Behind every charity are people who generously give their time, experience and passion to help make a difference. At Home-Start Richmond, Kingston and Hounslow, our Trustees play an important role in helping us support local families, strengthen communities and plan for the future.
As we celebrate Trustees Week 2026, we’re delighted to introduce one of our Trustees, Frances Houston. Frances joined our Board in 2022 after first volunteering with Home-Start during the pandemic, and has since brought her enthusiasm for supporting families and building stronger communities to the role.
We sat down with Frances to talk about what inspired her to join Home-Start RKH, what she has learned from the role, and why becoming a trustee can be such a rewarding way to make a difference.
Q&A: Frances Houston, Home-Start RKH Trustee
What inspired you to become a Trustee and what drew you to Home-Start RKH’s mission in particular?
I heard about HSRKH during the pandemic lockdowns when access to family and community networks was suddenly restricted for everyone. As a grandparent living 200 miles away from family, I was acutely aware of how important local help is to new parents. This inspired me to train as a home visiting volunteer to support local families and help give their young children the best start in life. I became a trustee in 2022 because I believe HSRKH’s mission to walk alongside parents, helping to develop confidence and skills to support their child’s development – whatever the challenges – builds stronger families and makes local communities more resilient.
What have you learned during your time as a Trustee both personally and professionally?
On a personal level I’ve learned there’s so much goodwill in the community to help each other. Professionally I’ve learned more about joining up networks of funders and volunteers to get things done.
What have you found to be the most rewarding thing about volunteering as a Trustee – and what have been the biggest challenges?
It’s been wonderful to work with so many people and organisations who want to see our neighbourhoods and neighbours flourish and thrive. Fundraising is always the challenge!
What advice would you give to someone considering becoming a Home-Start RKH Trustee and what skills do you think are needed?
Try it! You will have lots of support and advice to help you get started from HSUK’s induction programme for new trustees to local CVS buddy schemes. People with lived experience of parenting or supporting parents are always needed as trustees as well as people who can bring the professional skills needed to lead organisations.
Interested in becoming a trustee?
Trustees bring a wide range of experiences, perspectives and skills to charities like Home-Start RKH. Whether your background is in parenting, finance, fundraising, HR, communications, governance, or simply a passion for supporting families, becoming a trustee is an opportunity to use your skills to create lasting local impact. As we celebrate Trustees Week 2026, we thank all our trustees for their dedication and invite anyone interested to learn more how they could help shape the future of Home-Start RKH and the families we support.