Page 8 - Governance Annual Report 20/21

8 Annual Report 2021
Sub-Committee Reports
Governance Committee Report
It became clear in March 2020 that the Covid-19 pandemic would have an effect on the way the way the Association worked, that we would be required to think and operate differently and that we might more than ever be called upon to meet the friendship and benevolence needs of members of the Association and those who do serve and have served in the QARANC.
All charities are highly reliant on good governance for their continued existence. We are a small charity with all trustees undertaken their roles as volunteers, many balancing their trustee responsibilities with working, or supporting those working, in the front-line of the NHS. Despite this we knew that with solid governance, a responsible board, clear mission and passion for what we do that we could weather the Covid 19 pandemic storm.
We set in place the means for trustees and the Association office to fulfill governance obligations remotely, to adhere to workplace restrictions and to ensure that as far as it was possible it was ‘business as usual.’ Virtual board and committee meetings have taken place and all the Charity Commission’s requirements were met with regards to the AGM.
During the 2020-2021
reporting year we:
Following publication in 2019-2020 of
our first Governance Statement we felt it important to fulfill our duty to report on the ways in which we met our responsibilities and obligations in a different way. The Board agreed that in order to provide a comprehensive report on the health of the organisation we would henceforth publish an Annual Report.
1. Continued where possible within the Covid-19 restrictions to work on the 38 work strands that were identified in the 2019 NCVO Organisational Review. We commissioned another review which was conducted as a desk-top review in the last quarter of FY 2020-2021. We will provide details of the outcome of this review in the 2021-2022 Annual Report.
2. Developed Role Descriptions for trustees as well as Terms of Reference for committees and began work on a range of policies to support the work undertaken by trustees and the Association office.
3. Took responsibility for providing oversight of the Association’s financial support of the Florence Nightingale Foundation Scholarships.
Problems and Actions Taken:
It was impossible due to Service exigencies and workplace restrictions
to hold a development event to help the trustees further develop the charity’s vision and mission and to inform the development of a 5-year strategic plan. The effectiveness of the charity has not been compromised
by the Covid-19 pandemic and we believe that our overarching duties have withstood and indeed been strengthened by the work we have undertaken and the help and support that has been given.
Plans for the Future:
1. In the next reporting year, we will introduce our first Operational Plan. The document will be informed by the action plan of each committee and the advice and recommendations of the report of the 2021 organisational review.
2. The Trustees and non-voting members of the Board will attend a development event prior to the AGM in October 2021. The event will allow us to come together face-to- face for the first time since 2019 and help us to promote team working across trustees and the Association office; welcome trustees who have joined since 2019 and maximise opportunities to build open, inclusive, connected team working.