Every year they give thousands of pounds to community groups across the county.

Now The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Foundation (HIWCF) has welcomed three new people on to its board of trustees.

Bill Cuthbert joins the foundation as treasurer. The qualified chartered accountant worked in international corporate banking for 15 years and founded Winchester-based accountancy firm Cuthbert Wardin in 1991 which later became CW Fellowes. Although he retired in 2010, he is still a consultant at the firm.

Keen sailor Jonathan Cheshire also joins the trust. He has spent his life working with charities and organisations that help young and homeless people and is currently CEO of Wheatsheaf Trust, a charity that encourages people into work and training and chair of Southampton Solent University.

Portsmouth city councillor Hugh Mason becomes the 12th member of the trust, guiding HIWCF as it has recently begun managing the Portsmouth City Community Fund which supports people in the city. He spent most of his career as a geography lecturer at the University of Portsmouth. He has also been chair of Southsea Town Council and was a consultant for the Eastern and Southern Africa Universities’ research team.

The three new trustees will help HIWCF continue to support voluntary and community groups providing services for disadvantaged and vulnerable people across the county.

For more information about HIWCF, visit: hantscf.org.uk.