Case study: Chair and Trustee recruitment | JRSST Charitable Trust

The JRSST Charitable Trust (JRSST-CT) is a democracy grant-making trust rooted in the liberal and Quaker values of Joseph Rowntree. Established in 1955, it works to strengthen democracy in the UK by addressing political inequality and supporting people who are underrepresented in politics to participate fully in public life.

In 2025, JRSST-CT entered an ambitious new phase, approving a 10-year spend-down strategy that will see its £4.6 million endowment released to fund voter engagement, democratic education, participation and diversity in political representation. Alongside this, the Trust will host the UK Democracy Fund, a pooled philanthropic fund driving voter registration and reform across the UK.

To guide this pivotal chapter, Peridot Partners was appointed to recruit a new Chair and two Trustees, working closely with the Board and Fiona Weir, CEO. The appointments would play a critical role in leading through change; strengthening governance, ensuring alignment between JRSST-CT and its non-charitable counterpart (the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust) and embedding the Trust’s commitment to equity, inclusion and democratic renewal.

Context.

This was a defining moment for the Trust. The new Chair would succeed Andrew Neal, who had overseen a major governance review, including the decision to incorporate as a charitable company and diversify the Board to increase independence and representation.

The Chair and Trustees needed to bring not only governance and strategic skills, but also a genuine belief in inclusive democracy. The ideal candidates would combine policy or grant-making experience with an understanding of democratic engagement, reform and participation. Crucially, a leadership style rooted in collaboration and curiosity.

Brief and search

Led by James Hunt and Ella Garfinkel, we partnered closely with Fiona Weir Andrew Neal and the Vice Chair to design a process that reflected JRSST-CT’s Quaker values and commitment to transparency, fairness and accessibility. We reached deeply across civil society, academia, the public sector, philanthropy and democracy-focused organisations to engage candidates with both lived and professional experience of political underrepresentation. Our focus was on balancing governance expertise with diverse insight and energy for the Trust’s renewed mission.

The process attracted a remarkable range of talent. Analysis of our equal opportunities data showed that the applicant pool was hugely diverse and far exceeded national benchmarks for trustee recruitment. These results reflect the inclusive design of the process and the trust candidates placed in JRSST-CT’s values-led culture.

Outcome.

We were delighted to support the appointment of Sarah Davidson as Chair and Esmat Jeraj and Craig Westwood as Trustees.

Craig Westwood is an experienced leader in the public sector, most recently serving as Chief Executive of the Legal Services Board. He is the former Director of Communications, Policy and Research at the Electoral Commission, offering exceptional expertise in democratic systems, regulation and public engagement. His experience in voter participation and public communication will be invaluable to JRSST-CT’s mission.