Chair of trustees volunteer roles in marsh barton, devon

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. 

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.

We are seeking new Trustees and a new Chair to join our committed and dynamic Board.

We have a group of committed Trustees who support and guide the organisation in delivering its key objectives. Sadly, some of those trustees are due to step down in the next twelve months, as is the Chair, and we are beginning a process of recruiting new Trustees and a Chair.

There is excitement and expectation within the current Board and our Executive Team that along with our supporters and partners, we can achieve something special over the coming years.

To reach our potential though, requires the highest level of governance and strategic decision making, which can only be achieved with a talented, experienced and diverse Board of Trustees.

The Sheila McKechnie Foundation (SMK) was set up in June 2005 in memory of legendary campaigner, Sheila McKechnie.Campaigning is vital to a healthy society. We help campaigners to thrive. In a free and hopeful society, people need to know they have the power to make a difference: that they are able to envisage change and can push for that change to happen. For nearly two decades, we have helped all sorts of individuals, causes and charities to find their power as changemakers – as campaigners. We support, connect and champion these campaigners, equipping them to go after the social change they seek.

The Chair will hold the Board and staff team to account for SMK’s mission and vision, provide inclusive leadership to the Board and ensure that Board members fulfil their duties and responsibilities for the effective governance of SMK. The Chair will line manage and support the Chief Executive and ensure that the Board functions as a unit and works closely with the Chief Executive and staff team to achieve agreed objectives. They may also be asked to act as an ambassador and a public face of SMK in partnership with the Chief Executive and the Board.

For further information, see our website and the recruitment pack. 

“At Nugent, we believe in a world where every person has the opportunity to thrive – regardless of circumstances. That belief has guided us since 1881, and continues to inspire the work we do today”.

Join Us as a Trustee – Make a Real Difference at Nugent

Role: Trustee
Location: Remote with occasional in-person meetings (location-based)
Time Commitment: Approx. 4 board meetings per year + occasional subcommittee work
Type: Voluntary (reasonable expenses reimbursed)

About Us

Nugent are a North West based health and social care charity, based predominantly in the Liverpool City region, offering a diverse range of support for adults and children. Our children’s provisions include residential homes, a secure facility, a step-down home and SEMH School. Our adult’s provisions include dispersed homelessness accommodation, floating support provided in the community and supported living provided at home. We also provide adult residential homes including a specialist acquired brain injury, a home for those living with dementia, and a home supporting Mental Health needs. We also offer adoption support services working in partnership with local authorities across the UK.

To reach communities beyond these provisions we have established an initiative called Our Future Now, which actively engages in a range of fundraising and community-based activities. These efforts support wider unmet needs across the Liverpool City Region and beyond.

The Role

As a Trustee, you will help guide the strategic direction of the charity, ensuring good governance and overseeing the effective use of resources. You will work with fellow trustees and senior staff to support our mission, challenge constructively, and bring your insight and experience to the table.

As an experienced and committed individual, you will provide support to your peers and leadership to the executive team. You will promote a commercially astute culture across the organisation as we continue to make a lasting difference in the lives of the people we support

This role is ideal for you as a conscientious and driven individual who is prepared to support, advise and actively engage in the achievement of the vision

Who We’re Looking For

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and are particularly interested in individuals with experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Health and social care policy or practice
• Finance, law, or governance
• Lived experience of using health or social care services
• Charity leadership or fundraising
• Equality, diversity, and inclusion

We are committed to having a diverse and representative board. If you are passionate about improving lives and can contribute to strategic thinking and oversight, we would love to hear from you.

How to Apply

Please apply online and attach your current CV. Alternatively send your CV and a short covering statement explaining why you’re interested and what you can bring to the role to the HR team by 6th June 2025

For more information or an informal conversation about the role, contact the HR team

Who we are

As the charity partner of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), we are dedicated to advancing the quality of veterinary care for the benefit of animals, the public and society. We achieve this through evidence-based veterinary medicine, research and education. By working together with veterinary teams, animal owners and all those involved in animal health, we strive towards our vision of healthier animals, people and planet. 

The role

We are looking for individuals who share our commitment to improving animal health to join our Board as lay trustees. Lay trustees (ie, trustees who are not vets or vet nurses) play a crucial role in ensuring that the Board benefits from a diverse range of perspectives and skills. 

We are particularly seeking people who have experience of: 

• Fundraising and/or leadership in the charity sector, or 

• Business development and entrepreneurship, or 

• Commercial leadership experience, with a strong understanding of business operations and strategic management, or 

• Quality Improvement in human healthcare

This is a voluntary position, offering a unique opportunity to contribute to the strategic direction and governance of a dynamic charity.

Key responsibilities 

• Attend and actively participate in three Board meetings each year and additional committee meetings as required. 

• Provide independent oversight and constructive challenge to the Board’s decision-making processes. 

• Ensure the charity adheres to its mission, values and legal obligations. 

What we offer 

• The opportunity to make a significant impact on animal health and welfare, the veterinary profession and experience of animal owners. 

• A supportive and collaborative board environment. 

• Reimbursement of travel expenses. 

Trustees are appointed for a term of three years, with the option of re-appointment for a further term. 

If you are passionate about making a difference to the veterinary care that animals receive, we invite you to join us in shaping the future of our charity.

This is an exciting time in our growth as we look to grow our governance systems, build on our successes and ensure we are a radical, dynamic organisation rooted in our anti-racist and anti-oppressive values.  We are looking for a new Chair for our Trustee board, to join us and help lead and shape the future of the organisation. 

At PAS we believe that everyone has the right to be treated fairly, properly and with respect. Prisoners can be ‘ out of sight, out of mind’, or considered to not be as deserving of good treatment as other people – but not for PAS; our reason for existing is ensuring that prisoners can fully exercise their rights.

It is my privilege to be Chair of Trustees for PAS, I believe that the work we do is fundamental to my belief that we judge our society by the way in which we treat the most vulnerable people. Contrary to popular culture, prisoners are some of the most vulnerable, neglected people in our society, and I am proud to be a part of an organisation that helps to protect them.

My fellow trustees are an impressive group of people, actively engaged with PAS, who energise me whenever I meet with them. However, our numbers have dwindled over the past year, as it can been difficult for people to fit in the demands of being a trustee around their busy lives. We also very sadly lost one of our most long-standing trustees to cancer – he is still sorely missed by us.

If you feel that you could offer your skills and experience, but most importantly your commitment and enthusiasm to our cause, we would be very interested in considering you joining us as a new Trustee.

As a Trustee, you will contribute to the strategic governance of the organisation and the setting and monitoring of overall policy; refine strategic priorities; agree targets and budgets; evaluate organisational performance and help the organisation fundraise.

Meetings take place quarterly in central London in the evening (with some virtual attendance), with additional attendance requested at Awaydays and PAS’s Annual Lecture and debates.

The Board encourages applications from candidates with disabilities or experience of mental health services, as well as black and minority ethnic applicants and ex-prisoners.

PAS does not accept Home Office or Prison Service money as this may affect its independence.

  Trustees are volunteers, but travel costs and reasonable expenses will be reimbursed.

The Prisoners’ Advice Service (PAS) is the only independent registered charity dedicated to offering free legal advice and representation to adult prisoners on their rights and prison rules in England and Wales.

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!

Are you looking for a volunteering role that supports the impact of the whole third sector? Infrastructure charity DataKind UK is looking for new members to join our Board of Trustees, including a Chair and Treasurer.

DataKind UK is a small charity with a vision for a strong, thriving third sector that embraces data use to become more impactful. We connect third sector organisations with data professionals to improve their decision making, problem solving, and working practices, by applying data science approaches to sector-wide challenges.

We’re looking for enthusiastic and supportive individuals to fuel our mission and direction by providing oversight of our operations, supporting with major decision-making, and advocating for our work and cause.

Being a trustee is a great way to give your time to a cause you care about, broaden your network, and develop your strategy and governance skills and knowledge. We particularly welcome applications from black, Asian, and minority ethnic candidates, LGBTQ+ candidates, and candidates with disabilities, as we would like to increase the representation of these groups in our community.

How to apply

To apply, please read our candidate pack for more detail and send a 1-2 page cover letter outlining what you would bring to the role based on the skills outlined in the candidate pack, especially highlighting if you are interested in the Chair or Treasurer role, along with your CV, by Monday 2 June.

Initial screening calls will take place during the week commencing Monday 9 June.

Interviews will take place on the 17, 18, and 19 June 2025, with the aim of new members being recruited and onboarded for the following board meeting in August.

We seek a Chairperson to head our Board at Evolve Counselling who will guide our strategic direction in the provision of lowest cost mental health counselling for individuals and businesses. 

Location: Cambridgeshire area of operations. Chair can be fully remote. 

Voluntary: Reasonable expenses paid 

Commitment: Initial term of 1 -3 years. Flexible hours per month 

Closing date: Wednesday 2nd July 2025

Overview 

For over 40 years Evolve Counselling has provided lowest-cost professional mental health counselling for adults in Cambridgeshire, Peterborough, Northamptonshire and beyond, through the skill and dedication of our team of 60+ BACP-registered counsellors.

The role 

We are looking for a new Chair who understands the growing demand for our services and the challenges of competing as a medium sized charitable business at this time. We shall look to our new Chair to build trust and engagement with our CEO, the Trustee Board, our volunteers, and supporters, as we capitalise on great recent work to stabilise and find new opportunities for significant growth. 

The new chairperson will ideally bring health and wellbeing experience and commercial skills, as well as a demonstrable empathy for charitable working and commitment to the Nolan Principles of public life. 

The role of the Chair is hugely rewarding and the scope under the leadership of the current CEO for Evolve to grow and innovate is significant. You will have significant senior leadership experience to drawn upon as you take ultimate responsibility for directing and inspiring the Trustees, making sure we are financially sustainable, and well run for our clients. Our ethos is to look upwards and outwards as we strive for a leading position in mental health services for all, and your commercial acumen, professional contacts, and powers of persuasion in business will be a huge support for our ambitions. 

Including quarterly board meetings, committee sessions (at present virtual), a face-to-face AGM event, plus away days, and regular meetings with our CEO and the trustees, we anticipate a flexible time commitment of around 2 - 5 days per month. 

For further information or an informal discussion on the role, please contact Kevin Bottrell.

Application process: Expressions of interest in the first instance by email to our CEO Gordon Ackroyd.

We are looking for a highly motivated, values driven, senior professional strategist who is passionate about social justice for young people through arts, culture and creativity. Our Trustees bring specific skills and expertise, including in HR, finance, legal, fundraising, digital, capital development and artistic development. We are seeking a Vice-Chair with broad strategic skills along with a legal background to provide support to the Chair and additional leadership to the Board of Trustees.

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. 

Founded in 1997, the Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants provides a place for refugees, migrants, and people seeking asylum to rebuild their life with support and community. From classes to casework to financial assistance, the Centre has a wide offering available for our community of over 200 people. Our approach is compassionate and human and the support we offer is long term - on average people stay with us around four years.

The current Board brings a wide range of charity and public body experience including strategy and fundraising and we are looking for skills to both enhance and complement these strengths.

The Centre has a dedicated and talented staff team led by our CEO, Andy Ruiz Palma, who joined in 2000 as an English teacher. In addition to this staff resource we have around 40 volunteers who provide direct support through activities. We also have in place accountancy support to the executive and a dedicated fundraising team.

We are looking for people who can demonstrate a strong empathy with our client group and who understand how to work with organisations rooted in a local community. You will bring excellent people and communication skills and demonstrate good team-working.

You will demonstrate this through your experience working with marginalised communities (either in a frontline operational role, a policymaking role, or on the Board of another organisation) or personal lived experience as a member of a marginalised community.

We are open to applications from people looking for their first Trustee role or who may not have considered being a Trustee before and will provide mentoring to help trustees find their feet.

We are looking to recruit 2- 3 new trustees and have a strong preference for any of the following or a combination of these skills:

• Finance/Accountancy qualification – we have an excellent Treasurer Trustee and are looking for a deputy
• HR
• Fundraising
• IT/Data management
• Lived Experience as a refugee or migrant