Mel's Story

At the heart of every charity or voluntary organisation is its Board of Trustees. Spark Somerset Trustee, Mel Merrill, shares her story.

In her role as Senior Volunteering and Operations Support Manager at Macmillan Cancer Support, Mel champions volunteering and the mutual benefits it can bring both to the individual and the organisation they support.

Being a full-time working parent, she was looking for a voluntary role that would enable her to utilise and develop her skills, whilst still fitting around her busy lifestyle.

So, In 2019, Mel joined the Board at Spark Somerset, where she now plays a key role in ensuring the organisation is sustainable and well-managed.

“As a senior manager for a large charitable organisation and full-time working mum, I was looking for a voluntary role that would fit around my busy lifestyle, help me to reconnect with my local community, and develop professionally. I was also keen to meet new and interesting people outside of my usual daily business network.

"I was looking for a voluntary role that would fit around my busy lifestyle, help me to reconnect with my local community and develop professionally."

“Being a Trustee enables me to use my professional skills and experiences to help play a vital role in shaping the future of the organisation and its beneficiaries. Along with the other trustees, I now contribute to the overall strategic management of the charity - we are responsible for ensuring that the charity carries out its purpose, in accordance with the law.

"In return, the role has taught me so much about charity governance - it challenges me and has been fantastic in supporting my own continuous personal development."

If Mel's story has inspired you to volunteer as a Trustee, click on the link below.