Structure, Governance and Management

The trustees are bound by the constitution of Alumah.

Board of Trustees

Number of Trustees

The minimum number of Trustees shall be three, and there shall be no maximum. If the number falls
below three, the remaining Trustee or Trustees may act only to call a meeting of the Trustees, to
appoint a new Trustee, or to wind up the CIO.

Functions and duties of Trustees

The Trustees shall manage the affairs of the CIO and may for that purpose exercise all the powers of
the CIO. It is the duty of each Trustee— (a) to exercise his or her powers and to perform his or her
functions in his or her capacity as a Trustee of the CIO in the way he or she decides in good faith
would be most likely to further the purposes of the CIO; and (b) to exercise, in the performance of
those functions, such care and skill as is reasonable in the circumstances having regard in particular
to— i) any special knowledge or experience that he or she has or holds herself out as having; and, ii)
if he or she acts as a Trustee of the CIO in the course of a business or profession, to any special
knowledge or experience that it is reasonable to expect of a person acting in the course of that kind
of business or profession.

Trustee Recruitment

1. Identify potential new trustee:

• Do they support the objects of Alumah?
• Do they support Alumah’s values?
• Do they have skills that Alumah Trustees need?
• Are they fit and proper?
• Are they ready to commit their time?

2. Informal interview with existing trustees- including requesting references
3. Invite to a trustee meeting as an observer
4. Be clear about role and time commitment
5. Fit and proper declaration
6. Resolution at next trustees meeting
7. Welcome letter, DBS check, fit and proper declaration, details for charity commission site,
personal statement for website
8. Induction: constitution, annual report, the essential trustee questions to ask, training
9. Register on Charity commission website

Trustees’ Responsibilities

The trustees are responsible for preparing the trustees’ annual report and financial statements in
accordance with applicable law and UK Accounting Standards. They are also responsible for
maintaining adequate accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time, the
financial position of the charity and which are sufficient to show and explain the charity’s
transactions. The accounting records enable the trustees to ensure that the financial statements
comply with regulations made under the Charities Act. Trustees are also responsible for
safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and
detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The trustees are responsible for the contents of the trustees’ report.