During the year under review, the second since Project Bonhoeffer was formally incorporated, the Board of Trustees met as planned three times in different cities in the country ( to reflect our nation wide reach) to conduct routine project management business in accordance with the Trust’s aims and objectives. Our agendas focussed on governance and finances of the project. All meetings were quorate and well attended and on each occasion the Trustees reviewed the Trust’s financial health, taking account of the work programme being supported financially and publicly to further the aims and objectives.
The Trustees also took stock of the need of the Trust to operate effectively with proper updated accounts and future business projections and mapped out how the Board’s membership might better carry out its business in the future. A regular review of Board membership has been introduced now that the Trust is firmly committed to ensure a better gender balance and richer mix of younger and older members. Since the Project work centres around supporting young people they do need to have a voice on the Board so that their new ideas can inform future plans and development.
During this year under review (our third operational year) we developed our aims in practice with stronger monitoring and forward planning. The main business of the Board meetings was to ensure that the Trust’s main benefactors, the young people fresh from college and university, were properly employed in worthwhile internships giving them experience of everyday issues of social and economic justice and caring for those in society in need and at the same time were properly prepared and backed up with pastoral care and academic support in reflecting on the work of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. The Board of Trustees also focussed on the work of deepening our relationship with our cooperating organisation, The Student Christian Movement of Great Britain (SCM) which manages the running of the internship scheme on our behalf under the title of the SCM “FAITH IN ACTION PROJECT”. The SCM has a budget approved and given by us to manage that major Project on an annual basis. This is a formal contract which the Trustees monitor carefully at, and between, Board meetings. Thus we have been able to take a close interest in its practical workings and carefully monitor and support the scheme as it has developed with further support for study and outreach work.
We raised the profile of the Bonhoeffer Project substantially through our open Conference, our contacts and communications during the year under review and recognise a renewed and wide reaching interest in Britain in Bonhoeffer’s work to which our Project is occasionally called to respond and participate.
During this year the Board sustained the Trust in a healthy positive financial condition and has been able to take a careful longer term view in terms of financial planning and the future development of the Project. SCM are delighted with our practical and carefully measured support and we have been pleased with the way the Bonhoeffer Project is fostering the future development of the work of SCM as it has become more centrally integrated into their own programmes and development.
The Board of Trustees are confident that the Trust is building on a solid foundation and is capable of extending and expanding its reach within the full context of the aims and objectives of Project Bonhoeffer.
Rt Hon John Battle , Chair of the Board of Trustees.
