To mark Volunteers’ Week, which is running from June 1 to 7 in 2026, Hull Live is helping to tell the stories of Hull people giving their time to support local charities. First to be spotlighted is Olly Burdett, a trustee with the Tigers Trust.
Growing up as a football-mad youngster in Hull, Olly Burdett took part in summer camps and school holiday sessions with Tigers Trust, helping him build confidence and make friends through sport. He later went on to work for the charity, and now as a trustee he has come full circle, helping to shape the future of the organisation that gave him so much.
“Tigers Trust gave me everything,” he says. “I walked in as a boy who wouldn’t speak and came out a man who was confident in my skills and ability. Becoming a trustee was about giving back.”
While the role of trustee may not be the first thing that comes to mind when people think about volunteering, there are about a million charity trustees across the UK. They come from all walks of life, playing a vital role behind the scenes, helping to keep organisations running, guiding key decisions and ensuring support reaches the people who need it most.
This week, as part of Volunteers’ Week, Olly will be sharing his own experiences at a Charities’ Question Time Live event, hosted by law firm Wilkin Chapman Rollits, which works with charities across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. The event will bring together charity leaders and others working in or alongside the charity sector to discuss the realities of running these vital organisations, including what is involved in being a trustee.
Gen-Z trustee
At 26, Olly represents a younger generation stepping up to become trustees earlier in their careers. After leaving school, with his sights set on becoming a football writer, Olly went to university to study journalism.
When he graduated, he got the opportunity to return to the Tigers Trust, this time as an employee in the marketing team. Olly is keen to stress that Tigers Trust is about far more than football, with the connection to Hull City helping the charity build trust, open doors and engage people across the region.
“The power of the badge is massive,” he says. “Football opens the door, builds trust and brings people in, but what happens after that is far bigger than sport. It becomes about confidence, employability, wellbeing and giving people opportunities they might never have believed were possible.”
Olly later moved into a role with place marketing organisation Future Humber, but, having experienced first-hand the impact the Tigers Trust had on the lives of young people across the region, he decided to continue helping with that work by becoming a trustee. “I wanted to step back from the day-to-day and look at things more strategically – asking questions, offering ideas and supporting the bigger picture,” he says.
While relatively young for a trustee, Olly says he didn’t want to wait when he knew he could help the charity make a difference straight away. “I’d been thinking about it for a while, but wasn’t sure whether to go for it.
“Then I thought, if I can make a difference now, why wait 20 years?” But he admits that stepping into the role early in his career was not without its challenges.
“It was a bit odd at first. I wouldn’t say I felt imposter syndrome, but I was very aware that I could learn a lot from the rest of the board. Over time, you realise everyone is there for the same reason – to help the charity succeed. You stop worrying about asking the ‘wrong’ question and focus on contributing value.”
Balancing trusteeship alongside his full-time job, Olly says he tries hard to be visible and connected to the people doing the work on the frontline at Tigers Trust. “I think visibility is important. I can’t be there every day, but I try to check in regularly – speaking to staff, understanding how things are going, and keeping that connection.
“Because I worked there, there’s a level of trust where people feel comfortable sharing honest feedback. That helps a lot.”
Sharing experiences and challenges
On Thursday, June 4, as part of Humber Business Week, Olly will be on the panel at Charities’ Question Time Live. He will be joined by charity leaders from across the region, including Rory Clarke, chair of Hull4Heroes; Nina Stobart, founder and chair of trustees of Not Home Alone; and Natasha Barley, CEO of the Sailors’ Children’s Society; and Katy Duke, CEO of The Deep.
The panel will be chaired by Gerry Morrison and Harriet Wheeldon, two of Wilkin Chapman Rollits’ charity law experts, who also host the firm’s charities-focused podcast. Gerry, a partner and head of charities at the firm, says the contribution of trustees should not be overlooked.
“Trustees help ensure charities are well run at a time when demand is increasing, and play a key role in helping them stay focused, effective and sustainable,” says Gerry. “Through events like Charities’ Question Time and our podcasts, we want to help open up conversations about what the role really involves, as well as the challenges charities are facing.
“Bringing people together to share experiences and challenges is really important – and it might encourage other people to consider trusteeship and whether it could be for them.” Charities’ Question Time Live is a free event taking place at Aura Innovation Centre on Bridgehead Business Park, Hessle, on Thursday, June 4. To book a ticket, visit wilkinchapmanrollits.co.uk/events
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