Trustee - Warwick District Foodbank

Overview of the role:

Warwick District Foodbank are seeking to recruit Trustees with an interest in helping others, who are willing to uphold the food bank’s values, and who can bring life experience to the board of trustees. As a Trustee you will play a vital role by ensuring that we are meeting the demand for our services, providing help and support to people in crisis in the local community as well as providing strategic direction for the charity.

Trustees ensure that the food bank acts in conformity with its purpose and with charity legislation, and that good governance, best practice policies and rigorous financial supervision are in place. They will be required to work collaboratively, with other trustees and with the staff and volunteers of the foodbank, and other external agencies.

Responsibilities:

•  To join the Board of Trustees in ensuring the effective performance of the charity’s legal, regulatory and governance responsibilities in accordance with its constitution and its Objects as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). 
• There are general responsibilities that the Trustee board undertakes together, including to:
• Ensure that the Foodbank has in place a clear strategy, plans, vision & values.
• Ensure that the charity is accountable, is actively complying with statutory reporting and accounting requirements and the law, and that financial dealings are systematically accounted for and on time, independently examined and made publicly available.
• Develop effective ways to communicate with staff, volunteers, beneficiaries, funders, partners and the wider public; encourage transparency and accountability.
• Help promote the Foodbank as widely as appropriate, including to audiences of potential funders and beneficiaries.
• Ensure appropriate financial plans and budgets are in place; monitor contractual agreements with external partners that award money for core costs and additional projects.
• Ensure the Foodbank has appropriate procedures to comply with current legislation and good practice; including employment, health and safety, equal opportunities, safeguarding, and data protection.
• Ensure an understanding of, and commitment to, the principles of equality, equity, diversity and inclusion.

Trustees may also undertake additional work for the charity between meetings subject to their availability and skill set.

In addition, Trustees are expected to:

• Act with reasonable care and skill, giving their time, thought and energy to their role;
• Serve as an additional promoter of the foodbank in the community; and
• Adhere to the vision and values of the charity and its code-of-conduct.

About you:

We are looking for people who want to help their local community and work towards the eradication of food poverty. Our ideal candidates would demonstrate:

• A knowledge of and commitment to the work of Warwick Foodbank.
• A knowledge and passion for your local community.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Willingness to actively participate in discussions concerning the needs of the foodbank’s beneficiaries, staff, and volunteers.
• Willingness to act in the best interest of the charity.
• Sound, independent judgement and an ability to think creatively.
• A willingness to learn and develop.
• Founded as a Christian charity, Warwick District Foodbank welcomes any volunteers who are sympathetic to this Christian ethos.

Whatever your background, we want to make sure you are supported and empowered and enjoy your time volunteering with us. We know that having volunteers from a diverse range of backgrounds, with varying experiences, can help to make what we do as effective as possible. As such, we welcome all applicants regardless of age, religion or beliefs, disability, ethnic background, gender reassignment, sex, or sexual orientation. We also encourage those with lived experience of poverty to apply