Meet our Trustees: Mark Braithwaite

Emma Chaplin
, 26 September 2023
Meet our Trustees: Mark Braithwaite
Mark Braithwaite © Graham Franks

Sussex Wildlife Trust Trustee Mark Braithwaite holds the role of the Treasurer. Emma Chaplin caught up with Mark to find out a bit more about him 

Tell us a bit about yourself

    I’m a Chartered Accountant and I spent most of my early career in senior finance positions for UK utility companies. I’m now retired from full-time employment but am still non-executive director of several companies. I was born in 1965 and have lived on the Sussex coast, just outside Brighton, all my life.

    I love walking on the South Downs or the coastal path with my wife and three children (when they can be persuaded) and Hamish our West Highland Terrier.  

    Describe your connection to nature and why wildlife in Sussex is important to you. 

    I think that walking and taking time to observe nature is a great way to de-stress and connect with your environment. Having lived in Sussex all of my life, I’ve witnessed significant reductions in insects, bird populations and wild flowers and have fond memories of trudging through kelp washed up on the beach after a storm. Those memories have instilled a strong desire to ensure that future generations can have enjoy nature’s abundance in the same way that we did not so very long ago.

    What drew you to wanting to become a Sussex Wildlife Trustee? 

    Whilst working in London I had been a trustee for a social mobility charity and having retired from the charity and full time employment at a similar time I wanted to find a charity closer to home. Sussex Wildlife Trust has provided the perfect opportunity for me to give something back in an area very close to my heart.

    How are you finding the role of Treasurer? 

    It’s been an interesting journey as both the CEO and CFO left shortly after I joined as Trustee, which has had its challenges. But things have now stabilised under the strong leadership of [Interim CEO] Chris Corrigan and [Finance Director] Angela Croucher, with great progress being made across all areas of finance.

    What is it that makes for a good Trustee team? 

    I think the key ingredients are a good Chair, Trustees with a broad mix of complementary skills, and strong engagement. In my short time as a trustee for Sussex Wildlife Trust, I think we have been lucky to tick those boxes, although with rolling retirements and new challenges, we are constantly looking for new trustees to maintain the right balance.

    What are some of the key challenges you've faced in your role?

    The CFO retiring shortly after I joined was challenging, but in hindsight I got up to speed quicker than expected through necessity and benefited from the experience and support given by Linda Clark, the ex-Treasurer, who has remained a Trustee. More generally, like most charities, we have had to manage the consequences of the cost of living crisis which inevitably results in funding challenges. This has led the Senior Leadership Team and the board to have a fresh look at the organisational structure and kick-off a transformation project to ensure that the charity remains on strong financial footing, going forward.

    What is your favourite walk, and why? 

    My favourite walk is the South Downs Way, which I managed to complete with Ali, my wife, just before lockdown. I think that all of the South Downs is wonderful but if I had to choose a favourite bit, I would choose the walk from Eastbourne across the Seven Sisters, through Cuckmere Haven and onto Alfriston for a well earned pub lunch!

    Sussex Wildlife Trust is currently seeking to recruit Trustees and would welcome expressions of interest from people of all backgrounds who have a passion for wildlife and an interest in wanting to help the Sussex Wildlife Trust make a real difference in its work to protect, conserve and expand the natural beauty of Sussex.

    For more information, see here

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