Our Trustees

Our trustees are the people who guide and support Lotus Families behind the scenes. They volunteer their time and expertise to make sure we stay true to our values, use our funds wisely, and meet all our legal responsibilities as a charity. Trustees don’t get paid; they give their time because they care deeply about our mission and the families we support. Together, they help keep Lotus Families safe, accountable, and focused on making a positive difference every day.

Lotus Families is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee. This means we’re a not-for-profit organisation that’s carefully regulated to make sure everything we do is in the best interests of the people we support. We don’t have owners or shareholders.  Instead, we’re guided by a dedicated Board of Trustees who volunteer their time to oversee our work and make sure we’re run safely, ethically, and with integrity. Every penny we receive goes straight back into helping families affected by abuse to rebuild their lives.

Our Board of Trustees makes sure Lotus Families is well run, responsible, and always focused on what matters most; the safety and wellbeing of the people we support.

The trustees set our overall direction, approve key decisions, and ensure that our work and finances are managed with care. They also support and challenge our leadership team to keep improving and growing in line with our values.

Our trustees bring a wide range of skills and experiences including safeguarding, finance, law, HR, fundraising, and lived experience of the issues we work with every day. Together, they help ensure Lotus Families remains strong, ethical, and sustainable for the future.

Our Chair of Trustees leads the Board and helps ensure Lotus Families is governed with care, integrity, and purpose. She works closely with the CEO to provide guidance, oversight, and support, acting as a critical friend who both challenges and champions the organisation. She makes sure every trustee’s voice is heard, meetings run smoothly, and decisions are made in the best interests of the people we support. Above all, the Chair helps create a positive, collaborative Board culture that reflects our trauma-informed values of safety, trust, and empowerment.

Our Treasurer helps the Board of Trustees make sure Lotus Families’ finances are well managed and transparent. She works closely with our CEO and accountant to review budgets, monitor spending, and ensure we use our funds wisely to support as many families as possible. The Treasurer also helps other trustees understand our financial position so that everyone can make informed decisions. Her careful oversight helps keep Lotus Families financially healthy, sustainable, and focused on making a real difference for those we support.

Our Company Secretary helps make sure Lotus Families meets all its legal and regulatory responsibilities as both a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee. They keep our governance running smoothly, ensuring our records are accurate, our policies are up to date, and our filings with the Charity Commission and Companies House are completed on time.

The Company Secretary also supports good communication between the Board and the staff team, helping to make sure that decisions are clearly recorded and shared, that staff have access to key policies and updates, and that any issues raised by the team are brought to the Board in a supportive, constructive way. By keeping everyone informed and connected, the Company Secretary helps build trust, transparency, and a shared sense of purpose across the whole organisation.

We warmly welcome trustees from all walks of life who share our values and commitment to supporting families affected by domestic abuse and child-to-parent violence. Lived experience of abuse, family support, or using services like ours is especially valued as it brings real insight and helps keep our work grounded in what matters most.

You don’t need to have been a trustee before. What matters is your willingness to learn, work as part of a team, and use your skills to make a difference. Our trustees bring a rich mix of backgrounds, including safeguarding, finance, HR, law, fundraising, communications, and governance. We value diversity in every sense and believe that different perspectives make our Board stronger and more compassionate.

If you’re interested in joining our Board or finding out what’s involved, we’d love to hear from you. We provide a full induction and ongoing support so you’ll never be on your own. Together, we can help more families find safety, recovery, and hope.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds who share our values and commitment to supporting families affected by domestic abuse and child-to-parent violence. Diversity of experience — including lived experience and different cultural perspectives makes our Board stronger and more representative of the communities we serve.

To become a trustee, you must be aged 18 or over and meet certain eligibility and safeguarding requirements. Because Lotus Families works with adults and children affected by trauma and abuse, all trustees must complete enhanced DBS checks and provide identity and background information that can be verified in the UK. Unfortunately, this means that in some cases, for example, where applicants have recently arrived in the UK or do not yet have a traceable DBS history, we may not be able to progress an application until suitable checks can be completed.

We recognise how frustrating this can be and are always happy to discuss other ways to get involved with Lotus Families, such as volunteering, joining a working group, or sharing lived experience through peer or advisory roles.

At Lotus Families, our trustees and staff team work closely together, but their roles are different.

Trustees are responsible for governance,  they set the overall direction of the charity, make sure we stay true to our mission, and ensure that our work and finances are managed safely, legally, and ethically. They don’t get involved in day-to-day operations; instead, they focus on the bigger picture, supporting and challenging the leadership team to make good decisions for the future.

Our paid staff carry out the operational work such as providing direct support to clients, running groups, managing referrals, fundraising, and ensuring the smooth running of the organisation day to day.

Staff bring specialist skills and experience in supporting families affected by abuse, and they put our trauma-informed values into practice in every interaction.

Together, trustees and staff form a strong partnership: trustees make sure the charity is well-run and sustainable, while staff bring the vision to life through their compassionate, hands-on work with families.

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No, our trustees are volunteers. They give their time, skills, and experience freely because they believe in our mission and want to help families affected by abuse to rebuild their lives. Trustees are not paid for their work, but we do reimburse reasonable travel expenses so that no one is out of pocket for attending meetings or events.

Their commitment and generosity make a huge difference to Lotus Families, helping to ensure we remain independent, well-governed, and focused on what matters most; creating safety, hope, and recovery for the people we support.

Being a trustee of Lotus Families is an important but manageable commitment. Our Board meets four times a year (quarterly), usually in person in Newhaven, with the option to join the occasional meeting online if needed. Trustees are also asked to read papers in advance, contribute to discussions, and support decision-making between meetings when required.

Most trustees spend around four to six hours a month on their role, depending on their involvement in sub-committees or specific projects. We know trustees are volunteers, so we aim to be flexible and understanding about people’s time and other commitments.

Becoming a trustee is a rewarding way to use your experience to help families affected by abuse, and to be part of a compassionate team making real change in our community.

We make sure every new trustee feels welcomed, supported, and confident in their role. All new trustees receive a structured induction plan that introduces them to our work, values, policies, and priorities. They’re also paired with an experienced trustee for one-to-one support during their first few months, so there’s always someone to ask questions or talk things through with.

We offer a mix of internal and external training, covering topics such as governance, safeguarding, trauma-informed practice, and understanding domestic abuse and child-to-parent violence. Trustees are encouraged to keep learning and developing throughout their time on the Board.

Our aim is to make sure every trustee feels part of a caring, knowledgeable team where their contribution is valued and their voice matters.