Michael Quicke
Elected member of Council, Trustee and Chairman of the Audit Committee.
I’m the Chief Executive of a Fund Management business and I’d been aware of the National Trust for most of my life. But it wasn’t until some personal and work contacts mentioned the idea of volunteering in a governance capacity that I seriously considered getting actively involved. The clincher? Being able to make a difference. While it may sound trite, it’s true.
As well as the formal meetings associated with my role, I’m involved in numerous other projects, including discussions about the Trust’s financial and reserve structure, its management development, and how it operates as a whole.
Until recently I was Chairman of the Trust’s Investment Committee and heavily involved in the long-term investment of the Trust’s endowments. This led to discussions about the development of the Development Fund which enables the investment of long-term funds in Trust commercial developments on a revolving basis. I particularly enjoy being involved in the design of the Trust’s financial regime and the Development Fund.
Being able to help improve the Trust’s processes and decision-making is incredibly satisfying and worthwhile. So, would I recommend getting involved? Absolutely. Working with the Trust is the most rewarding volunteering I’ve been involved in. While the pace of decision can, at times, be slow, working with the grain of the organisation over a long period of time produces real results. I’ve also learned a lot about organisations by working with the Trust, which is of great benefit to me in the rest of my activities.
In my opinion, the National Trust is one of the greatest British organisations, contributing to the culture of this country in countless ways. Being part of that positive force is a great recommendation on its own.