Trustee Elections
The results of the Trustee Elections have been announced at Butterfly Conservation's AGM on Saturday 13 November 2021. We can confirm that the following seven candidates have been successfully elected (five have been re-elected) to the Board of Trustees.
- Glenn Allison
- Apithanny Bourne
- Dr Elaine King
- Simon Saville
- Nigel Symington
- Ilija Vukomanovic
- Chris Winnick
Statements of Candidates Confirmed for Elections
The timeframe for submitting nominations for the Trustee Elections has now closed.
A total of seven candidates have been proposed.
Please find below a list of the candidate names, their election statement (which sets out their background and qualifications for wanting to become a Trustee), together with the name of the person proposing each candidate.
(listed alphabetically by surname)
Glenn Allison
Proposed by Karen Goldie-Morrison
If elected, I would be honoured and excited to contribute to the success of Butterfly Conservation as a member of Council. I have strong financial background, having worked at a senior level in Industry for over 40 years and much experience in strategy setting and long-term planning. It will be really rewarding to put these skills to good use with Butterfly Conservation. I have worked closely with management in several roles and always placed high value on the importance of people and communication skills. These are fundamentally important in many organisations and perhaps especially in Butterfly Conservation given its working structures and public profile. I was a member of Council, ultimately President, of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland, and a member of Council, ultimately Vice-Chair of CBI Scotland. These roles gave me good knowledge of Governance and its relevance to charitable bodies.
I now wish to devote my skills and experience to help an organisation whose mission and purpose ally to my own interests. Here in Edinburgh, I am an outdoors person and enjoy hillwalking, cycling, gardening and golf. I am already learning so much about Lepidoptera, especially those around me here in Scotland. I'm open and straightforward and I would be delighted to bring my knowledge and skills to help Butterfly Conservation. All charities have been impacted by Covid-19 and Butterfly Conservation will be no exception, fundraising and financial pressures add to the ongoing issues charities face every day. I find Butterfly Conservation's strategy and objectives hugely important and appealing. The outdoors and the environment are important to our lifestyle, health and wellbeing. Making the world a better place for butterflies and moths inevitably means making the world a better place for people everywhere. I'd like to help to achieve those objectives.
Apithanny Bourne
Proposed by Simon Saville
Butterflies, moths and the special habitats they live in have always been a huge part of my life. It has therefore been a great privilege to sit as Trustee of Butterfly Conservation for the past three years. During this time, I have witnessed the charity pull through significant challenges and emerge more resilient and dedicated than ever.
The skills I bring to the Board include experience of working in both environmental chemistry and ecology sectors. Most recently this has involved working for NatureScot on a project to survey and map Scotland's species rich grasslands - an interest which I have continued to pursue during my current PhD research at Edinburgh University. Besides knowledge on habitat management and the ecology of Lepidoptera, I also Chair the East Scotland branch and have around seven years' experience of Butterfly Conservation's branch structure. As a young and female member of the Board, I am committed to ensuring that diversity, youth engagement and the biodiversity and climate crises are high on the agenda. In addition, I give considerable thought to the unique challenges faced by the Scottish team and how our work fits in with Butterfly Conservation's overall aim. Despite the many difficulties which undoubtedly lie ahead, recent work by Trustees on Butterfly Conservation's strategic goals have left me enthused and motivated for the future. I do hope to continue working as a Trustee in these exciting times for the charity!
Dr Elaine King
Proposed by Nigel Symington
I am an experienced chief executive with over 20 years in the third sector and, more recently, in a public body. A scientist by training - a Biology degree and PhD on bovine tuberculosis in badgers and cattle - I recognise the importance of using science and evidence to inform policy decisions. This is one of Butterfly Conservation's strengths and I'm keen to support the organisation as we work collectively to reverse the declines in nature, tackle the impacts of climate change, and bring more people closer to nature.
I am currently Chief Executive of the Chilterns Conservation Board (CCB) and was previously a Secretary of State appointee on the Board. I spent eight years as Chief Executive at Wildlife and Countryside Link (Link), a charity which brings together 57 non-governmental organisations with diverse interests across nature conservation, landscape protection, animal welfare and people’s health and well-being. In my work at Link, I saw how Butterfly Conservation is a hugely respected voice within the environment sector – amongst charities, the government and the wider scientific community. More recently, having been co-opted to Council last Autumn, and seen first-hand the professionalism, passion and energy in the staff team and Council members, I am very keen to now become a ‘fully fledged’ Council member.
Simon Saville
Proposed by Karen Goldie-Morrison
When I grew up in Dorset, I could enjoy meadows teeming with Marbled Whites and chalk hillsides awash with blues. This sparked a lifelong passion for butterflies, moths and wildlife in general. I joined Butterfly Conservation in 1985 and am now a Life Benefactor. I have been Chair of the Surrey & SW London Branch since 2016. I have promoted our conservation activities, including work at the Oaken Wood Reserve for the Wood White, and our Small Blue project on the North Downs. We have increased our communications and engagement work, and the Branch continues to thrive.
I live in London where I have been helping to develop our activities, profile and partnerships. I helped set up the Big City Butterflies project and will continue to support its delivery. This will be a game-changer for Butterfly Conservation in London, which is strategically important to our future. Although I studied chemistry, most of my career was in public affairs, with a focus on marketing, branding and communications. I served at senior leadership levels in an international company, and managed large teams and budgets. I have been able to use my skills and experience to contribute as a trustee since 2018, including as a member of the Audit and Risk Committee. I am keen to continue to support Butterfly Conservation in delivering our ambitious new strategy. In summer 2021, I set off on a 1,200-mile “Bike For Butterflies” bicycle ride from Land’s End to John o’Groats to raise money for Butterfly Conservation.
Nigel Symington
Proposed by Karen Goldie-Morrison
Honorary Treasurer since 2018, I have completed 9 years on Council, but I am standing for re-election at the request of Council to enable a smooth handover to my eventual successor.
As ex-officio Chair of the Investment Committee, I initiated a Socially Responsible Investment Policy for Butterfly Conservation’s Endowment Fund. This stipulates that Butterfly Conservation will invest in sustainable assets and avoid investment which acts against its aims – in particular having de minimis exposure to companies with fossil fuel reserves. I led the move to the Charity Commission’s Total Return rules, which allows Butterfly Conservation to invest in a broader range of assets. Both initiatives are expected to lead to a greater return from our Fund. I am the founding Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee, and a Director of Butterfly Conservation Trading Ltd. I see the next priority for Butterfly Conservation as the rebuilding of our membership growth.
I was Chair of Sussex Branch from 2012 to 2018, during which time the branch substantially enhanced the Rowland Wood reserve and reintroduced the Pearl- and Small Pearl-bordered fritillaries: and launched the widely acclaimed atlas ‘The Butterflies of Sussex’, for which I was business manager. My career was in marketing of food and drink products, in commercial roles where I was responsible for delivering agreed profits and cash flow. I have an MBA with Distinction specialising in Marketing and Finance from Cornell University, New York, and a BA in Natural Sciences from Clare College, Cambridge. I have also been a trustee of two local charities.
Ilija Vukomanovic
Proposed by Karen Goldie-Morrison
I am a member of Council seeking re-election for a third term as a Trustee, having served since 2015. Recently, I received agreement from all Trustees to stand as the next Vice Chair of Council when Mike Dean stands down at the November AGM. I currently Chair Council's Governance subcommittee, leading on compliance, succession planning and recruitment.
My interest in Lepidoptera began when my daughter, aged three, became fascinated by the butterflies that fluttered into our garden; a passion we still share. I joined the Committee of my local Branch in South Wales in the 1990s, becoming Branch Chair in 1997. In 2001 I became Chair of the North Wales Branch, a position I have held for twenty years. My professional career was in operational management in medical diagnostics. The last year has been dominated by the Covid crisis, the most unexpectedly difficult and turbulent period in Butterfly Conservation's history. I vividly recall the series of emergency meetings where we assessed the impact of the pandemic on our staff, volunteers, finances and operations. We rapidly formulated and implemented a plan and, following a difficult period of change, are emerging from the crisis in better shape than many charities in the sector. If re-elected, I hope as Vice Chair to continue to work with the current Chair and Council to develop strategies and plans to secure the future of our butterflies and moths and deal with the many threats and challenges they face. I hope I can count on your vote.
Chris Winnick
Proposed by Karen Goldie-Morrison
I have completed six memorable years as a Butterfly Conservation trustee and now ask for your re-newed support to complete a final period in office. It is a privilege to serve on Council and if re-elected I will continue to help drive Butterfly Conservation forward in challenging but exciting times.
The Covid pandemic hurt our members and families and our organisation suffered but we are determined to recover stronger. Exciting developments are planned that are close to my heart and I want to help bring these to fruition: membership and volunteer recruitment, volunteer training, branch projects to motivate and generate funds and collaboration with our partners from conservation organisations to universities. The need to do more has never been so great and despite stretched resources much can be achieved through sharing best practice, training our active members in recording, conservation and education and in collaboration between branches and partner organisations. We are also developing policies and practices that can be adopted by councils and other landowners and managers that would give our work greater impact. We need a culture shift and with more people recognising the role and value of having access to a healthy countryside now is the time to be more ambitious. The need to boost both rare and widespread species of butterflies and moths is too great not to set challenging targets. We must lead the way with our expertise and science-based evidence. Equally acting as a catalyst for others to join is a sign of success.
To be eligible to stand as a candidate for the position of Trustee, you must:
- Be over 18 years of age
- Not be disqualified from acting as a charity trustee
- Have not been convicted of an offence involving deception or dishonesty (or any such conviction is legally regarded as spent)
- Have not been involved in tax fraud
- Not be an undischarged bankrupt or have taken out an Individual Voluntary Arrangement
- Not made compositions or arrangement with your creditors from which you have not been discharged
- Not have been removed from serving as a charity trustee, or been stopped from acting in a management position within a charity
- Not have been disqualified from serving as a Company Director
- At all times ensure the charity's funds, and charity tax reliefs received by this organisation, are used only for charitable purposes.
Applications to become a Butterfly Conservation Trustee are being run by Nurole, the board-level hiring platform. To find out more and apply, click here.
You will need to request to become a member of Nurole, which is free and completely confidential. You can either apply through the link above or at nurole.com/request, quoting 'Butterfly2021'.
(Nurole has some criteria for membership and cannot guarantee an invitation to all who request it but if further assistance is needed, please contact @email.)
Further information about becoming a Butterfly Conservation Trustee can be found in the documents linked below. More information about being a Trustee of a UK charity is available from the UK Charity Commission.
The deadline for completed applications to be received is 5pm on Thursday 24 June 2021.
The election results will be announced at Butterfly Conservation’s National AGM on 13 November 2021. Further details regarding the AGM will be provided shortly.
The timetable for the process is outlined below:
|
Monday 1 March 2021 |
Call for Trustee applications opens |
|
Thursday 24 June 2021 |
Deadline for applications |
|
Monday 27 September 2021 |
Voting opens |
|
Friday 29 October 2021 |
Voting closes |
|
Saturday 13 November 2021 |
Election results announced at the AGM |
If you have any questions about becoming a Trustee or would like to discuss the role further, please contact Sarah Adlem at Butterfly Conservation's Head Office on sadlem@butterfly-conservation.org or 01929 400209.