Trustees' Week 2025
Published on 31 October 2025 09:36 AM
Celebrating Trustees' Week: Meet Mark Barry, Trustee at Age UK Norfolk
Each year in November, Trustees' Week celebrates the people who give their time and skills to guide charities across the UK. Trustees play a vital role in setting direction, making key decisions, and ensuring charities like Age UK Norfolk can continue to support older people across the county.
Mark Barry, Age UK Norfolk Trustee, shared what inspired him to join the board.
“My parents were my main inspiration,” Mark explains. “As they got older, my brother, sister and I supported them with the challenges of modern life — things like navigating the benefits system, getting the best from the NHS, and managing online banking and shopping. Age UK Norfolk helps people who don’t have family or friends to turn to, and that’s why I wanted to get involved.”
Mark joined the board in 2023 and has recently taken on the role of Honorary Treasurer. With a professional background at Boots and Aviva, he brings financial expertise and leadership experience, but says it’s the people who make the role special:
“Earlier this year I joined a coffee morning where we celebrated the 90th birthday of June. It was a wonderful occasion filled with happiness. Being a trustee is incredibly rewarding — it’s great to feel part of a team that provides such important support.”
Trustees provide both support and challenge to a charity, which Mark believes is “crucial to the successful management of activities, especially in these challenging times of financial hardship.”
As Age UK Norfolk approaches its 80th anniversary in 2027, we’re proud to celebrate the contribution of our trustees and the difference they make.
Could you be a trustee?
If you’d like to use your skills and experience to support older people in Norfolk, we’d love to hear from you.