Case Studies

About Norfolk Rivers Trust
Norfolk Rivers Trust (NRT) is a Norfolk-based environmental charity. Its hands-on projects focus on improving river health, creating better wildlife habitat, boosting biodiversity and making the county’s waterways and landscapes more resilient to a changing climate.

Brief

As for every charity, strong Board oversight and good governance are critical for NRT. There is a regular cycle of Board meetings, all of which require a high level of administration and organisation.

Until 2023, this activity was undertaken by members of NRT’s senior management team and there was widespread acknowledgement it wasn’t an efficient use of people’s time. The outgoing Chair at the time, Geoff Brighty, and the new CEO, Ed Bramham-Jones wanted to find a new way of working.

Ed says: “It was putting a strain on all of us. The processes weren’t as efficient as they could be, and it wasn’t a sustainable approach.”

A chance meeting between Geoff and Sandy Hearn of Executive PA Solutions provided the answer: a virtual executive assistant.

After exploring NRT’s requirements in more detail, Sandy felt experienced virtual PA Claire would be a good fit for the NRT team. Claire would be able to provide the Board support that was needed. She could also support Ed with day-to-day administrative activities that would free up more of his time and enable him to focus on the strategic elements of his role.

Approach

Claire has been working with NRT since 2023.

She manages all Board administration for the charity. This includes organising meetings, booking venues, preparing and distributing agendas and papers, and taking minutes and circulating actions.

Ed recognises the value this work brings and how it’s helped the senior management team. He says: “It’s hugely helpful having Claire’s support. We’re much better prepared before Board meetings, and actions are circulated promptly afterwards. We also appreciate having someone there who’s anticipating what’s coming up and what needs to be done.”

He also acknowledges the time savings Claire is helping the senior management team to see. He comments: “It’s amazing how much time it takes to coordinate ten or twelve people’s diaries and manage all the operational issues around meetings. We’ve got that time back now to focus on the strategic issues.”

Alongside the Board work, Claire manages the administrative elements of Ed’s role as CEO. This includes managing Ed’s inbox, reviewing documents and preparing presentations. In all these areas, Ed particularly appreciates Claire’s eye for detail.

Diary management is a big area of work too. NRT is a project-based charity which means Ed spends a lot of time meeting stakeholders, including landowners, businesses, government agencies and water companies. Here, Ed highlights Claire’s ability to think ahead. “It’s the little things,” he says. “Factoring in travel time, for example, so I’ll know I’ll have time to get from one meeting to another. It takes a lot of the pressure off me.”

As the relationship has developed, Claire has been able to use her expertise to support NRT in more areas. For example, the charity has seen significant growth in the past few years, and Ed is keen to put systems and processes in place to ensure this growth is sustainable. Claire has taken a significant role in implementing the necessary governance systems to achieve this.

Claire works remotely for 30 hours a month with NRT. She has weekly check-in meetings with Geoff Brighty, who’s now a Trustee, and Ed about Board matters. She also has a separate catch-up with Ed. Between those times, they communicate via phone, WhatsApp and email. Ed comments: “We have a very flexible system that reflects the fact I’m not always office based. I can make a quick call or send a message between meetings, and know Claire will pick it up.”

Results 

Ed appreciates the difference Claire’s support is making and is keen to explore more ways her skills can support the charity.

The biggest difference has been in the operational support Claire has been able to provide. He says: “I always used to find myself being pulled into administrative matters that would take away my focus. Because Claire handles all those things, I’m more visible within the organisation now.”