Celebrating Lionheart Trustees’ Vital Contributions and Leadership in Education

Now comprising 16 schools across Leicester, Leicestershire and Derbyshire, Lionheart relies on a Board of Trustees to provide strong strategic leadership and hold the Trust’s educational and financial performances to account.

We are fortunate to have a committed and passionate Board of Trustees, all of whom are dedicated to supporting our family of schools and among them is Byron Chatburn, our Chair, who has been volunteering as a Trustee for four years.

So, what motivated him to get involved in the first place and why, after all these years, does he continue to volunteer?

“I believe in Lionheart values and wanted to be able to contribute in some way,” he explained.

“Originally, I was Chair of Governors at Humphrey Perkins School and one of my friends there suggested becoming a Trustee.”

Having previously worked as Managing Director of a small business, Byron describes himself as a “jack of all trades,” proficient on matters relating to Human Resources, Marketing and Law, making him an ideal candidate to sit on a Board of Trustees.

“My background is not education or the public sector, so much has been new to me and I am constantly learning,” Byron added.

“We have Trustees from a wide variety of backgrounds, with different skills and experiences. What we all have in common, though, is that we believe in Lionheart values and want to contribute to achieving them.

“I also enjoy that the other Trustees, and the staff members I engage with, are so professional and dedicated; it’s a privilege to work with them.”

Alongside his fellow Trustees, Byron supports with the general governance of Lionheart, helping to shape the future strategy of the Trust. As Chair of the Finance committee too, he also delves deep into monetary policies, positively challenging the Trust to ensure they are investing enough capital whilst also ensuring an appropriate level of reserves.

Having recently ascended to Chair of the Board, Byron also gets involved with other crucial aspects of the Trust. He sits on panels, interviews prospective staff and, for the last two years, has assisted with the judging of the Heart Awards – our Trust-wide peer-to-to-peer awards scheme – identifying the winners and then presenting awards at our all-staff end-of-year celebration event.

So, having participated in a wide variety of roles as a Trustee, what does Byron enjoy the most?

“For me, it’s the feeling that I’m making a positive – albeit small – contribution to the success of Lionheart and working with great people at all levels of the Trust.”

Hailing from a diverse collection of backgrounds – including business, finance and education – the full nine-member board give up their time to meet four times during each academic year and discuss a range of topics, including strategic planning, performance and policy development.

The contributions of Lionheart’s Trustees, both seen and unseen, play a crucial role in driving our vision forward and creating opportunities for every student in our care, ensuring a brighter future for our schools and communities. For that, we are immensely grateful for the dedication and expertise of our Trustees.