Charity trustees and the trustees of charities

The responsibility for managing a charity falls upon the charity trustees.

In Girlguiding, the charity trustees of a unit or area are typically:

• The voting members of a county or country/region executive committee
• The members of a division or district committee
• The leader and any assistant leaders of a unit. 

If a unit leader has general control and management of the administration of a unit (including the unit funds) and complies with Girlguiding procedures then she's fulfilling her obligations as a charity trustee. 

All Girlguiding volunteers, including those acting as trustees, must adhere to Girlguiding’s Code of Conduct.

Under the Charities Act 2011, anyone who has been made bankrupt or has entered into composition or a formal arrangement with creditors can not act as a charity trustee until discharged, unless the Charity Commission grants a waiver.

Local units in Northern Ireland need to comply with the related sections of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 as amended by the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2013.

Local units in Scotland need to comply with the relevant sections in the Charities and Investment (Scotland) Act 2005.