As you know, Volunteers’ Week is an opportunity to celebrate and recognise the contributions of our volunteers. A group of volunteers that often gets overlooked are Trustees. We almost forget that they are volunteers, partly because of the level of responsibility that comes with such a role and the strong skill set that they bring. So, during this Volunteers Week, we wanted to recognise the invaluable contribution of our own Board of Directors.

Alan Bennett

Hopefully you’ll have seen AVM is currently hosting regional, face-to-face peer support meetings and Alan has been the driving force behind the wider implementation of these. He’s led on the collaboration and development of these groups so that we’re now offering meetings in 6 regions across the UK. Alan is responsive, proactive and supportive and has been a quiet force for change that AVM has really benefited from. Long may it continue.

Alan Murray

Alan Murray has been a dedicated supporter and advocate of AVM since our inception in 2007. He’s had various roles including his current one of Company Secretary. He’s been involved in nearly every AVM conference, providing exemplary leadership and guidance that has led to our conference being one of the most well respected in the sector. His strategic thinking, clear communication and purposeful action ensures AVM stays on track. He’s incredibly generous with his time and is always quick to help, coach and mentor. He’s also very humble and we have a funny feeling he’ll be cringing at this blog post because he genuinely has the best interests of AVM and its members at heart and nothing more. AVM is eternally indebted to him.

Andy Broomhead

Andy has been with AVM since 2020, helping AVM navigate its way through the COVID pandemic and beyond. He brings a breadth of experience to AVM from his role at Diabetes UK as well as his previous Business Analyst posts. He has guided us through the first phase of a website upgrade project a few years ago and is currently working away in the background about our future infrastructure and what that could look like to best support and enhance AVM members and their experiences. So much work is undertaken behind the scenes and Andy does this with humour, sound insights and integrity. He is considered and measured in his approach, making sure we are as evidence-based as we can be. He’s very supportive and a joy to work with.

Charlotte Witteridge

Charlotte is one of our newest Directors, joining AVM at the 2024 AGM. She also sits on our Conference Planning Group and currently leads our regional peer support group in the West Midlands. Charlotte’s passion for learning and development and progressing volunteer management is infectious and it’s wonderful to have her on the Board.

Donna McReath

Donna has been involved with the AVM Board since the beginning of 2024 and brings a wealth of invaluable experience. Her strategic and ambitious approach has already helped us to shape our thinking and she’s always willing to support in any way she can. Donna has already been such an asset and working with her more is very exciting.

Elizabeth Wigelsworth

Liz also joined the Board at the 2024 AGM but has been involved with our events planning group for at least 3 years now whilst working at Chest, Heart, Stroke Scotland. Liz has her thumb firmly on the volunteer sector pulse, helping to make our recent events as relevant as possible. This knowledge as well as her enthusiasm, proactivity and advocacy for wider partnership working will be so useful and AVM is lucky to have her join us.

Jacob Przeklasa

Jacob was the third Board member to newly join us at the 2024 AGM, bringing more dynamism and energy to the organisation. He’s been eager to understand why things are the way they are to really get to grips with our ways of working and this gentle scrutiny alongside his ideas and suggestions will ensure AVM is the best it can be.

Jo Keller

Since 2020, Jo has carried out her director role with thoughtfulness, thoroughness and kindness. She listens intently and gently challenges when challenge is required and is able to express her point of view whilst encouraging others to do the same. Her leadership around areas such as membership and governance has been consistent, reliable and credible. Her calming presence, focus and compassion have helped AVM navigate the past 5 years.

Mirabai Ruskin

Mira was co-opted onto the board at the beginning of 2024 and thankfully applied to remain with us, being elected at the 2024 AGM. Mira is wonderfully creative, ambitious and conscientious which is demonstrated through her skilful leadership of our conference planning group. Mira’s fresh perspective helps us challenge the status quo and ensure we’re up-to-date and remain relevant. She is detail focused and data-driven whilst also considering the wider, human context and it’s this balance that AVM has and will benefit from.

Ruth Leonard

Ruth has been the Chair of AVM since 2018 and was present at the inauguration of AVM. She is devoted to the development of volunteer management and involvement and is such an advocate for AVM. She readily accepts the opportunities presented to her to help raise our profile and therefore that of volunteer management. Her knowledge of volunteer management is astounding, her passion is unbridled and her kindness is unlimited. Being a Chair isn’t for the faint of heart and Ruth has faced up to challenges with immense grace, fortitude and accountability. It will be a sad day indeed when her tenure with AVM comes to an end for she has been the truest of leaders.

Shaun Delaney

Shaun has been on the board since 2019 and has held the position of Company Secretary and is the current Treasurer which with his previous experiences means he is well placed in this important role. Shaun is thoughtful, considerate, reflective and also knows when a decision needs to be made and action needs to be taken. He feels the responsibility of members’ money seriously and deeply and it’s comforting to know AVM has such a safe pair of hands on board. He is a delight to work with and it’s brilliant news having him elected for a second term because he will ensure AVM goes from strength to strength.

Thank you to all of our directors, both past and present. AVM is a wonderfully unique organisation founded for the development of volunteer management and to support volunteer managers and it’s our volunteer directors who ensure AVM will continue to do so.