Charity trustees volunteer roles

Join Royal Agricultural University Students' Union as an External Trustee 

About Royal Agriculture University Students' Union 

The Royal Agricultural University Students’ Union (RAUSU) is an independent, registered charity dedicated to enriching the student experience at the Royal Agricultural University. Over the past year, the Students’ Union has undergone a period of transformation — and this journey is only just beginning. 

They are now seeking three dedicated and forward-thinking trustees, including a new Chair, to join them at this exciting stage in their development. As they continue to grow, they are very much in start-up mode, meaning you’ll have the opportunity to make a meaningful and visible impact from day one. 

Key Responsibilities: 

• Contribute to the Board’s strategic oversight and decision-making processes. 

• Support the President and Director in achieving the organisation’s goals and objectives. 

• Ensure the organisation remains financially sound, balancing income and expenditure while planning for both short-term initiatives and long-term needs. 

• Uphold and enhance good governance practices, ensuring compliance with the Charity’s Articles and regulations. 

Candidate Profile 

RAUSU is looking for candidates who are passionate about education and organisational development. You’ll bring curiosity, courage and commitment to help shape their vision for the future. They’d especially welcome candidates who can demonstrate: 

• The ability to challenge assumptions, ask thoughtful questions and bring fresh perspectives. 

• A sound understanding of issues within Higher Education. 

• Expertise in one or more of the following: finance, HR, legal, charity governance, leadership or change management. 

• Strong strategic thinking and sound judgement, with the ability to balance competing priorities. 

RAUSU's Commitment to Diversity 

RAUSU is deeply committed to fostering diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in everything they do. They believe their leadership should reflect the vibrant diversity of the communities they serve. 

They warmly encourage applications from candidates from racially and ethnically marginalised backgrounds, women, non-binary individuals, and those with disabilities. If you meet at least 80% of the essential criteria and identify as part of a marginalised group, you will be guaranteed an interview. 

Time Commitment 

• Term: Four years and lay trustees can serve up to two terms. 

• Commitment: Approximately 12–18 days per year, including six Board meetings annually. 

How to Apply 

Please click 'apply now' or contact Anh at Atkinson HR Consulting if you have any queries or would like to arrange an informal discussion. The application includes submission of a CV and a personal statement. 

Key Dates 

• Applications close: 12noon, Tuesday 2nd December 2025 

• Interviews: Monday 8th December 2025 

We are looking for a trustee who has personal experience of the care system as a looked- after child or care-experienced young person.  We need someone who has made it to and through university so that they can help us fully understand the challenges and issues that can occur.

We are looking for someone who cares about and wants to  help young people who are in the care system to make it to and through university. This is not about helping individual youngsters personally. We are building and funding programmes to enable others to help them more effectively.  

You need to be willing to be a trustee. This involves preparing for meetings by reading the papers, speaking up in meetings and sharing your opinions and experience, working with others on the board and with our education partners to develop ways we can fulfil our goal of increasing the number of care-experienced young people who successfully complete a degree and find work.

You need to be able to meet the time commitment which is to attend our (virtual) trustee meetings.  These are held on a Wednesday afternoon once a quarter – the dates are published well in advance.  We also get together, in person, for up to a full day once a year – again usually on a Wednesday. You will need to prepare for meetings and there may be the occasional other tasks so we recommend thinking of a time commitment of 2 -3 hours a month.

Previous experience as a charity trustee is highly desirable, but not essential, as you will have a full explanation of the duties and responsibilities of trustees during your induction.

Become a Trustee at Living Reasons
Help us build a revolutionary new charity from the ground up.

About Us

Living Reasons is a new organisation currently in the process of registering as a charity. We exist to tackle some of the deepest inequalities in society, guided by lived experience and driven by our mission to create lasting, revolutionary change.

Our work focuses on issues such as:

• Outdated and damaging employment practices.

• Poor access to healthcare.

• Inequity, discrimination, and lack of agency across society.

• Barriers in education, training, and support services.

We believe in challenging the status quo, proving that change is possible, and creating solutions shaped by the people who experience barriers every day.

Why Join Now?

This is an exciting time to join Living Reasons as we build the organisation from the ground up. As a trustee, you will:

• Play a key role in shaping strategy, governance, and direction.

• Help embed our Living Values into everything we do: Creativity, Prospectivity, Revolutionary thinking, and Attentivity.

• Ensure our ethos of “Nothing about us, without us” is central to our work.

• Contribute your skills, insight, and experience to create a charity that is bold, ethical, and sustainable.

What We’re Looking For

We want trustees who share our passion for fairness, equity, and innovation. You don’t need prior board experience — what matters most is your commitment to our mission and your willingness to bring your skills and voice to the table.

We particularly welcome applications from people with lived experience of the challenges we exist to tackle, including disability, neurodivergence, long-term health conditions, mental health challenges, or discrimination.

Skills and qualities we are especially interested in include (but are not limited to):

• Governance, charity law, or finance.

• Campaigning and policy.

• Fundraising, income generation, or partnerships.

• HR, employment law, or organisational development.

• Communications, media, or digital innovation.

The Role of Trustee

As a trustee, you will:

• Ensure the charity is well run and compliant with charity law.

• Guide our strategy and oversee delivery of our mission.

• Hold the organisation accountable to our values and ethos.

• Support the team to deliver change effectively.

• Bring challenge, insight, and creativity to board discussions.

This is a voluntary role (reasonable expenses can be covered). Trustees meet around four times a year digitally, with additional input between meetings as needed.

What You’ll Gain

• The chance to be part of a transformative new organisation at its very beginning.

• An opportunity to influence real change in society.

• The experience of working with a passionate, diverse team guided by lived experience.

• A chance to contribute your skills and values to something bold, exciting, and revolutionary.

The Organisation

Citizens Advice South Warwickshire (CASW) is a local charity providing free, confidential, and impartial advice to anyone in need. The organisation supports individuals with a wide range of issues, from simple queries to complex situations involving multiple challenges.

Each year, CASW assists thousands of people across South Warwickshire — including Warwick, Kenilworth, Leamington Spa, Stratford-upon-Avon, and surrounding villages — helping them find practical solutions and move forward. Its community-based team delivers services such as general advice, signposting, and specialist support in areas including debt and housing. Assistance is available in person, by phone, online, and, in some cases, through home visits.

CASW is committed to empowering people through advice, education, and support, while also influencing policies that affect its clients. Its work benefits both individuals and the wider community.

The Role

Citizens Advice South Warwickshire is seeking a trustee to join its effective and passionate Board of Trustees, a team that works collaboratively with respect, energy, and purpose. Trustees share a commitment to making a difference and helping shape the charity’s future strategy at a time of strong financial stability. This role offers the opportunity to make a tangible impact and see the value of your contribution.

Key Responsibilities:

• Advise on the financial implications of the charity’s strategic plan, including overseeing financial risk management.

• Work with the CEO and Finance Manager to present budgets, internal management accounts, and annual financial statements to the Board.

• Ensure proper accounting records, procedures, and controls are maintained.

• Monitor and advise on the charity’s financial viability.

• Ensure investments and assets are maximised.

• Keep the Board informed of financial duties and develop trustees’ financial understanding.

• Ensure CASW complies with contractual and funding requirements.

• Maintain good governance in line with legal and Charity Commission requirements.

• Chair the Finance Sub-Committee.

The Person

CASW is seeking a trustee who can commit time and energy to making a real difference in South Warwickshire. The ideal candidate will be a passionate team player with strong strategic insight and commercial acumen, able to communicate complex financial information clearly to support effective decision-making.

Essential:

• Commitment to CASW’s mission and strategic objectives

• Recognised professional accounting qualification (e.g., ACA, ACCA, CIMA)

• Experience in addressing strategic issues, interpreting complex information, and business planning

• Commitment to diversity and inclusion

Desirable:

• Experience as a Trustee or Treasurer, or within the charity sector

• Knowledge of regulatory requirements for financial discipline and reporting in charities

Further Information

More details about CASW, the role, and the person sought are available in the Candidate Information Pack.

Ealing Book Festival is a young organisation with huge ambitions. We're looking for someone with great organisational skills and experience to join the team and help us develop and achieve our objectives.

In addition to the general responsibilities of a trustee, duties of the secretary are as follows.

·Preparing agendas in consultation with the chair and trustees and circulating them and any supporting papers in good time

·Making all the arrangements for meetings 

·       Ensuring the taking of, agreement and sign off of minutes

·Checking that trustees have carried out actions agreed at a previous meeting 

·Circulating agendas and minutes of the annual general meeting and any special or extraordinary general meetings (where required)

·Fulfilling the functions equivalent to a company secretary, assisting the chair and other trustees with charity reporting requirements, monitoring the policy register 

·Assisting the chair with board evaluation, succession planning processes and recruitment

Person specification 

In addition to the person specification for a trustee, the secretary should have the following skills, experience and qualities:

• Experience of governance and compliance procedures

• Organisational ability

• Minute-taking and report writing experience, including preparation of annual reports

• Preparation of the policy register

• Experience of board evaluation and succession planning processes 

These may have been acquired in a corporate or a charity environment. 

Our partner is a student-led charity that supports a large student body in the South East. They focus on enhancing academic success, fostering social inclusion, and preparing students for future success.

The Finance Trustee will oversee financial strategy, including advising on budgeting, reserves policy, and reporting. As Deputy Chair, the successful candidate will assist the Chair in providing leadership, chairing meetings, and ensuring strong governance. They will also mentor fellow Trustees and contribute to strategic planning.

The ideal candidate will bring financial expertise, preferably from outside the Students' Union sector, and have experience in governance roles, such as chairing or deputising. Strong interpersonal skills are essential to foster effective relationships with the Board and stakeholders.

The Board meets 4-5 times per year, with additional sub-committee responsibilities. Meetings are typically in person in Portsmouth, with online options available. Trustees are expected to commit 1-2 days per month, including meeting preparation and key initiatives.

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For more Trustee and Treasurer roles please visit the AfID website.

We are looking for a trustee with demonstrable skills in publicity and communications. We need advice and guidance on how we can publicise our work. Our current Board does not have expertise in social media, communications plans, or publicity.  If you have experience  in  education  would be ideal but we primarily need someone with a strong track record in publicity and communications.

We are looking for someone who cares about and wants to  help young people who are in the care system to make it to and through university. This is not about helping individual youngsters personally. We are building and funding programmes to enable others to help them more effectively.  

You need to be willing to be a trustee. This involves preparing for meetings by reading the papers, speaking up in meetings and sharing your opinions and experience, working with others on the board and with our education partners to develop ways we can fulfil our goal of increasing the number of care-experienced young people who successfully complete a degree and find work.

You need to be able to meet the time commitment which is to attend our (virtual) trustee meetings.  These are held on a Wednesday afternoon once a quarter – the dates are published well in advance.  We also get together, in person, for up to a full day once a year – again usually on a Wednesday. You will need to prepare for meetings and there may be the occasional other tasks so we recommend thinking of a time commitment of 2 -3 hours a month.

Previous experience as a charity trustee is highly desirable, but not essential, as you will have a full explanation of the duties and responsibilities of trustees during your induction.

Overview

Julie’s Bicycle is seeking an outstanding Chair, Treasurer, and new Trustees to join our Board and help lead our pioneering not-for-profit organisation mobilising the arts and culture to take action on the climate, nature, and justice crisis.

Working closely with CEO and Founder Alison Tickell, Managing Director Laura Pando, and a committed team, our Board provides strategic vision, governance, and advocacy – championing the role of culture in creating a fair, sustainable future.

We are particularly keen to hear from candidates with experience in climate change, policy, diplomacy, or finance, and who share our commitment to justice, inclusion, and the power of culture to drive change.

Terms of Appointment

An initial three-year term. Board members may be re-appointed to the Board of Trustees up to a maximum of two terms.

Location

Hybrid. Board and Subcommittee meetings are held either in person (primarily in London or at venues across the UK) or remotely.

Remuneration

This is a voluntary, unpaid position. Reasonable expenses, such as travel costs, will be reimbursed where applicable.

Time Commitment

• Chair: 2-3 days per month
• Treasurer: 1-2 days per month
• Board members: 1-2 days per month

Why Join Us?

This is a pivotal moment for the creative and cultural community. For decades, Julie’s Bicycle has championed the vital role of culture - heritage, arts and creative industries - in climate action. We have worked directly with organisations to understand the practical and conceptual changes needed, translating that knowledge into insights that inform policy and funding. Now, the potential of culture to contribute to a just and thriving future is being widely recognised.

Our previous Co-Director, Natalie Highwood, expertly steered the company through the first stage of post-Covid recovery and a new strategy, and we have now welcomed a new Managing Director, Laura Pando, from Climate KIC where she ran the flagship 30mil EU programme Pathways2Resilience. We are also energising our board. To that end we are seeking to appoint a Chair, a Treasurer and up to three new Trustees who share our vision, values, and passion to build on the successes of the past 17 years.

Julie’s Bicycle is deeply committed to becoming a more diverse and inclusive charity - this is one of our central priorities. We welcome applications from everyone who shares this commitment and particularly encourage applications from young people, members of the global majority, and disabled communities whose perspectives are central to climate justice and who may be disproportionately affected by climate-related issues.

This is a unique opportunity to help lead a pioneering not-for-profit organisation that mobilises the arts and culture to take action on the climate, nature, and justice crises. We hope you are interested in joining us in this vital work and look forward to hearing from you.

How to Apply

As part of the application process, we are open to informal chats from prospective candidates. If you’d like to have an informal chat to discuss your potential fit, please get in touch with our MD.

If you’d like to apply, please complete the application form, declaration of eligbility form and equal opportunities monitoring form on our website and submit these by 11.59pm on Sunday 23th November 2025.

We are committed to being an Equal Opportunities Employer; we welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, gender, disability, culture, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.

A note on AI

While we understand that some people may use AI tools for accessibility (and recognise and support that many assistive technologies may use elements of AI), we ask candidates to consider what tools are most appropriate during the application process. For example, we recognise the value for many people of machine learning language tools like Grammarly. On the other hand we would discourage the use of generative AI tools in writing your application, as we'd like to understand your personal interest in working for Julie's Bicycle, and be able to understand your non-AI-assisted communication skills just as they are. We also recognise that for many of the people and creative communities we work with, the rise of generative AI poses a threat to their livelihoods, while the environmental impacts of AI are only set to grow: this means we also have a responsibility as Julie's Bicycle to consider where and when (and if) we use AI in our work. 

Thank you for your interest in Julie’s Bicycle.

Join our Board. Shape our future.

Our mission is simple but vital: to inspire and delight people of all ages with the life, work, and legacy of William Shakespeare. We are seeking to appoint new Trustees to join our Executive Board, helping to safeguard Shakespeare’s heritage and inspire future generations around the world.

As a Trustee, you will help shape the future of an independent charity with international reach. This is a chance to:

· Play a central role in caring for and making accessible Shakespeare’s historic homes and collections

· Support innovative learning programmes and research

· Help us thrive as a charity that relies on visitors, donors, and supporters.

We are especially interested in candidates with expertise in commercial development, finance/governance, fundraising and philanthropy, strategic arts/heritage management, property and asset management, digital engagement or brand stewardship.

We value curiosity, collaboration and a strong commitment to making Shakespeare’s legacy accessible to all. We particularly welcome applications from individuals who can help broaden the diversity of our Board.

More information can be found at http://bit.ly/3KbzPX4

We are seeking at least two new Trustees to oversee our charity. We offer professional, confidential and affordable counselling to individuals in and around SW London. Our team come from local churches and operate within a Christian ethos.

We want to increase the strength of our Board - currently we are overseen by only three Trustees, due to recent departures, but want to increase this to our target of 5-6 trustees. As well as providing support to the team in delivering high quality and accessible counselling services and ensuring the Charity meets its financial responsibilities, we are looking for someone to contribute to strategic oversight and effective governance.

We are seeking someone who:

1) Is passionate about the value and importance of emotional and mental health and wellbeing

2) Has experience or insight in areas such as charity governance, strategic planning, finance

3) Is a committed Christian of any denomination

4) Is willing to dedicate time, wisdom and prayer (approx. 4 meetings a year, plus occasional input)

What impact will you have? 

Our new Trustees will bring complementary skills to our Board. Specifically, we are looking for people with insight into charity governance and development, strategic vision and financial oversight.

Our new Trustees will ensure that our charity is well-governed, that quality is maintained and that those who work in the charity are well-supported. They will ensure that we keep client well-being at the heart of all we do.

They will look at new opportunities for development of the Trust, particularly at how we move on from reliance on a small management team who work voluntarily to a more resilient management model. They will ensure that new opportunities are strategically reviewed and considered.

They will ensure that we remain financially viable and have a sound operating model.

What skills, experience and qualities should you have?

Our new Trustees will bring complementary skills to our Board. Specifically, we are looking for people with skills in one or several of three areas:

1. charity governance and leadership,

2. strategic planning, to take the Trust forward into a new era

3. finance, to ensure our financial management and forward planning is optimised to achieve the objectives of the charity

Our new Trustees will share our values, especially our belief in the value of high-quality counselling with good clinical governance for client benefit. Our Christian ethos underlies who we are and we expect our new Trustees to share that ethos and see good counselling as a way to live out our christian values in our community.

Lived experience of or clinical practice in the field of mental health would be welcomed to enable greater insight into our counselling work.

We are keen to maintain a diverse board that reflects our very diverse local community.

South Mitcham Community Association (SMCA) is looking for new Trustees.

We are a small charity, running a much-valued community centre in the heart of Mitcham.

We are looking for people to join our Board of Trustees, helping us to meet our ambitions in creating a Community Hub.

If you have an interest in any of the following, then we would love to hear from you:

• Community development and outreach – meeting new people
• Developing new projects and activities
• Listening to others and putting forward their ideas and views
• Being an advocate and representing the charity

We need people with a range of skills, but commitment, interest and passion are just as important.

We meet every 2 months, and there may be the odd additional meeting, bit of work in-between.

This is a voluntary (unpaid) role.

Shape the future of anticipatory grief  support in Staffordshire for children and young people – Join us as a trustee 

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 someone 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.

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 a deputy treasurer with:

A good understanding of financial management and reporting

A recognised accounting, finance or similar qualification

Ability to analyse and communicate financial information to the wider Board

Willingness to provide financial advice and support to the management team as needed

Knowledge and experience of fundraising finance practice in voluntary and community organisations (desirable)

We are seeking to appoint a voluntary Trustee for our charity who will also take up the role as our secretary.

We are looking for someone who wants to make a difference; helping build & grow the charity with the benefit of good governance. 

Is this role for me?

As you would expect the secretary role will be responsible for supporting the Chair by making sure meetings are communicated, agendas are developed, & that minutes are produced with actions followed up. It would also involve maintaining a well-organised filing system of critical documents, policies & governance records, as well as ensuring compliance with reporting requirements such as Charity Commission filings. But this will not be a case of walking in & taking over the reins; we are going through a period of change & are looking for someone who will help us put in place the processes & controls needed for a well-run charity. 

We are looking for a secretary who will push us & keep us on track. Make no mistake, it will certainly be hard work initially as it will take some time as we work to get everything in place, so you would need to be ready to commit to this. Once things become established then it would be up to you just how much time you want to dedicate beyond keeping everything on track. 

Who is The League of Friends of St Mark’s Hospital Maidenhead?

The League of Friends have been supporting patients in St Mark’s Hospital for over 50 years, helping to provide equipment & an environment that enhances their comfort & care.

We maintain the gardens in the Henry Tudor ward & in Out-Patients, including providing outdoor furniture & planting, as well as providing a range of daily newspapers & making sure a nice cup of Nespresso coffee is available too. We have also helped the hospital over recent years by providing; a cardiac resuscitator, an ECG module, hydraulic treatment couches, specialised podiatry & audiology equipment, and software for a Dexta bone density scanner.

Why are you recruiting now?

While we are proud that we have been supporting St Mark’s for over 50 years, including during the COVID19 pandemic, we have recognised that we now need to need to “regroup”.

The charity has identified 2 immediate objectives; firstly, to develop our fundraising efforts as these have slipped since the pandemic, & secondly, to introduce standards of governance which ensure we fulfil statutory obligations & achieve best practice within a small charity environment. 

We have recently appointed a new Treasurer to strengthen financial controls, & a further trustee with responsibility for developing our marketing effort which will provide a firm footing for fund raising. Further trustees have recently been appointed which support our charitable giving within the hospital. But we recognise that we are lacking the skills, knowledge & disciplines that a good secretary can provide. 

What sort of person do I need to be?

• Hungry for change
• Tenacious
• Pragmatic
• Detailed & meticulous 
• Knowledgeable of charity regulations & best practice - or not frightened to find them out & go on to implement them
• A self-starter who is able to drive us towards the changes needed
• A strong communicator
• Tech savvy – able to use MS office & have the ability to work online as needed 

How much time would I need to dedicate?

You would need to have enough time to arrange, plan & follow up on Trustee meetings. At present these typically take place in alternate months but there may be a need to move these to monthly as the charity grows. One of these meetings will also include the AGM. Meetings are held in Maidenhead.

As secretary there will be other activities which will require action between meetings, for example, keeping the Charity Commission updated, maintaining policies & renewing insurance. While these activities are not onerous their timely upkeep is obviously important.

One of the key features of this appointment will be the need to drive change & establish good governance within the charity. Although we are looking for someone who can help move this forward at speed, we also recognise that “Rome wasn’t built in a day”!

What will I get out of it?

• Helping to make the lives of patients in hospital more bearable is hugely rewarding. 
• The role will be CV enhancing, demonstrating valuable skills & qualities to potential employers; particularly being able to illustrate your ability to influence & to drive change

Is there anything else you think I should know?

Apart from attending our meetings in Maidenhead all other work should be able to be done from home.

This is a volunteer role & necessary expenses incurred will be reimbursed.