Facilities management trustee volunteer roles in gosport, hampshire

Become our Trustee Tresurer and chair our Finance Committee.We need a Trustees with energy, enthusiasm and commitment to help accelerate our influcence on wildlife and nature recovery issues in the country and beyond.

With a refreshed 3-year strategy (23-26), “A Wilder Herefordshire, More Nature Everywhere” we’re working hard to recover nature at scale through deeper collaborations, working with local community organisations and networks to develop a clear plan for nature’s recovery. We are also working with neighbouring Wildlife Trusts, river partnerships and national partners such as the Woodland Trust, National Trust, and Duchy of Cornwall.

So, with lots happening, it’s an exciting if challenging time for the Trust.  Urgent action is needed to address the decline of wildlife in our beautiful county – and we need to muster all the resources and skills we can to succeed.

We are a welcoming board who support and challenge each other to do better for wildlife.

We look to recruit trustees from a range of backgrounds, life stages and skills to join us.

At this time, we wish to recruit someone to take on the role of Treasurer, and chair our Finance Committee. You would need the following skills and qualities:

· A strong commitment to wildlife conservation and the Vision of the Trust;

· Demonstrable experience of financial management;

· The skills to analyse proposals and examine their financial consequences;

· A good understanding of governance, gained either as a Trustee of another charity, a director of a company, or as a manager who has worked with Boards;

· The ability to apply clear logical thinking and creativity to developing our strategy

If you are successful, you will be welcomed and supported by a talented and committed board of trustees, a strong and experienced staff team and an active and expanding band of volunteers and by the wider Wildlife Trust movement. We hope you are inspired to apply, and we look forward to hearing from you.

Alison McLean OBE, Chair, March 2025

Lead the Board of Via, the charity delivering vital substance use, mental health and well-being services across the UK, and help provide high-quality, person-centred care to the people and communities affected.

Location: Flexible (Via has services across London, NW England and SW England)

Closing date: Tuesday 27th May

Who we are.

Via is an exceptional charity that puts people at the heart of everything we do. Over three decades, we’ve evolved from our origins as Westminster Drug Project, with a new now award-winning name and brand, into a dynamic, multi-service organisation delivering vital support across substance use, mental health, employment, sexual health, smoking cessation and youth services. With a turnover of £36m for 24/25 and remarkable growth of over a third in 2023/24, we’re now supporting over 12,500 service users annually across an expanding geographical footprint from London to Gloucestershire.

Our commitment to excellence and innovation is evident in our industry-leading services, which consistently perform significantly above the national average. We’re particularly proud to be pioneering the development of the UK’s first women-only detox facility, demonstrating our commitment to addressing crucial gaps in service provision.

Our Approach Makes Us Different

At Via, we believe in doing things differently. This starts with our commitment to staff well-being, including up to six months of full sick pay – a policy that exemplifies our trust in our people and our understanding that supporting our staff enables them to better support our service users. We achieved Investors in People Gold certification and were nominated for UK Employer of the Year and Third Sector Employer of the Year at the Investors in People Awards 2024, recognising our dedication to creating an outstanding workplace culture.

Our active Diversity, Equity and Inclusion group drives real organisational change, ensuring our services are accessible and effective for all communities. These aren’t just initiatives – they’re expressions of our core values: Care, Be Human, and Do the Right Thing, which guides everything we do.

The opportunity.

As we have experienced growth and are launching our new strategy, we had new Trustees join our Board as others have come to the end of their terms. As our current Chair, Yasmin Batliwala MBE comes to the end of her term later this year, we are looking to appoint a new Chair.

What Makes a Great Via Chair

• A Strategic Leader with proven experience operating at a senior level with a successful track record of achievement. You’ll have the personal gravitas to lead a significant, complex, national organisation, alongside the ability to lead a newly evolving and forming Board.
• Passionate About Our Cause: You will bring your expertise and passion for improving lives and reducing inequality. You’ll be someone who understands the complexity of our work yet can think strategically about our future. Your genuine enthusiasm will inspire others and strengthen our impact.
• Governance Experience: you will bring the experience of being on Boards and will work to lead the board to ensure sound financial health and accountability while effectively managing risk and continuing to innovate in service development and delivery.
• An Inclusive Champion committed to fostering diversity that reflects the communities we serve, promoting DEI training and growth, and holding staff and trustees accountable to these practices.
• A Relationship Builder with excellent interpersonal skills and diplomatic tact. You’ll develop a strong working relationship with the Chief Executive, maintain connections with key stakeholders, and represent Via as an effective ambassador.
• A Collaborative Leader who can bring people together, foster a team environment, and work in partnership with our board and team to drive our ambitious strategy.

Our Commitment to Inclusion

Diversity in governance isn’t just a goal for Via – it’s a necessity. Our services support people from every part of society, and we want our Board to reflect this diversity. We actively encourage applications from people with lived experience of addiction/recovery (whether personal or as family members/carers), and people from communities currently underrepresented at board level.

Time Commitment

The Board meets quarterly, usually in person. Including preparation time, representation at events, and strategic input, we estimate a commitment of the equivalent of 2-3 days per month. This includes:

• Four Board meetings per year
• Quarterly committee meetings
• Annual strategy and away day
• Ad hoc conversations with fellow board members and the Executive
• Occasional representation at events and meetings with key stakeholders, including at services.

Making a Difference Together

This is an extraordinary time to join Via. As we implement our new 2025-29 strategy and expand our geographical reach, innovate our evidence-based offer and increase access to more people. We’re not just growing – we’re evolving. You’ll help shape innovative services like our women’s detox facility while ensuring we maintain our unwavering commitment to quality, innovation, and person-centred care

Please click 'Apply via website’ to be redirected to the Peridot Partners website, where you can find full details of the candidate profile and register your interest to apply.

Applications for this role close on Tuesday 27th May. 

We believe that every child should have access to a quality education at a safe, inclusive school, with the opportunity to become a truly global citizen… do you too?

It’s an incredibly exciting time at African Adventures Foundation as we develop the vital programmes we deliver at the 34 partner schools we work with in Ghana, Kenya, and Zanzibar.

We have ambitious plans to help drive greater impact at our partner schools, and are looking to strengthen our existing Trustee Board that’s full of energy and experience!

 Do you have experience in charity governance, delivering projects in an African culture and context, or delivering WASH or female empowerment/education/menstrual health programmes?

If so, read on… we’d be keen to hear from you about becoming one of our amazing volunteer trustees! 

Introduction to African Adventures Foundation

African Adventures Foundation is a registered charity set up in 2013 to provide support to 34 schools in developing areas of Ghana, Kenya and Zanzibar.

These schools provide education, health and food security, and social support to young people whose access to these basic services would otherwise be very limited. African Adventures Foundation helps by funding food security programmes, the construction of important school facilities, and hygiene projects that will benefit children’s health and education.

Our mission is to provide more children with a quality education and better opportunities in life.

 All trustees are responsible for governing a charitable company and directing its management and operation. They must also ensure that the trust complies with all legal and statutory requirements.

Trustee Responsibilities:

The role of a Governance & Delivery Trustee is to ensure the Foundation complies with its charity obligations, maximise impact through effective in country project delivery, and bring valuable insight into the specific cultural and operational context of working in Africa.

We are looking for two Trustees to bring specific expertise to the overall Trustee Board alongside the Chair, Fundraising, and Treasurer Trustee positions.

Governance (role specific)

● Understand and represent the needs of the charity’s governing framework on behalf of the Chair and board.

● Recommend relevant changes or documentation, and identify any areas od noncompliance to be addressed within improvement plans.

● Act as spokesperson and figurehead for African Adventures Foundation internally and externally concerning our charity governance.

 Delivery (role specific)

 ● Contribute to governance, approval, and impact assessment processes at board level for the successful delivery of Foundation projects.

● Provide best practice advice, support, and oversight to the projects being delivered on behalf of the board as required.

Context & Culture (role specific)

●    Bring experience, knowledge and good judgement relating to the culture and context of the communities and territories we operate in.

● Bring an understanding of delivering charitable projects in an African educational context to board level.

● Bring an understanding to Trustee Board level, of delivering WASH programmes and Female empowerment, education, and menstrual health projects.

General (all Trustees)

 ● Support and provide advice on AAF’s purpose, vision, goals, and activities while working alongside the trustee Board, founder, and African Adventures personnel.

● Approve operational strategies and policies and monitor and evaluate their implementation, adding to overall good charity governance.

● Support broad decision-making, risk management, and charity planning through a range of platforms and processes.

● Keep abreast of changes in AAF’s operating environment through your external experience.

● Be fully prepared to attend, participate and contribute in Board meetings and Trustee events.

● Act as AAF ambassador applying your skills, experience and knowledge in a range of scenarios including government, fundraising and networking events.

● Use independent judgment, acting legally and in good faith to promote and protect African Adventures Foundation’s interests, to the exclusion of their own personal and/or any third-party interests.

● Support the Chair with administrative tasks as required.

 What we are looking for:

● Attention to detail.

● A good knowledge of charity governance and willingness to challenge.

● A good understanding of delivering charity/NGO projects.

● A good understanding of operating and/or overseeing delivery in an African culture and context.

● Background in WASH and/or female empowerment, education, and menstrual health projects.

  Essential qualities and attributes of all our trustees

● Willingness and ability to understand and accept their responsibilities and liabilities as trustees, and to act in the organisation's best interests.

● Ability to think creatively and strategically, exercise good, independent judgement and work effectively as a board member.

● Effective communication skills and willingness to participate actively in discussions.

● A strong personal commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

● Enthusiasm for our vision and mission.

● Willingness to lead according to African Adventures Foundation’s values.

● Commitment to Nolan’s seven principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, and leadership.

 Terms of appointment

 ● Trustees are appointed for a 2-year term of office, renewal for 2 further terms to a maximum of 6 years.

● This is a voluntary position, but reasonable expenses will be reimbursed.

 Time commitment (estimated at one day every month)

● Attending quarterly Trustee Board meetings. Currently, these are alternating between online and in-person at HQ near Southampton, UK. 

● Flexibility to respond swiftly to the occasional ad hoc issue and Trustee comms

● Attending occasion workshops and fundraising & networking events as per availability.

We are looking for people to bring energy, enthusiasm and commitment to the role and broaden the diversity of thought within our board.