East Cheshire Eye Society is an independent charity which solely relies on funding to support all its activities. The charity is run by a board of voluntary trustees, some of whom have a sight impairment themselves. As the trustees mean so much to the charity, we wanted to get to know them a little bit better and share with you their own experience as a trustee.

 

Meet Jan Flynn

Originally from Surrey, Jan moved to Macclesfield in 2003. Having worked for over 35 years in the pharmaceutical and healthcare device industries, she’s enjoyed numerous roles throughout her time in the sector. These have included research and development, regulatory affairs; and, in her last 20+ years, she has been involved in sales and marketing, while also taking on a stakeholder management role at senior executive level.

Jan loves to be busy! She currently runs a marketing consultancy and is chairwoman of a domestic abuse charity. If that wasn’t enough, she’s also a non-executive director of a start-up company, as well as a trustee on another charity board. Jan wasn’t kidding when she said she likes to keep occupied!

We asked Jan to provide us with an insight into her trustee role:

 

How long have you been a trustee at East Cheshire Eye Society?

Just over a year.

 

What is your favourite thing about being a trustee?

I love being able to help make a difference and support vulnerable people in my local community.

 

What was your reason for wanting to become a trustee?

I wanted to give back to the society and use the skills that I have developed through working in a corporate environment, too.

 

How did you become a trustee?

I first started working with East Cheshire Eye Society when I was helping them with their marketing strategies. I was then asked if I’d like to become a trustee, following this work, and continue to support this fantastic charity.

 

What does a day in the life of a trustee look like?

It doesn’t take up too much time each day, but you do have to be able to commit to being at board meetings and other events to support the charity. There are always great discussions at the board meetings about the direction and sustainability of the charity.

 

How rewarding is being a trustee?

I love being able to use my skills and experiences to help this small charity; and the feeling that I am making a difference to people’s lives is always rewarding.

 

How would you summarise your experience of being a trustee?

It’s fun and gives me a challenge! You can never lose sight of the legal obligations of being a trustee and helping to steer the charity in a responsible and sustainable way.

You can discover more about our other trustees, here.

We’re always on the lookout for new trustees to join us. So, if you’re interested and would like to find out how to become a trustee yourself, please get in touch today, either by emailing info@eastcheshireeyesociety.org.uk or calling 01625 422602.

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