COLLECTING THE MONEY – THE LIFE OF A TREASURER – ALAN MATHERS

The role of Treasurer for the Lawrence Home Nursing Team is part-time and voluntary. It fits in around my day job, pre-pandemic working for a business integrating company and, after searching for a new role during the Covid era, now working for a renewable energy business.

Against that background , like many others, every day I juggle my work responsibilities with those of a husband, a dad and a stepdad. However, it is important for me to make time and use my skills to support this charity. I know that our nurses deliver an incredible service for our patients and their family members.

My role is to ensure that we have the income available to provide the nurses, and all our staff, with everything they need in order to fulfil their tasks. I am delighted that I can play a small part in contributing to the provision of free palliative care for the community.

It’s difficult to take just one day as an example, but here are some insights into a week in the life of the Lawrence Home Nursing Team Treasurer. The following activities are regular tasks:

  • Check the bank account and ensure we have sufficient income to pay bills for the next 75 days
  • Look at budgets and investigate any variances
  • Approve payments  (including wages and mileage allowances)
  • Approve filings and financial results to support requests for grants and government funding
  • Respond to ad hoc requests from accountants and others
  • Support fundraising activities

These tasks may sound routine, and maybe a bit boring, but they are important to ensure that LHNT is a well run charity which meets its obligations to both clients and supporters. Plus, no two weeks are the same, and one of the joys of my position is the opportunity to attend many of the events hosted by LHNT throughout the year – the Candle Service, the Quiz Nights, the Comedy Nights as well as serving coffee and tea in the Town Hall  – are all welcome opportunities to meet and thank our supporters.  I’ve sold my fair share of raffle tickets, and have been known to be the person at events noisily shaking the cash collection tins to help keep the money rolling in – after all, I am an Accountant!

Alan Mathers, Treasurer