Joseph Barnsley

Trustees Week, which took place earlier this month, provides an opportunity to celebrate the contributions of thousands of volunteers, including my fellow NPC trustees, who willingly give up their valuable time to play a vital role on charity boards. And it’s a time when trustees are rightly being called upon to double down on efforts to increase board diversity. It also coincides with us recruiting for new trustees at NPC.

If you glanced at The Times this weekend, you’ll have seen the headline: the UK is in the midst of a fractional work boom. From boardrooms to creative studios, more professionals are splitting their time and expertise across multiple employers than ever before. It’s a profound shift in how we think about work, and it’s one the charity sector can’t afford to ignore. The drivers are clear.

Responding to the Government’s Spending Review, NPC Head of Policy James Somerville said: ‘The Chancellor’s focus on people’s everyday lives is the right one. On housing, policies to encourage the ‘crowding-in’ of private investment are welcome. When doing this, the government should think about the potential of all forms of impact capital – the impact sector can and already does make a real contribution to housing in the UK.