THE Wiltshire and Swindon Community Foundation has been named National UK Charity Award for Trustee Board of the Year.

At a glittering awards dinner at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London Jeremy Vine, the popular BBC presenter, announced the Devizes-based charity as the winner of the award.

The trustee board of the year award is in recognition of the important work that Trustees do in steering the direction and the success of charities and was presented to the foundation's chairman Richard Handover by Ed Miliband MP, Minister for the Third Sector.

Mr Vine outlined the judging panel's reasons for selecting the community foundation as the winning charity. "This is a board that doesn't just meet round the table, it goes out and sees the impact of its decisions and supports the senior management team without treading on toes,'' he said.

The awards were organised by Charity Times magazine and are designed to recognise and reward excellence in the management and co-ordination of all charitable activities.

Roy Endacott, the community foundation's, chief executive, was delighted with the win.

He said: "This is a magnificent achievement by everyone concerned and credit must go to the Board of Trustees for their clear leadership and vision shown in delivering the community foundation's mission and values.

"The community foundation demands a lot of its trustees and it is only through their tireless efforts and the backing and support of the whole community that this success has been achieved.'' The community foundation is governed by a board of 14 volunteer Trustees and is chaired by Richard Handover, who took on the role when he stood down as Chairman of retailer W H Smith in 2005.

The Trustees come from all walks of life, but all live or work in the county, and are passionate about the work of the community foundation. The board meets four times a year, and each Trustee also takes on additional responsibilities, using their business and personal skills to benefit the organisation.

Since the community foundation was established in 1991 there have been a total of 50 Trustees, each taking a place on the board for up to six years. Trustees work tirelessly to secure much-needed funding for local charities and voluntary groups, from local companies, individuals, charitable trusts, and government organisations.

The board of Trustees at the time of the award includes: Richard Handover, David Bousfield, of Wansbroughs Solicitors, Caroline Caunter MBE, Clare Evans MBE, Alan Fletcher, Tom Harvey of Nationwide Building Society, David Holder, Tim Odoire of Withy King Solicitors, John Rendell, Sarah Troughton, Rhoddy Voremberg of Wilsons Solicitors and Simon Wright of Avon Rubber.