Data analysis volunteer volunteer roles

We're seeking up to two new trustees with charity experience and local knowledge of in Barrow-in-Furness and South Cumbria who wish to use their skills to support brilliant causes in our community through making grants.

The Sir John Fisher Foundation invests in organisations that serve needs and grow ambitions in the area around Barrow-in-Furness. Our focus is funding core costs and projects that produce sustained results in the community, arts, music and education.

Being a trustee of The Sir John Fisher Foundation is an outstanding opportunity to deepen knowledge of philanthropy and the charity sector, or to build skills in strategy, governance, impact and charity finance.

As a trustee, your role is to work with other trustees to set our strategic direction, oversee the effective running of the charity and participate in the Foundation’s grant-making decisions. This includes:

• Assessing grant applications for our main and core grants programmes
• Attending two full-day board meetings per year, in person (usually around May and November in or near Barrow-in-Furness)
• Attending two further online board meetings per year, usually for ~2 hours
• Participating in site visits to applicants and grantees
• Contributing to planning and implementing the Foundation’s strategy, working with other trustees and staff, in line with our charitable objectives
• Overseeing the financial sustainability of the charity to fund our grant-making programmes, including our investments, mainly our shareholding in James Fisher & Sons
• Supporting the Foundation’s staff team with the general management of the charity
• Ensuring the charity meets its legal obligations as set out by the Charity Commission, and effectively fulfils its general functions and duties

We are looking for trustees with the following essential skills, knowledge and personal qualities, as well as demonstrating the values of the Foundation: 

• Commitment to the Foundation’s objectives and grant-making priorities
• Knowledge of the issues faced by people living and working in our geographical priority area (Barrow-in-Furness and the surrounding area)
• Previous experience working or volunteering for a charity
• A sound understanding of the responsibilities of charity trustees (or willingness to learn)
• Understanding of charity accounts (or willingness to learn)
• Strong strategic and critical thinking skills; a critical friend who can give challenge respectfully and be open to changing own views if necessary
• Excellent analytical and decision-making skills
• Personal integrity and humility; discretion
• Ability to work collaboratively
• Willingness to devote the time and energy required to trustee duties

Previous board, trustee or grant-making experience is not necessary. We are actively seeking candidates from a wide range of backgrounds, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, age, socioeconomic status, disability, sexual orientation, and professional expertise. We believe that diverse perspectives strengthen our governance, enrich our decision-making and ensure that our mission is carried out equitably. We encourage applications from individuals who bring lived experiences and insights that have been historically underrepresented in leadership roles.

We encourage applications from first-time trustees whose skills and backgrounds will enhance the board in other ways, as we can provide a thorough induction, trustee buddy, training and support. Through our memberships of the Association of Charitable Foundations and Yorkshire Funders, we can provide access to relevant grant-making training opportunities and networking with grant-makers on a regional and national level.

Apply by 5pm, Sunday 11th January 2026.

Hospice care for local people

Rowans Hospice is dedicated to improving the lives of people with a life-limiting illness.  We are a registered Charity, operated as a company limited by guarantee. The Board of Directors of the company are also Trustees of the Charity.

Established since 1994, our purpose is to enable support for those people in Portsmouth and Southeast Hampshire who need palliative and end of life care, irrespective of their diagnosis, ethnicity, religion, or age. Our services are provided free of charge, but each year it costs more than £7 million to continue our vital work.

Would you like to join us?

To help us in our endeavours, we need experienced members of the public to join our Board. We have a strong and committed group of Trustees, comprised of people with varied professional expertise and backgrounds. Working closely with the Hospice Senior Leadership Team, our Trustees have collective responsibility for the governance of the Charity and our strategic direction.

As a member of our Board, you will support and shape our work, as well as help us to achieve our key ambitions.  We want to further increase the diversity of thinking and range of skills and experience amongst our Trustees.  No previous experience as a Trustee is necessary, as we will give you all the support you need.  We are looking for people who have the capacity to contribute at Board level; who can think creatively and strategically; who share our commitment to providing high quality, compassionate care to those who need us; and who are able to devote the necessary time, effort and enthusiasm to the role.  

Currently, we are seeking to appoint up to three new Trustees and are particularly interested to hear from individuals who have senior-level Clinical; Legal; Marketing and Sales; or Finance experience.

The Board of Trustees meets at the Hospice six times a year.  Additionally, Executive and Trustee members of the Board’s sub-committees meet regularly to cover topics spanning Clinical Services; Governance; Human Resources; Income Generation; Retail; Estates and Facilities; and Finance and Audit.

Trustee roles are voluntary and unremunerated, but legitimate costs such as travel expenses can be paid.

We are seeking trustees with the following skills, to help us end poverty for older people across the UK:
fundraising
brand / marketing / engagement
business development / transformation / innovation / technology.

What will you be doing?

You would be joining a strong, experienced Board who are working together with our dedicated charity staff to tackle poverty in later life.

As we head into 2026, the final year of our current strategy period, we will continue to build on the strong foundations we've established, with the expectation that a new strategy will be approved at our September 2026 Board meeting. 

As well as being Board members, trustees generally serve on at least one of our Board committees.

What are we looking for?

We are seeking trustees who are concerned about the growing impact of poverty in later life on our society, and can bring us any of the following skills : finance, fundraising, brand / marketing / engagement, business development / transformation / innovation / technology. 

We particularly encourage applications from people who have backgrounds, characteristics or perspectives that align with the priority groups we have identified (please see pack).

What difference will you make?

Like all charities, we are run by a Board of Trustees that sets our overall direction. Our trustees also provide detailed oversight of our fundraising, finance, risk, investments, governance, impact services and policy work through Board committees. 

Join us – Independent Age is looking for new trustees!

Would you like to use your skills and experience to help us end poverty in later life? Independent Age is the only national charity focused solely on improving the lives of people facing financial hardship in later life. We currently achieve impact through three key activities: advice and support, grant-making, and policy, influencing and campaigning. This year, we have supported over 20,000 people who called our helpline and identified over £6.5 million in unclaimed benefits. We have awarded £3 million in grants, enabling local organisations to reach even more older people living in financial hardship. We also successfully campaigned for the Winter Fuel Payment to be restored to a large number of older people who rely on it, and to improve protections for older renters through the Renters’ Rights Act and the Housing (Scotland) Act.

We are looking to appoint several new trustees to our Board. We are interested in hearing from people who are concerned about the growing impact of poverty in later life on our society, and can bring us any of the following skills or experience:

•  finance

•  fundraising

•  brand / marketing / engagement

•  business development / transformation / innovation / technology.

Every day at Independent Age, we hear from older people who don’t have enough money for a decent standard of living. While they are resourceful, careful and resilient, and employ many tactics to make their low-income work for them, life is hard.

The people who engage with us are part of a group of two million older people living in poverty and a further million living with precarious financial security. Concerningly, our research shows that this number could rise to four million by 2040, without effective policy interventions. This projection must not become a reality.

Certain groups of people aged 65 and over are at greater risk of financial hardship, including one person households, women, people from racially minoritised groups, private renters, carers and people with long-term conditions or disabilities. We particularly encourage applications from people who have backgrounds, characteristics or perspectives that align with any of these priority groups. We’d also like to encourage applications from candidates outside the south-east of England and, in particular, from Scotland.

Previous trustee experience is not necessary because you would be joining a strong, experienced Board and we can provide mentoring and support. The time commitment will be around 1-1.5 days a month on average, focused around the quarterly cycle of board and committee meetings. Trustee roles are not paid. However, we want to help overcome the barriers some people might face to becoming a trustee. We pay reasonable travel, accommodation, subsistence and the cost of care provision for children and dependents when acting on behalf of the charity. Some of these costs can be paid upfront by the charity, if needed. We also pay reasonable costs associated with attending the initial interview.

How to apply

Further information and details on how to apply can be found in our Application Pack, which is included below.  A Basic DBS check is required for trustee roles in line with our safeguarding policy. 

The deadline for applications is Sunday 18 January.