For Ray Wilkinson, public and voluntary service has been a thread running throughout his life. His career and wider service have taken him across the military, public life and the voluntary sector, bringing with them a strong belief that leadership is ultimately about service: to people, to institutions and to the communities they exist to support.
A Sandhurst-trained leader, Ray describes his own philosophy through the Academy’s enduring principle, Ich Dien – “I serve”. It is an idea that has shaped his approach throughout his career. Leadership, for Ray, is not simply about authority or achieving a task. It means understanding the people around you, recognising what motivates individuals, building effective teams and balancing those needs with the demands of the mission.
That philosophy now informs his leadership as Chair of Voluntary Action Surrey East.
Having lived in Tandridge for more than 20 years, and in this part of Surrey for most of his life, Ray joined VASE because he wanted to bring his experience of voluntary service closer to home. With limited time to give, he deliberately looked for somewhere that could extend the reach and influence of that contribution beyond a single organisation or cause. His experience of infrastructure organisations in South London had shown him what a strong local infrastructure charity can achieve: strengthening individual organisations while creating benefits across an entire voluntary and community sector.
It is this multiplier effect that particularly appeals to him.
Ray sees VASE not simply as an organisation providing services to charities, but as part of the strategic infrastructure of East Surrey. In a period of financial pressure, technological change and significant reform of public services and local government, he believes smaller voluntary organisations need support in their ability to look beyond their immediate pressures: scanning the horizon, identifying opportunities and representing their collective interests in places where decisions are made.
His vision is therefore deliberately both outward and inward facing. VASE should be the sector’s “eyes and ears” at strategic level and a strong representative voice with government, public services and business. At the same time, it should work to strengthen grass roots organisations, helping them develop their capacity and capability without interfering with or attempting to do their work for them.
That distinction is important to Ray. His approach to systems leadership is fundamentally enabling rather than controlling: creating the conditions in which other people and organisations can fulfil their potential.
It also reflects his view of the voluntary sector itself. Ray believes voluntary and community organisations should approach public-sector relationships with confidence, recognising the value they bring and expecting to participate as respected partners. He argues that funding for the sector should be understood as an investment, with a social return that extends considerably beyond the original financial contribution.
As Chair, Ray is equally clear that change should not mean losing sight of what VASE stands for. Strategies, structures and methods will need to evolve as East Surrey changes, but the organisation’s values and fundamental purpose should remain constant: enabling the voluntary and community sector to achieve its full potential.
That philosophy extends to the Board he is helping to build. Ray wants trustees who bring expertise, but who are first and foremost team players: people committed to the mission, prepared to contribute actively and able to put the interests of the organisation and the communities it serves ahead of individual ambition. He also places importance on maintaining a healthy distinction between governance and operational leadership, while recognising that good governance requires trust, judgement and an ability to navigate complexity together.
For Ray, the opportunity at VASE is ultimately bigger than VASE itself. It is about using the organisation’s position, relationships and influence to strengthen a whole ecosystem of voluntary and community organisations across East Surrey.
And beneath the titles, experience and credentials sits a remarkably simple leadership principle: service first.