Trustees share their experiences navigating crisis – what worked, what didn’t, and what they wish they’d known.
16:30 – 17:30
Governance hacks: Easy wins for your board
Quick fixes and clever tweaks that can transform your board meetings. Ideal for small to medium-sized charities.
18:00 – 19:00
What is a trustee & how do I become one? (Part of the ‘Aspiring Trustee Series’ free for aspiring trustees)
An introductory session covering what trustees do, how to find the right role, and what to expect from board life.
Tuesday 4th November:
12:30 – 13:30
Risk it for a biscuit: Are trustees playing it too safe?
Explore how to approach risk more boldly and strategically, and hear from trustees who’ve done just that.
16:30 – 17:30
How to close well: Tips for trustees navigating charity closure
What to consider when winding down a charity, from legal duties to preserving legacy and supporting people.
18:00 – 19:00
New to the board? How to make an impact from day one (Part of the ‘Aspiring Trustee Series’ free for aspiring trustees)
Advice and reflections from trustees on getting started and thriving in your first year on a board.
Wednesday 5th November:
12:30 – 13:30
Challenge accepted: How to disagree well on boards
How to foster constructive challenge and healthy disagreement that leads to stronger governance.
16:30 – 17:30
Trusteeship Transformed: Bold ideas from the front line
Sector changemakers pitch their ideas to reimagine boards. Expect provocation, inspiration and a few surprises!
18:00 – 19:00
Young trustees wanted: Unlocking the next generation (Part of the ‘Aspiring Trustee Series’ free for aspiring trustees)
Tackling the barriers young people face in joining boards, and hearing what’s working from trustees and charities.
Thursday 6th November:
12:30 – 13:30
Who’s missing from your board? Inclusive approaches to finding trustees
What’s working in inclusive trustee recruitment, and how to support trustees once they’re in post.
16:30 – 17:30
Behind the scenes: What trustees should know about being a charity CEO
Insights from CEOs on their role, what they wish boards understood, and how trustees can be supportive allies.
18:00 – 19:00
How to build your confidence as a trustee (Part of the ‘Aspiring Trustee Series’ free for aspiring trustees)
Build your presence, find your voice, and hear how others overcame self-doubt to become effective board members.
Friday 7th November:
12:30 – 13:30
Strategy that sticks: Tools and tips for trustees
Frameworks and real-life examples to help boards shape practical, bold and lasting strategies.
16:30 – 17:30
How to not be a prat on a board
The serious side of poor board behaviour and how to avoid it. Honest reflections with humour and practical advice.
Thank you for your interest in being a panellist at the Festival of Trusteeship. Applications fpr the 2025 event have now closed.
If you have any questions about the Festival of Trusteeship, please email us at: [email protected].
Acknowledgements
Proud to be part of #TrusteesWeek 2025.
Supported by the Institute of Leadership.
