THE NORFOLK & NORWICH ASSOCIATION FOR THE BLIND
TRUSTEE HANDBOOK
INTRODUCTION
This Handbook is intended for use by all members of the Board of Management of The Norfolk and Norwich Association for the Blind (NNAB). The aim of the Handbook is to provide a reference and guide to Board Members in their roles and responsibilities as Trustees of the NNAB and to provide information about the NNAB more generally.
It is available in large print, Braille, on disc and can be downloaded on-line from the NNAB website.
Mr Kit Cator
Chairman
January 2017
CONTENTS
Page
1History of the NNAB4
2What the NNAB expects of its Trustees5
3Objects and Constitution6
4The NNAB and what it does7
5Composition of the Board of Trustees 9
6Roles and Responsibilities of the Trustees10
7Financial Affairs11
Appendix AConstitution dated 1st November 1983
Appendix BAmendment dated 4th February 1988
Appendix CAmendment dated 16th August 1999
Appendix DRole of Chairman
Appendix ERole of Treasurer
Appendix FRole as Safeguarding and Child Protection Trustee
Appendix GJob description of Chief Executive
Appendix HTerms of reference for the Finance General Purposes Committee
Appendix IReserves’ Policy dated 31st March 2009
Appendix JCharity Commission Guidance – Charity Trustee: what’s involved(Leaflet CC3a (July 2015)
Appendix KGood Governance: A code for the voluntary and community sector (2nd edition: September 2010)
1.HISTORY OF THE NNAB
For a fuller history of the NNAB see Frank Meeres’ book; “One Man’s Vision” (which is available from the main office of the NNAB). Set out below are some useful and key facts concerning its history.
The NNAB was founded by Thomas Tawell in 1805 as the hospital and school for the “indigent blind” of Norfolk and Norwich. It is the fifth oldest charity supporting and assisting visually impaired people in the country.
The NNAB is set up as a trust scheme and is unincorporated which means the Trustees are personally responsible for what it does (or does not do).
The NNAB has previously been known as:
- Norwich Institution for the Blind –established 1805
- Norfolk and Norwich Association for the Blind - changed in 1988.
Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II became Patron in 1955. The Bishop of Norwich is the President. There are four Vice-Presidents being:
- The Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk
- The High Sheriff of Norfolk
- The Lord Mayor of Norwich
- The Sheriff of Norwich
The NNAB is administered and managed by a Board of Management (the Board) pursuant to the terms of its constitutional documents (see Appendices A, B and C).
2.WHAT THE NNAB EXPECTS OF ITS TRUSTEES
Being a trustee of the NNAB is an important role with many responsibilities. We insist that all trustees should adhere to the following:-
- Understand the functions, structure and constitution of the NNAB;
- Understand their role and responsibilities as trustees;
- Attend all Board meetings (except where there is good reason) – absence from Board meetings for a period of 12 months results in automatic resignation (see Clause 16 of the Scheme);
- Volunteer to undertake a community worker and Hammond Court/Thomas Tawell House visit in every 12 month period and report to the Board;
- Always act in the best interests of the NNAB;
- Always act with skill and care;
- Ensure the NNAB complies with its Code of Governance
- Be keen and enthusiastic to become involved.
Trustees are referred to the Charity Commission website regarding the roles and responsibilities of trustees and to Appendices J and K.
3.OBJECTS OF THE NNAB AND ITSCONSTITUTION
The Objects of the NNAB are to provide:
- Homes, accommodation and care
- A community visiting service
- Recreational and educational facilities
for blind and partially sighted people primarily, but not exclusively, resident in Norwich or elsewhere in Norfolk. See Appendices A, B and C.
The Board may co-operate with any statutory authority, charity or other appropriate body in carrying out the objects of the charity and may make grants to any other charity for that purpose.
The NNAB is a registered charity, number 207060, governed by a scheme sealed on 1st November 1983 (Appendix A). This scheme was amended on 4th February 1988 to reflect the change of name (Appendix B) and by a further scheme dated 16th August 1999 (Appendix C) relating to remuneration of Trustees for special skills and knowledge.
The scheme details the following:
The Objects
President and Vice Presidents
Membership of the Board
Meetings and proceedings
Offices and committees
Annual General Meeting
Application of income
Contributions
General provisions
PLEASE ENSURE YOU READ THE SCHEME (AS AMENDED) AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THE NNAB CAN DO.
4.THE NNAB AND WHAT IT DOES
The NNAB provides the following services:
Thomas Tawell House
A specialist purpose built residential care home in Norwich providing en-suite accommodation for 37 blind and partially sighted residents. The home also provides respite care. It is regarded by the local authority as a specialist care home.
Hammond Court
A supported housing complex consisting of 20 wardens assisted flats. This is based at the NNAB’s main site at Magpie Road.
Equipment Centres
Norwich – open five days a week
King’s Lynn – open five mornings a week
Great Yarmouth – open five mornings a week
Cromer – open Tuesday mornings
And our Mobile Equipment Centre visits towns, villages, schools and colleges throughout the County. It has a wide selection of equipment available to help those with sight problems, ranging from computers to daily living aids. It also acts as an advice, information and education centre.
Community Workers
A team of ten community workers visit, advise and support the 4,000 registered blind and partially sighted people in their homes in Norfolk.
Hospital Eye Clinic Information Service
Trained Eye Clinic Support Staff and volunteers attend at the following hospitals and at the following times:-
- Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital
- QueenElizabeth Hospital, King’s Lynn
- The James Paget Hospital, Great
- Cromer District Hospital
Volunteers
The NNAB has some 230 volunteers for essential support helping with befriending, driving, guiding, assisting with activities etc. The volunteers form an important part of the NNAB’s support network.
Staff
There are approximately 80 staff, full time and part time, under the leadership of a Chief Executive who is responsible to the Board. The Chief Executive is supported by the Senior Executive Officer, the Heads of Departments, a small admin team, a small fundraising team,a maintenance team and is responsible for the day to day running of the Association. The Role of the Chief Executive is detailed in Appendix G.
5.COMPOSITION OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
The Board consists of 18 members made up of three nominative members: one appointed by the Lord Bishop of Norwich and two by Norfolk County Council; three co-optative members and twelve elected members.
The Board has the usual structure of a Chairman, Vice Chairman and Honorary Treasurer and meets once every two months. A quorum is seven members. The Roles of the Chairman and Honorary Treasurer are detailed in Appendices D and E respectively. The Board also has a Safeguarding and Child Protection trustee who forms the link with the NNAB’s day to day responsibilities in that area (see Appendix F).
The Board has appointed a Finance and General Purposes Committee which consists of the Chairman, Vice Chairman and Honorary Treasurer and five elected members of the Board. It meets monthly and is responsible for overseeing the day to day running of the NNAB. It reports to the Board; details of the remit of this Committee are at AppendixH.
6.ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE TRUSTEES
Responsibilities
The responsibilities of the Trustees are laid down in the Charity Commission’s publication CC3a which is at Appendix I and can also be accessed on the Charity Commission webpage – see:
Also see section 2 of this Handbook and the Code of Governance adopted by the NNAB at Appendix K..
Recruiting
The normal procedure to become a Trustee is that people with particular skills are sought and recommended to fill an existing vacancy on the Board. They would then visit the NNAB, meet with the Chairman and Chief Executive, be given a guided tour of the NNAB’s facilities and provided with a short induction to explain their roles and responsibilities and the objects of the NNAB.
We try to ensure that approximately five of the Trustees are registered blind or partially sighted to help advise on the needs of the people the NNAB is trying to help. There is nothing obligatory concerning this in the constitution.
A prospective Trustee then attends a Board Meeting as an observer where they are introduced to members of the Board and, if considered suitable, asked to join.
Induction
The Trustees are required to visit the appropriate departments in the organisation, including going out with a Community Worker and visiting one of the Equipment Centres and Eye Clinics. They are also required to attend a Visual Awareness Course run by the NNAB.
Further training can be given on request.
7.FINANCIAL AFFAIRS
The latest audited accounts for the NNAB can be found on the website and also at the Charity Commission website.
The investments are managed by external stockbrokers who are required to produce a quarterly valuation. Auditorsare appointed annually at each AGM.
Monthly accounts are produced and presented to the Finance & General Purposes Committee (see its terms of reference at Appendix H) and every two months to the Board. In addition an annual budget is produced which is agreed in March. The Annual Accounts are presented to the Board, usually in July.
A Reserves Policy has been agreed - see Appendix I.
Relevant meeting dates :
- Financial & General Purposes Committee – on the third Monday every month
- The Board – on the third Wednesday every other month
- The Annual General Meeting –in October
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