We are celebrating the remarkable contribution of Colin Kay, who is stepping down from our Board of Trustees after nearly three decades of dedicated service to the charity and the town.
Colin was instrumental in establishing Trowbridge Future as a charity in 2016, having led community groups that were its forerunners since 1997. He has subsequently played a key role in developing the charity and the support and services we offer to local communities.
Meg Aubrey, CEO of Trowbridge Future, said: “Colin has been such a wise steward for community groups in Trowbridge, and we wouldn’t be here today as a charity without his leadership. He is a wonderful colleague who brings a wealth of local knowledge and expertise and he cares very deeply about communities in Trowbridge. We will really miss him but we are sure he will be a regular and very welcome visitor to our community and youth settings.”
Colin was appointed Head of Clarendon School in 1996. As a firm believer that schools have an important role to play in community development, he joined a group of key stakeholders called Trowbridge 2020, to lead on community plans in a range of issues including health, leisure and education.
Colin said: “I first got involved with community organisations in Trowbridge because I think as a town it has enormous potential, but suffers from low self-esteem. I felt anything I could do to use my skills to help the town develop and change might move it in a small way to make that potential a reality.”
Trowbridge 2020 was to become Trowbridge Community Area Partnership (later to be called Trowbridge Community Area Future) and chaired by Colin it supported others to found key community resources such as Biss Meadows Country Park and The Town Hall Trust.
In 2014, funding from Wiltshire Council ended and after extensive consultation with communities throughout Trowbridge Colin led TCAF’s application to become a charity to start to deliver its own youth and community services.
Jo Trigg, fellow trustee said: “This year Trowbridge Future is delivering improved and larger spaces for both our youth and community provision and this is in no small part due to Colin’s vision and hard work. His drive and passion for the charity and what we deliver has been inspiring for all, and we have greatly benefited from his kindness, experience and generosity.”
Speaking about his departure from the charity, Colin said: “I shall be sad in many ways to step away but now feels like a good point to make room for somebody else with new ideas to keep moving the charity forward. Trowbridge Future has an excellent CEO, a great group of trustees, staff and volunteers, and it is in a strong position to continue making a positive difference to communities in the town.”
Alongside his role as trustee at Trowbridge Future, Colin is also a trustee of Trowbridge Town Hall and Chair of the Trowbridge Child Wellbeing Partnership.