Chief executive volunteer roles in sunderland, tyne and wear

Lay Trustee

Voluntary

20-25 hours per year

3-year term of office (maximum of 2 terms)

Would you like play an important role in supporting our Executive to continuously improve our organisation, to navigate the current financial climate and challenges in higher education, and to maintain excellent services to students (our members)? 

Worcester Students’ Union (WSU) is a registered charity (number 1145192) and a membership organisation, with its primary object being the advancement of education of students at the University of Worcester. The Union aims to achieve this through:

• representing students’ interests and welfare
• being the recognised representative channel between students, the University, and external stakeholders, and by
• providing social, cultural, sporting and recreational activities for students. 

WSU is an unincorporated company with a Board of Trustees comprising of three Officer Trustees (the Full-time, elected Officers), up to four Student Trustees, and up to four Lay Trustees. The Board is responsible for the oversight of the Union’s governance, strategy, and financial sustainability. The post of Lay Trustee has a 3-year term and post holders may serve a maximum of two terms, either consecutively or non-consecutively. 

We pride ourselves on providing a range of excellent services to students, having a strong reputation nationally, and going above and beyond for students to make a difference. As a team, we are determined to constantly evolve with the help of our dynamic and committed staff, who are working to our new Strategic Framework for 2023-28, which you can find on the WSU's website under the About Us section.

This is a very important time for WSU as we manage the challenges posed by the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and the well-documented difficulties being experienced by higher education providers. We must support the needs of a diverse and ever-changing student body across multiple campuses, with less resource and pressure to diversify income streams.  

Students’ Unions are unique organisations where change is the norm and where students are at the heart of strategy and decision-making. They deliver a wide range of services in a passionate, cost-effective, and professional way and are necessarily responsible, vibrant, and fast-paced. Becoming a Trustee of a Union is an excellent way of providing support and guidance whilst gaining personal knowledge and satisfaction. We have an excellent Board and currently have a vacancy for a Trustee with experience of charity/organisational senior management (Director/CEO etc.) and/or business development.

There are 5 full Board meetings per year and, also, 5 meetings of the two Sub Committees of the Board. We estimate that time to attend meetings (we ask that Lay Trustees sit on one Sub Committee), as well as time to prepare and read papers and liaise with the Chief Executive, totals between 20 to 25 hours per year. Meetings are on-line and so we welcome applications from further afield.

WSU recognises the value of difference and is committed to equality of opportunity for all. We welcome applications from individuals regardless of race, colour, ethnic or national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religious belief, age, marital status or disability, or any other individual characteristic or intersectionality of different characteristics.

We want to support a diverse and inclusive environment as we believe it makes a team more effective and are actively looking for people who share our values. You can see our work as an organisation and commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion by visiting the About Us section of the WSU's website.

To maintain our independence from the University of Worcester, and to ensure a balance to the student membership of the Board, we cannot consider applications for the role of external trustee from current registered students of the University of Worcester. Alumni are not eligible to be Trustees until at least five years after graduation. 

To avoid potential conflicts of interest, applications also cannot be considered from individuals who are employees of either the University of Worcester or Worcester Students’ Union.

Testimonial from one of our current Lay Trustees:

"As a Trustee I have been able to share my knowledge of the voluntary sector to support WSU, but it has also been an opportunity for me to develop professionally, through broadening my understanding and learning from others. When I first became a Trustee, I was in a Business Development role, but through the experience I have gained, it has helped me to progress my career, now as a Managing Director of a local VCSE organisation."

How to apply:

• To apply for this position, please follow the link to our website to read through the information pack and obtain the application form for this role.
• The Appointments Panel aim to hold interviews on-line during June 2025, with the aim of the successful candidate being inducted ready to commence their role in September 2025.
• If you would like an informal chat about the role, please contact the Chief Executive, Sophie Williams, via the email provided in the vacancy listing on our website.

Thank you for your time and we very much look forward to hearing from you.

Position: Chair of Trustees

The Board of Trustees is the ultimate governance body for the organisation, serving as stewards of the organisation’s resources, and is ultimately responsible for Self Help UK’s strategy, operations, adherence to law and regulation, and financial management. The Trustees serve on a voluntary basis and currently meet virtually every 6 weeks.

Chair Responsibilities: The Chair leads the Board of Trustees and works closely with the Charity’s Chief Executive and Senior Management Team to achieve its goals. The Chair is responsible for key areas, including:

Strategy and Governance

• Ensuring that the Board operates effectively in the consideration, iteration, and approval of the organisational strategy in support of the charity’s mission and values.

• With Trustees, ensuring that the charity operates efficiently and effectively to fulfil its objectives

• Safeguarding the interests of the charity’s beneficiaries and providing oversight of stakeholder interests • Maintaining high standards of governance and risk management.

• Ensuring that the Board is as diverse as possible and provides the range of knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to deliver the charity’s aims.

• Ensuring the organisation is accountable and transparent in its activities.

• Maintaining compliance with relevant charitable and company legislation.

• Oversight of the Sub Committees of the board.

• Ensuring a high-performing and effective board by committing to regular appraisal and review of Trustees and board performance (including managing retirements and resignations of Trustees).

Guidance and support to the Chief Executive

• Appointment of the Chief Executive and approval of Chief Executive’s salary with the Trustees.

• Line management of and work in partnership with the Chief Executive to support them in achieving the aims of the charity.

• Support and guidance on operations, including personnel management.

Financial

• Ensuring, with the Board, sound financial oversight, including review and approval of the annual budget

• Oversight of high standards of financial management

Advocacy and fundraising

• Using personal and professional networks to help the executive with access to potential donors and supporters, including governments, international bodies, corporations, trusts and foundations, NGOs, and individuals.

• Advise and assist in raising and maintaining the charity’s profile in the UK and internationally.

Lead Board Meetings:

• Lead all aspects of meeting management.

• Encouraging discussion at Board meetings, summarising key points and ensuring decisions are made and implemented.

Remuneration: Unremunerated, but reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed

Time Commitment: Estimated at 2 days per month, but some flexibility and the ability to offer more time on occasion are required.

Standard commitments include:

• Attending Board meetings every 6 weeks. Currently, meetings are held via Zoom

• Attendance at subcommittee meetings as necessary

• Monthly scheduled meeting with the CEO, with flexibility to respond swiftly to the occasional ad hoc issue.

• Attending, as a minimum, an annual half-day strategy session and other face-to-face events as required.

Qualities of a Chair

Essential

• Understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities, and liabilities of Trusteeship and adhering to Nolan’s seven principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, and leadership.

• Commitment to the charity’s objects, aims, and values and willingness to devote time to carry out responsibilities. • Strategic and forward-looking vision in relation to the charity’s objects and aims.

• Good, independent judgement, political impartiality and the ability to think creatively in the context of the organisation and external environment.

• Good communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to respect the confidences of colleagues.

• Balancing tact and diplomacy with willingness to challenge and constructively criticise.

Desirable

• Prior experience of committee/trustee work.

• Knowledge of the type of work undertaken by the organisation.

• A wider involvement with the voluntary sector.

• Experience of chairing meetings, committee work, some experience of charity finance, charity fundraising.

• Leadership skills exercised through a period change.

Become a Trustee at Sunrise Multicultural Project

Are you passionate about making a difference in your community?

We are looking for dedicated, enthusiastic individuals to join our Board of Trustees and help guide the future of Sunrise Multicultural Project.

As a trustee, you will play a vital role in shaping our strategy, ensuring we stay true to our mission, and supporting the development of initiatives that promote inclusivity and integration. We are seeking individuals with a range of skills, backgrounds, and experiences – whether in community work, finance, governance, fundraising, or marketing – who share our commitment to empowering minority groups and fostering a more connected, diverse community. 

If you are eager to contribute your time, expertise, and passion, we would love to hear from you!

About the Safeguarding Trustee Role

Role Overview

The Safeguarding Trustee ensures Rebuilding Lives UK meets all safeguarding obligations and promotes a culture of safeguarding at every level. They provide expert oversight, policy guidance, and ensure best practices are embedded across the organisation. The Safeguarding Trustee works closely with senior leadership to ensure the organisation remains compliant with safeguarding regulations. Trustees are expected to be actively involved in the charity’s work, providing hands-on support where appropriate.

Key Responsibilities

• Ensure robust safeguarding policies are in place, regularly reviewed, and adhered to.
• Provide safeguarding advice to the board and senior leadership.
• Ensure all trustees and staff receive appropriate safeguarding training.
• Oversee risk management relating to safeguarding, ensuring all cases are handled correctly.
• Promote a safeguarding-first approach across the charity’s activities.
• Ensure compliance with relevant safeguarding legislation and guidance.
• Act as the board’s safeguarding lead, providing regular updates and reports.
• Trustees share collective responsibility for the charity’s governance, ensuring the charity’s mission is achieved and its operations are effective. Trustees support the CEO by contributing to strategic planning, offering expertise, and working together to provide the necessary oversight and direction for the charity’s growth and success.

Who We Are Looking For

Essential Skills & Experience:

• Professional experience in safeguarding children or adults.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to advise on safeguarding matters.
• Awareness of safeguarding regulations in the charity sector.
• Ability to ensure safeguarding remains a board-level priority.

What You’ll Gain from This Role

Becoming a trustee with Rebuilding Lives UK is more than just a governance role—it’s an opportunity to be part of a team dedicated to creating real, lasting change. As a trustee, you will:

• Play a vital role in supporting survivors and helping them rebuild their lives.
• Be part of a passionate and driven team working towards a shared mission.
• Gain valuable leadership, governance, and strategic experience.
• Develop transferable skills in decision-making, safeguarding, and advocacy.
• Expand your professional network and engage with like-minded individuals.
• Have access to training and development opportunities to strengthen your expertise.

Mandatory Training Requirement

The Safeguarding Trustee must complete trustee governance and safeguarding training within the first three months of appointment. Additional training will follow as needed.

Terms of Appointment

Trustees serve an initial one-year term, with the option for renewal up to a maximum of three years.

Voluntary Role

All voluntary roles are subject to satisfactory references and an enhanced DBS check.

This is an unpaid remote position (UK Based); however, reasonable expenses will be reimbursed. 

Time Commitment:

• 8 hours per month, including:
  • Monthly board meetings (held via Zoom).
  • Active involvement in governance and decision-making processes.
  • Annual half-day strategy session to contribute to the charity’s direction.
  • Engagement in charity activities beyond board meetings, as appropriate.

We are looking for trustees with skills and experience to join our board of trustees.  We are specially keen for people with experiece in all sorts of charity work specially HR, Fundraising, accounting and finance plus governance. Meetings usually take place in the evenings, someone who lives in and around West London would be ideal as we prefare meetings to be in person eventhough we also meet virtually. We would like to encourage young trustees to apply as we are short of young trsutees at the moment.  Please only apply if you're legal resident of the UK and have the right to work in UK.

Thanks

Mohamed Ahmed

CEO

Help us grow our young charity to get more children learning about germinating, nurturing, cooking and tasting food grown in nature, together with outdoor woodland activities.  This important part of learning is not yet in the national curriculum and school budgets are tight, so we need to fundraise.  Your help with this and the general develpment of the charity will be greatly valued..

We have three other trustees and three executive staff including the two founders. We hold at least quarterly virtual meetings which we'd wish you to attend. 

Most of our work is in West London schools but we also plant large numbers of trees, recenty in a London Park, involving local community volunteers and children from the local schools..

Please get in touch if this of interest.  We'd love to hear from you. .

We are looking for a dynamic and innovative fundraising specialist individual with drive and passion that aligns with the purpose of The Iolanthe Midwifery Trust to join our Board of Trustees. As a proven fundraising specialist, you will work in collaboration with the Board of Trustees, The Executive Director and the Philanthropy Officer as we roll out our fundraising strategy.The Fundraising Trustee will sit on the Board as well as The Finance and Fundraising sub committees.

Iolanthe has an endowment fund which provides some of the income needed each year to fund awards. As part of our 3 year strategy we will  diversity our income streams and focus on the following areas

• Individual

• Legacies

• Philanthropy/Corporates

We have recently appointed a Philanthropy Officer who is working to roll out our fundraising strategy and have a legacy consultant working with us to develop this area further.

Key responsibilities for fundraising lead trustee

• Oversight of Fundraising Strategy

• Digital fundraising

• Support with dealing with Donors

• Support with Fundraising Events/Event Management

• Identification and support with HNW/Philanthropic Fundraising

• CSR

Meetings: 

The Board meets three times a year in March, June and October.  All but 1 meeting (October combined AGM/Board meeting/Award event) are  held remotely.  Meetings generally last no longer than 2 hours and with the exception of the October meetings are held on a weekday evening.

The Finance sub committee meets remotely 3 times a year approximately 10 days ahead of the Board meetings.

The Fundraising sub committee will meet remotely and feed through to the main Board meetings.

Fundraising trustee - this is what we need from you

Proven experience of executing successful fundraising campaigns, who can provide support with the following key areas:

• Strategy development: Working with the Board of Trustees, Executive Director and Philanthropy Officer to help shape an effective fundraising strategy, fostering long-term sustainability and growth in line with our values

• Strategy execution: Support as necessary the process of fund identification 

• Partnership Development: Targeted and strategic identification of partnerships to advance our goals and support to manage key stakeholders 

Trustees
Term: Trustees will be appointed for a four year term and can serve consecutive terms.
Remuneration: Currently, the role of Trustee is not accompanied by any financial remuneration, although reasonable expenses may be claimed.
Attendance: We expect Trustees to be able to attend all board meetings, our annual strategic away day and engage with Agenda Alliance in other ways. Board meetings are typically held online, with one meeting held in person per year. There is often the option to join a board meeting from the Agenda office (London E2) if preferred.

About Us:

We advocate and campaign for systems and services to respond appropriately to women and girls with unmet needs.

We want public services to respond better to the distinct and multiple unmet needs of women and girls, including appropriately responding to gender, age, race and trauma.

For the whole system to respond better, we stand in solidarity with the voluntary sector and advocate for them to be empowered.

Our values are our guiding principles for our work to deliver our mission. It is who we are and how we behave. We promise to be: Intersectional, Courageous, Credible, Clear and Collaborative.

About the role:

• To play an active role in the Agenda Alliance Board to ensure the organisation delivers on its mission and vision and is effectively governed.
• We want Trustees to join us in being member-led, women and girls-led and anti-oppressive.
• Our Trustees help shape the strategic direction of Agenda Alliance and provide leadership to ensure that we have the maximum impact for women and girls.
• We are looking for up to 3 Trustees to join our Board who match our ambition and are excited to support Agenda Alliance, as we solidify our position within the sector and grow our reach.

Responsibilities include:

• Help shape the strategic direction and provide leadership to Agenda ensuring that we have maximum impact for women and girls
• Fulfil all legal duties and responsibilities of a trustee and ensure sound governance and financial health of Agenda
• Ensure that Agenda operates within its charitable objectives and that decisions taken are in the best interests of women and girls at risk
• Establish and build a strong, effective, open and supportive relationship with the Chief Executive and other staff
• Act as an ambassador for the charity
• Support funding approaches to gain additional funds

About you:

We are seeking Trustees with skills and experience in the following areas, which we have identified as gaps on our Board:

• Income generation and fundraising, particularly for corporates and trusts and foundations
• Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
• Impact measurement
• Finance
• HR
• We are also interested in hearing from individuals with experience in education, particularly school exclusions as this is a key area of our work.

Centring lived experience is important for everything Agenda does, and we are proud to have women with Lived Experience of the areas we work in our board. If you have Lived Experience of any of the areas agenda works on, we would particularly welcome your application.

Closing date: midnight on Monday 12th May.

Interested?

Please scroll down to the bottom of the advert to download the job pack, here you will find full information about the position.
When applying through the job board, you will need to send us your CV and cover letter of no more than two pages answering the questions below. In your cover letter, please state where you saw the role advertised. 

To apply, please send us [Agenda Alliance] your CV, and a cover letter of no more than two pages answering the questions below by midnight on Monday 12th May.

In your cover letter, please state where you saw the role advertised. We can offer alternative ways to apply, such as a video application, rather than a cover letter. Please email for further information if you would like to do so.

We will shortlist by 25 May and first round interviews will be held in the beginning of June. If you are shortlisted following your first interview, there will be a second round in mid-June, when you will discuss the role and your approach with one or two experts by experience who we work with. Please let us know in your cover letter if there are any dates/times in June that you are unavailable.

Cover letter questions:

1. Why do you want to be a Trustee
2. Why do you want to be on the Agenda Alliance Board?
3. What will you get out of being on our Board?
4. Describe a time when you've called out inequality/injustice, or when you've had the opportunity to speak truth to power.

Equal opportunities 
Agenda Alliance selects all candidates for interview based on their skills, qualifications, experience and ability to do the role advertised. We welcome and encourage applicants from all backgrounds and do not discriminate on the basis of age, disability (physical or learning), gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

We will provide reasonable support to disabled applicants throughout the recruitment process. Please contact us to identify any additional support that you may require to enable you to make an application.

Because our work is about centring women and girls’ experiences, and our organisation is led by and for women and girls, this post is open to women only (exempt under the Equality Act 2010 Schedule 9, part 1). When Agenda refers to women and girls, we mean cisgender, intersex, and transgender women and girls, alongside nonbinary people who experience misogyny.

No agencies please.

Trustees required – Evolve Counselling CIO (1181861) 

• Location: remote/Cambridgeshire area 

• Voluntary role: reasonable expenses paid 

• Time commitment: 0-5 hours per month (estimated), mostly outside office hours 

• Term: negotiable, e.g. interim/three years/extendable by re-election 

• Application closing date: 12 May 2025 

The Role: 

Dynamic Trustees needed, with charity and commercial skills, to support mental health CIO. With an ambitious development programme up and running, we need to expand our Trustee Board. This is an exciting opportunity to join us at a crucial time of growing demand for our services. 

About Us: 

Evolve Counselling is a long-established charitable social enterprise, providing low cost, affordable or funded mental health counselling to adults in mainly Cambridgeshire and surrounding counties. Our counselling community is made up of 50 – 60 qualified self-employed practitioners, working part-time. We deliver talking therapies to adults – online and in person. Our service delivers around 500 counselling sessions per month to a broad range of individuals, many of whom would not otherwise be able to access counselling support. Evolve also provides supervision, reflective practice, critical incident support, and mental health awareness and related training, to organisations and businesses large and small. 

What We’re Looking For: 

Our Trustee Board is currently drawn from the counselling and therapies community, plus commercial and other charity backgrounds. Now, with crucial development of the CIO ahead, we are looking for new members to expand the Board to its maximum ten places and to gain skills and insight from an equal, diverse and inclusive group that takes in business skills, knowledge of charities, and experience of not-for-profit finances to make growth plans a reality. 

The Board will keep us on track with good governance through oversight of our work and will also help our keen new CEO to secure a sound financial base from which to grow our operations to meet the ever-increasing demand for our services. 

We welcome applications from individuals with backgrounds in any of the following areas: 

• Business strategy and planning 
• Commerce/industry 
• Governance 
• Working within the charity/CIO sector 
• Financial management 
• Legal expertise 
• Health and wellbeing services 
• Mental health counselling 
• Health service commissioning or delivery planning 
• Advocacy or advice services 
• Data protection/GDPR knowledge 
• Adherence to the Nolan Principles of Public Life 

Application process: Please email with your CV and letter of application, stating why you’d like to become a Trustee at Evolve Counselling and how your skills and experience align with our plans for growth. 

Newcastle Theatre Royal is one of the best loved and most recognised large scale, regional theatres in the UK creating moments of magic both on and off-stage. Our iconic Grade I listed building sits in the heart of Newcastle city centre and presents a diverse programme showcasing world class musicals, dance, opera and drama as well as our annual show-stopping pantomime, entertaining people of all ages from across the region.

Committed to creating a love of theatre for everyone, that lasts a lifetime, our wide-ranging Creative Engagement programme is central to our creative and artistic programme and provides pathways and opportunities to access, explore and enjoy creative activities for people of all ages, and support talent development in Newcastle and across the North East.

As an independent charity which receives no regular funding, ensuring financial resilience by broadening our income streams is key to our long-term future. Our Executive and staff team are supported by a committed and ambitious Board of Trustees.

We seek new Trustees to join our board – individuals who bring skills and lived experience to broaden the range of voices and perspectives in our leadership. In 2025/26 we are looking to appoint a number of Trustees across a range of skill sets to complement the make up of our current board members, but in this round of recruitment, we are specifically looking for a trustee with experience in audit and either financial management or charity finance expertise.  Knowledge and/or experience of either of the charity or arts sector or the leisure and hospitality sector is highly desirable.

This is an exciting opportunity to make a meaningful difference and support our aim to be a theatre for everyone. We encourage and welcome interest from candidates who will bring different lived experiences and perspectives to the Trust.

Dreams Come True – Chair of Board of Trustees

Terms: This is a voluntary role and is therefore unremunerated

Length of tenure: The Chair’s tenure is for an initial period of three years.

Dreams Come True, a national charity which creates life-enhancing and life-changing experiences for children with serious and life-limiting conditions and who live in social deprivation, is seeking a new Chair for their board of trustees.

For over 30 years, Dreams Come True has been transforming lives through their unique mission and dream programme, bringing joy and lasting impact to thousands of children every year from the UK’s most socially deprived areas who have serious illnesses, life-limiting conditions or disabilities.

The charity helps to transform individual and community dreams into reality, and is committed to scaling up their work by forging new partnerships, innovating their fundraising approaches and enhancing the dream programmes to ensure that every dream granted has a lasting and transformative impact. They are now seeking a new Chair to help lead them into the next chapter of this journey to broaden reach and impact.

This is an opportunity for a compassionate and visionary individual with proven leadership skills and the ability to guide the board and executive team in achieving strategic objectives.  The ideal candidate will have significant experience on a charity board, either as a Chair or as a trustee, with a personal empathy to the mission of Dreams Come True. They will also bring strategic oversight and governance expertise, and a wider involvement with the voluntary sector and well-established networks would be highly desirable. A solid understanding of finances, particularly within the charity sector, to support sustainability and growth will be essential, alongside strong diplomacy, interpersonal and negotiation skills. They will also need to understand the challenges and opportunities of a growing charity.

The new Chair will work closely with the CEO and a talented and committed board of trustees to ensure the charity continues to deliver life-changing dreams, builds on their successes and looks to the future with ambition and optimism.

Please click through to access and download our Candidate Pack for more information [PDF] including application details.

CLOSING DATE: Monday 31st March, 9am GMT.
 

PLEASE NOTE: We will be longlisting applications as soon as we receive them, so please apply early to register your interest. 

Do you have the interest, expertise, time and enthusiasm to devote to conserving the wild fish of the River Tweed and its catchment? If so, we would like to hear from you.

We are a Scottish registered Charity, established in 1983, which supports the fish of the Tweed in every way possible. The bulk of our work is scientific, but it extends to education, advocacy and the promotion of angling amongst young people. We aim to engage and involve everybody from local schoolchildren to international bodies in the importance of aquatic ecosystems, the value of healthy rivers and their flora and fauna, and the economic and social benefits of sustainable river management. Our science is essential to this work and to the understanding and protection of the water environments that fish depend on.

The Tweed is one of the world’s great Salmon rivers. Its iconic species, the Atlantic Salmon, our greatest concern, is now an endangered species (and defined as such by the IUCN), and the entire ecosystem is under increasing threat from global warming and other, catchment wide, pressures. We urgently need to expand our work, especially in research, advocacy and education. This is where you come in…

We are looking for new trustees to strengthen our board and increase our impact. We are especially looking for the following skills and experience:

• Environmental and ecological management
• Monitoring and conservation of freshwater fish and aquatic environments
• Advocacy, Communications and PR
• Science and Education
• Fundraising and income generation

Are you skilled in any of these areas? The Board of Trustees meet 6 times a year, generally at our office near Melrose in the Scottish Borders, though online attendance is possible. We have additional meetings as required and Trustees are encouraged to get involved with our work and support events up and down the river.

The Tweed Foundation is a charitable company limited by guarantee registered in Scotland under number SC366380. Registered Charity No SC011055

Would you like to join us? We would (especially) welcome applications from across all ages, communities, and backgrounds. The overriding qualification we are looking for is a passion for wild fish and a determination to ensure their future.

To apply, please send a short CV and a letter saying why you are interested and what you believe you can offer.

Applications close on 18th May 2025. Online interviews will be arranged shortly after. We hope to complete the process by the end of May.

2025 is a pivotal time for our small, family centred Charity as we move into our 22nd year. This year our Board will be defining our new mission and preparing for implementation. We're seeking new trustees to join us to contribute to our new mission and define the Charity's direction as we conclude our first mission in late 2025.

The Muscle Help Foundation (MHF) is a small multi-award winning, family-centred charity, delivering both in-person and virtual interventions and experiences in the UK - these moments-in-time are called Muscle Dreams, designed specifically for children & young people (8-28yrs) with the muscle wasting disease, Muscular Dystrophy (MD).

MHF’s impact is felt by beneficiaries and their families across the UK – from improved confidence, greater self-esteem, and an increased sense of hopefulness to a powerful shared identity that connects families, giving a platform to share knowledge, memories and establish lasting friendships.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

We are looking for Trustees who have a passion to take the charity forward, to grow impact, to leave a personal legacy and to feel the sense of personal fulfilment from the time they volunteer.

AS A TRUSTEE, YOU WILL

• Have an opportunity to help improve the lives of children, young people and their families
• Contribute to the governance of our small, well respected, national charity
• Have strategic responsibility for a specific skill area
• Act as an advocate/champion in promoting the charity's work across your network
• Receive induction, support and training
• Bring your lived experience, in using and further developing your skills for the benefit of others
• Be a part of the team that will help the charity achieve its overarching 657 Muscle Dream mission

REQUIREMENTS + KEY CRITERIA

Commitment to the charity’s values, bags of enthusiasm, an understanding and passion for our work, great comms skills and a real desire to want to make a difference to the lives of our vulnerable community. You may have experience of living with muscular dystrophy, other disabilities or life limiting conditions, but this is not essential.

MAIN BOARD MEETINGS + EXPENSES

Trustee Board meetings take place virtually. They are usually 2hrs. Over and above this time commitment, trustees on average, depending on their role, may give additional time in being directly involved in occasional ad projects – MHF Trustees ‘own’ a ‘bucket’, in other words, an area of responsibility like HR, Fundraising, Safeguarding, Marketing, Finance, Digital, Risk or Campaign Management that allows an individual to bring their skills, experience and talents to the charity. Reasonable expenses will be covered.

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR – PERSON SPECIFICATION

• Absolute belief in the cause
• Desire to learn the trustee role, previous governance expertise is an advantage
• Excellent communicators with great listening, responding and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to both empower and challenge supportively.
• Strong commitment to equality, and an understanding of disability and how for example this may impact on the quality of life and life choices for disabled people and their families.
• Commitment and time to dedicate to the role and responsibilities of being a Trustee.
• Commitment to the charity’s vision, mission and values.
• Strong desire to make a difference to the lives of our vulnerable beneficiary community.
• Understanding of the context/environment in which the charity works - it is estimated that some 96% of MHF's beneficiaries are those with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), the most severe variant of muscular dystrophy - it is life limiting.
• Understanding the importance of ensuring public confidence and trust in the charity.
• Collaborative working (part of a team), using sound independent judgement and collective decision making.
• The capacity to grasp issues outside ones personal experience.
• The ability to think creatively both in terms of high level strategy and development.
• Commitment to equality and diversity with other trustees, staff, beneficiaries and other stakeholders.

WHAT DIFFERENCE WILL YOU MAKE?

To provide strategic leadership in line with our values and goals. Trustees will use their knowledge, skills, passion and experience to ensure that the charity achieves its objectives – as a Trustee, you will represent the interests of all stakeholders and act as an ambassador. 

AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO BRING YOUR UNIQUE SELF

As an MHF Trustee, this is an exciting opportunity to bring your unique skill set to help the strategic progression of the charity in reaching its overarching goal to deliver 657 Muscle Dream interventions, that's one experience for every muscle in the human body, cherished moments-in-time that truly changes lives and give hope, and beyond as we reach this goal.

IN RETURN FOR YOUR COMMITMENT

• You will have an opportunity to help improve the lives of children, young people and their families
• Be part of a team all supporting the charity and rowing in the same direction
• Contribute to the governance of a national charity, that's worked tirelessly over the past 20 years
• Have your voice heard and listened to
• Attend events, meet beneficiaries & families and directly witness the impact of the charity’s work
• Have strategic responsibility for a skill area such as: HR, Fundraising, Corporate Partnerships etc
• Network with other like-minded individuals with common values
• Receive induction, support and training
• And much more…

INCLUSION - PROUD OF OUR BOARD DIVERSITY

Our greatest strength as a board and as an charity is in our community's diversity. We are particularly interested in hearing from applicants with diverse skills and experiences that reflect the diversity of our beneficiaries and welcome applications from first time Trustees.

Trustees wanted to help fight liver disease

The British Liver Trust is a small charity with big ambitions. Liver disease deserves the profile and awareness of the other big killer diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and cancer.  And we want you to help us. 

As a trustee, you will play a pivotal role in providing governance and guidance to ensure we are delivering for people with liver disease and liver cancer. You will be involved in setting the strategic direction of our organisation, as well as holding the senior management team to account.  As part of team of trustees you will work closely with the charity’s senior management team, playing an active role advising and mentoring as required.

We are looking for two people to join our board of trustees.

If you are an HR specialist and/or someone who has lived experience of adult liver disease, we want to hear from you.

We also want to broaden the diversity of our Board, especially our ethnic diversity.

Your commitment would involve attending four board meetings a year, usually virtually, and you may be asked to join a sub-committee of the board relevant to your knowledge, skills and experience. You may be asked to support the team in other ways from time to time for example in a coaching or mentoring role, or attending events.

The British Liver Trust is committed to improving equality, diversity, and inclusion across the organisation and to building a Board with a variety of backgrounds, skills and views, so that our leadership reflects the population at large and the communities we serve. We also welcome applications from people who have personal experience of liver disease. Please tell us if there may be any barriers to your engagement with us and we will actively work with you to remove these.

If you have the skills, knowledge and experience required, please ask for a pack from our Office Manager, Helen Westhead.  If you would like an informal chat with our Chief Executive; Pamela Healy, Helen can arrange this if you will contact her using the main office contact details, with your availability.

Thank you for your interest in joining British Liver Trust.

We will review applications as they are received, with interviews expected to take place within April.