Yearly Meeting appoints trustees to act on its behalf as managing trustees of the work, assets and property held directly by Britain Yearly Meeting.

Britain Yearly Meeting Trustees are responsible to the yearly meeting for the right stewardship of its work, assets and property; as charity trustees, they are also legally defined as responsible for the general control and management of the administration of the affairs of Britain Yearly Meeting.

The powers and responsibilities of Trustees, as set out in the Britain Yearly Meeting governing document, are grounded in service. Trustees have a duty to account to the outside world for the conduct of their trust. Gathered meetings, both of the Trustees and of other bodies, provide the religious discernment that guides our actions in the world. Trustees recognise and listen carefully to the discernment of Yearly Meeting, Meeting for Sufferings, and their committees and ensure that it is followed, within legal and financial constraints.

Trustees undertake, on behalf of Yearly Meeting, legal compliance, monitoring and scrutiny functions. They also ensure that the centrally managed work is being properly governed and managed in accordance with the religious and charitable objects of Britain Yearly Meeting (see 8.03), set out in the governing document approved by Yearly Meeting which is available on the Britain Yearly Meeting website or on application to the Recording Clerk. They oversee the work of Management Meeting (8.22) and are the employers of Britain Yearly Meeting staff (8.20).

Trustees approve annually an operational plan and budget for the forthcoming year. They are responsible for the Trustees’ annual report and financial statements for the past year, which are presented for information to Meeting for Sufferings before submission to Yearly Meeting and to the charity regulators in due course.

The membership, responsibilities and duties of Trustees are set out in detail in terms of reference to be approved and revised from time to time by Yearly Meeting. A copy is available from the Recording Clerk and the BYM website (new window).

Trustees are appointed by Yearly Meeting on the nomination of Central Nominations Committee (6.21) as set out in the Trustees’ terms of reference. In making nominations for service as trustees, Central Nominations Committee ensures that the Friends approached are aware of the legal responsibilities of trustees and of the legal position on eligibility (see 15.04). No trustee shall serve on a standing committee as listed in 8.06. The clerk of Britain Yearly Meeting Trustees and the Yearly Meeting Treasurer are appointed by Yearly Meeting on the nomination of Britain Yearly Meeting Trustees. The Yearly Meeting Treasurer serves as a trustee ex officio because of the Treasurer’s role in relation to the centrally managed work as a whole. The Assistant Clerk is appointed by Trustees from amongst their number.