Basic Information Sheet

The Glevum Farm Trust is a registered charity, the object of which is to "promote the physical and mental welfare of persons with learning disabilities", which was established in 1988. The charity provides a supportive home environment and varied work opportunities for a group of adults with learning disabilities. The small staff team (currently ten people) have enabled them to build for themselves a working farm and landscape contracting service in the Three Counties.

The trust is now seeking to extend its services and with this in view it is looking to recruit more Trustees to join the three person board who have served in the capacity since the launch of the Glevum Farm Trust. Whilst the promotional leaflets produced by the Trust outline its present and future services this paper is intended to outline the basic function of the members of the Board of Trustees.

The expression Charity Trustee is a technical term defined in the Charities Act 1993 as "the person having the general control and management of the administration of a charity" and as a result a Trustee has certain duties under the law. The general rule is that charity trustees must act in the best interest of the charity. Trustee should act as a prudent business man would in the conduct of his own affairs. The standard of care should be that of a person who is responsible for the investments of people for whom he or she has a moral duty to provide. The Trustee must be familiar with the objects of the charity and ensure that the charity's activities and funds are directed towards the fulfilment of these objects.

Trustees must collectively exercise control over the trust property. This involves the maintenance of charity land, sale of charity property and investment of charity funds. It is the Trustees duty to ensure that proper accounts are kept and that annual returns and accounts are sent to the Charity Commission. While Trustees employ staff to act for them they must remain responsible for what is done in their name and must retain full control. In return for all this Trustees can receive no salary and, whilst it is legal to reimburse reasonable costs, there has been no history of the Trust making any payment at all to Trustees. Whilst Trustees are liable for the actions of the Trust personal liability arises only for a Trustee's own acts and omissions and not generally for the acts of omissions of co-trustees or of employees. If Trustees or a trust have acted honestly and reasonably and ought fairly to be excused, the court may, under the Trustee Act 1925, relieve them of liability.

In order to meet the requirements of the role Trustees they must attend regular meetings and make regular formal visits to the residential home to complete a short visit report. The current arrangement with three Trustees is for up to four Trustee's Meetings per year and four Trustee's visits per year. With a greater number of Trustee's fewer visits will be required to meet the Registrations requirement for at least one visit report per month. Clearly this does not take into account any additional support specific Trustee might choose to offer to staff and service users over and above this basic minimum commitment.

To take on the role as a Glevum Farm Trust Trustee the prospective person must not be any of the following;

	Under the age of 18.
	Have been convicted of any offence involving dishonesty or deception.
	Have been bankrupt.
	Have made a composition or arrangement with his/her creditors and have not been discharged.
	Have been removed from any office by the Charity Commissioners.
	Have been disqualified from acting as a Company Director under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 or the Insolvency Act 1986.