charity trustees

"The arts have a particular way of reaching young people, and many will remember Eastside’s projects for the rest of their lives."  

Hi – I’m Jeremy Rodell. I originally worked with Eastside back in 1998, helping to develop the charity's first business plan, and at various stages in the intervening years until I became a Trustee at the beginning of 2011. Since I first encountered them, the scale has grown enormously. But what has stayed the same is the dedication, innovation and commitment of the Directors, Chris Enticott and Rakhee Jasani, and the sheer energy, enthusiasm and quality that comes across in every project.

I’ve always had an active interest in the arts myself, but my professional background is in the business sector. My experience covered industrial sales, marketing, customer services and business process design in a major international organisation, and I have led or been closely involved in a number of organisational changes and other projects. This might seem rather remote from what Eastside does, but in fact I’m finding that a lot of the knowledge and experience is useful in my role as an Eastside Trustee.

Behind all the fun, learning and personal development that the children and young people experience, is a well-run and professional charity. But we live in changing times and one of our jobs as Trustees is to help the organisation anticipate and adapt, while maintaining and extending its position as a well-established and major player in its field. London is one of the world’s most exciting cities from the viewpoint of almost every art-form. There are hundreds of things to experience. And there are hundreds of practitioners who - with the right support - have the skills to give children and young people a direct experience of a whole range of activities, and at the same time make a lasting contribution to their personal development. The genius of Eastside is to bring the artists and young people together in exactly the right way to make that happen. The arts have a particular way of reaching young people, and many will remember Eastside’s projects for the rest of their lives.

Email Jeremy