A MAJOR British charity, the Tudor Trust, is revamping its Board of Trustees in a bid to promote diversity and combat racism.
The charity, originally established in 1955 with assets of approximately £288 million, has decided to undergo a comprehensive transformation after acknowledging its perception as “white and privileged”.
This initiative includes a pause on all grants for 20 months to reassess its goals, educate staff on ‘racial justice’ and ‘white supremacy culture,’ and make way for a more inclusive leadership.
All facets of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are intended to be included into the work of the staff and trustees.
A thorough analysis of how EDI is integrated into every aspect of their business is included in the agenda. They also want to review the Trust’s future structure for operations.
Raji Hunjan, the interim director, is overseeing the transformation, which began three years ago in response to the Black Lives Matter protests.
Grant applications have been on hold since April of the previous year, and the organisation aims to restart them once the restructuring is complete.
The move towards becoming an ‘anti-racist organisation’ led to the retirement of director Christopher Graves in February and a subsequent acknowledgment in March that the charity had not done enough in this regard.
The chair designate position, advertised as part-time with a £18,000 annual salary, seeks individuals with a “strong personal commitment to justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion,” emphasising expertise in anti-racism.
The ideal candidate is expected to possess a “deep understanding of social and racial justice, and experience in applying this to systemic change”.
Matt Dunwell, the current chairman and grandson of the founder, could be affected by these changes.
The charity is actively recruiting ‘three or four’ new trustees, including a new chairman, in a phased overhaul of the board set to unfold over the next 12 months.
Founded by Sir Godfrey Mitchell, the creator of the construction giant George Wimpey, the Tudor Trust has traditionally been overseen by descendants of the Mitchell family.
A statement by the Tudor Trust said: “We recognise that we live in a society that is shaped by white privilege and racism. We also acknowledge that being a family Trust has given rise to a trustee board that is almost entirely white and privileged. While the profile of the staff of the trust is more diverse, we recognise that, throughout the organisation, most of us do not have experience of what it means to be discriminated against because of our colour.”
*The Tudor Trust is an independent grant-making trust which supports voluntary and community groups working in any part of the UK.
Subscribe for our weekly news letter here!
You can unsubscribe us at any time
