26 Side volunteer roles

We’re looking for passionate, innovative and committed Trustees to join our brilliant Board and help us write our next chapter.

Age UK Islington is an independent charity, operating within the Age UK network. We empower people to improve or maintain their health, wellbeing, connections and independence, through a diverse range of impactful services with a focus on prevention and person-centred care. Although we work primarily with over-55s, our services support an increasing number of younger people, and we are the lead agency supporting unpaid carers of all ages across Islington.

This is an exciting time to join the charity, with a new CEO in post and ambitious plans to expand our impact during a period of significant external changes. Our services are performing strongly, and we are fortunate to be in a position of relative financial stability, so we are well positioned for growth and innovation.

If you are passionate about our cause, enjoy teamwork, and can commit to the responsibilities of being a trustee at Age UK Islington, we'd love to hear from you. We are particularly interested in hearing from candidates with expertise and experience in the following areas:

· Digital Transformation, including cybersecurity and AI

· Finance and Investments

· Fundraising and Income Generation

· NHS / Health and Social Care leadership

How to apply or enquire about the role, see contact details within the 'How to Apply' section

Opportunities across Hertfordshire, Luton, Bedfordshire and Solihull

Make a real difference to the life of a child or young person

The National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS) is a leading children's rights charity dedicated to supporting and empowering children, young people and care leavers.

We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to join our Independent Visitor and Side by Side services, helping children and young people build confidence, reduce isolation and achieve positive outcomes.

This is a rewarding opportunity to make a genuine difference in someone's life while gaining valuable experience and becoming part of a supportive volunteer community.

Which volunteering opportunity is right for you?

Independent Visitor Volunteer

Children and young people in care deserve the opportunity to build trusted, positive relationships with adults who can offer consistency, encouragement and support.

As an Independent Visitor, you'll spend quality one-to-one time with a child or young person, taking part in activities, sharing experiences and building a meaningful friendship.

Young Person Quote:

"It gives you a friend that you can spend time with doing the things you like to do."

We ask for a commitment of a few hours each month for a minimum of two years.

Side by Side Volunteer

Many care leavers face adulthood without the support network that many young people rely on. Leaving care can be an exciting but challenging time, with some young people experiencing loneliness, isolation and uncertainty about the future.

As a Side by Side Volunteer, you will provide practical and emotional support to a care leaver, helping them build confidence, develop independence and navigate life's challenges.

Whether it's helping them access services, supporting them in achieving their goals, or simply being someone they can trust and talk to, your support can make a lasting difference.

We ask for a commitment of a few hours each month for a minimum of 12 months.

What you'll do

Depending on the role, you could:

• Build a trusted, positive relationship with a child, young person or care leaver.
• Meet regularly for activities, outings and conversations.
• Offer emotional support and encouragement.
• Support young people to build confidence and independence.
• Help young people access opportunities, services and support.
• Promote their rights, wellbeing and aspirations.
• Maintain brief records of meetings and activities. You don't need specific qualifications or previous experience.

We're looking for people who are:

• Good communicators.
• Compassionate, reliable and non-judgemental.
• Committed to supporting children and young people.
• Able to respect and value individual wishes and feelings.
• Comfortable completing basic online records and reports.
• Willing to participate in training and ongoing support.

What you'll receive

• Full training and ongoing support from a dedicated coordinator.
• Regular supervision and volunteer support meetings.
• Reimbursement of reasonable travel and activity expenses.
• Opportunities to develop new skills and gain valuable experience.
• The chance to make a lasting difference to the life of a vulnerable child or young person.

Requirements

• Based in the UK.
• Enhanced DBS check.
• References and Digital Risk Assessment.
• Completion of relevant training.
• Ability to complete online tasks and reports.

Applicants for Side by Side must be aged 25+.

Volunteer Quote

"Volunteering with NYAS has reinforced my belief in the crucial role of community support in empowering the next generation. Witnessing the positive changes and growth in the young person I support highlights the tangible impact that dedicated volunteers can have on building a brighter future for vulnerable individuals."

Interested?

We would love to hear from you.

Apply today and help ensure that children, young people and care leavers have someone by their side when they need it most.

Microbiology Society is looking to find three new voluntary members of its Audit, Risk and Evaluation Committee to take up their roles on 1 January 2027.

Please see the Terms of Reference for the Committee below. The Terms of Reference also includes some information about what is involved in the committee as an external member.

Find out more about the exciting work that the Microbiology Society does by looking at our website.

To make an application, please email the following to Jo Manning

• Your CV (no more than three sides)
• A supporting statement (no more than two sides) that answers the following questions:
  - Why do you want to be an external member of the Audit Risk and Evaluation Committee for the Microbiology Society?
  - How do your skills and expertise could you bring to the role?

The deadline is 27 September 2026.

Please do let us know if you have any questions about the role by emailing Joanne Manning, Chief Operations Officer.

Walk side by side with those who have a vision impairment. Losing your sight or having no vision can be isolating. We are the charity in Cheshire, North Wales, and Halton that brings support to adults who are going through this, and we want to provide meaningful social opportunties.

Why volunteer for us?

• We offer full training on being a sighted guide
• You get to attend nice events like forest bathing, cinema, golf, and swiming
• We offer travel expenses for those who are local (approx 20 miles)
• It's an active role and you get to support someone socially.

Are you full of energy, like meeting new people, and want to make a real difference in your community? Join us as a Fundraising Event Support Volunteer and help bring our amazing fundraising events to life.

Whether you're cheering on runners from the side-lines, helping to run a tombola or collecting vital funds – there’s a role for everyone.

You'll be part of a passionate team, supporting our Fundraising and Events Team to create memorable experiences that raise vital funds for St Barnabas, Chestnut Tree House, and Martlets.

Please note you must be over 18 to apply for this role.

Action for Refugees in Lewisham is looking for a trustee to act as secretary, supporting the board's governance role helping AFRIL deliver for refugees and vulnerable migrants in south-east London. Time commitment is flexible, and not onerous, and formal company secretary functions are supported by a member of staff.

AFRIL was founded in 2006 to support asylum seekers, vulnerable migrants and refugees in south-east London to lift themselves out of poverty and rebuild their lives in the heart of our community. Our support is holistic: both crisis support to meet immediate need, and longer-term, flexible programmes that tackle the underlying problems that lead to crisis, supporting people to integrate, contribute and thrive. We work in the community across south-east London, including in local asylum hotels.

We are a small charity, with mostly part-time staff, but we make a significant difference. Our client group is predominantly people in, or with experience of, the asylum system. We also support newly granted refugees, and migrants with no recourse to public funds who have complex and unmet protection needs.

AFRIL's board of trustees is collectively responsible for supporting and challenging the charity to oversee its good governance and proper financial control in line with its charitable aims and strategic plan, charity law, and all other relevant legislation. The time required of trustees is not onerous, and is flexible - although it is, of course, possible to take on more responsibility and expand your time commitment.

As a board member, you will be expected to be available for board meetings approximately every two months, which are generally an hour and a half long and take place in a weekday evening. These mostly take place online, with occasional hybrid meetings or meetings in-person.

As secretary to the board, you will be responsible for the timetabling of meetings, the agenda, and for taking and sharing a minute of board meetings – just main points and actions – to support the board in carrying out our remit. You may also assist with other areas of support to the governance for the charity, such as ensuring that we maintain regular review of the organisation’s policies, and providing some assistance from time to time to the member of staff leading on liaison with the Charity Commission and Companies House.

You will also need to be able to commit some ad hoc time to consider papers ahead of meetings, and occasionally to take part in email discussion on issues as they arise. You would also be expected to attend the charity’s AGM, which tends to take place on a Saturday afternoon in January/February.

We value diversity in our trustee team, as we do in the staff team. We particularly welcome applications from anyone who can bring lived experience of the immigration and asylum system, and are always keen to see applications from people with experience with fundraising, or with HR. We welcome applications from everyone, regardless of age, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religion or belief.

To apply, please submit a short (no more than one side of A4) letter explaining why you would like to join AFRIL’s board, and what skills and experience you would bring to the role, along with your CV.

TRUSTEE MARY WARD SETTLEMENT

Stratford London hybrid

Unpaid role

Voluntary

Education, legal and community services

Actively interviewing

Job Description

Join the Boards of the Mary Ward Settlement, the Mary Ward Legal Centre and the Blackfriars Settlement at a pivotal time for the charities, as the Settlement has relocated to purpose-built accommodation in Stratford. The Mary Ward Settlement has a proud heritage as part of the Settlement Movement which developed in the late 19th Century as a response to urban poverty and social problems arising from industrialisation. Mary Ward founded the Settlement in 1892 to “provide public education and social service for the benefit of the community” at a time and in an area where great wealth and great deprivation stood side by side, much as they do today – the Settlement’s work continues to be important.

Currently the Settlement delivers its services via:

· The Mary Ward Centre – an Institute of Adult Learning and an adult and community learning provider offering a wide range of learning opportunities for local and pan London residents funded primarily by the Greater London Authority.  Most accredited provision is at Level 2 or below in Essential Skills (ESOL, English and Maths and Digital Skills.  There is also a significant and thriving non-accredited offer of courses ranging from 12 weeks to one day workshops, the majority of which are Art and Design. 

· The Mary Ward Legal Centre – providing free specialist legal advice on housing, welfare benefits and debt. We also provide free legal advice as part of our pro bono clinic in the areas of employment, housing, small claims, consumer, and family.

· The Blackfriars Settlement – providing services to the community including health and well-being for older people, and mental health and wellbeing services to support people achieve their goals and stay well.

The Settlement is looking for people who are passionate about social justice, lifelong learning and education, and the importance of strong local communities to foster wellbeing for all. This is an opportunity to:

· Apply your skills and experience in a leadership role.

· Gain board-level experience and enhance your CV

· Support a vital organisation during a time of transformation

· Contribute to the local community.

As part of the Board, you will:

· Set strategic direction

· Hold leadership to account

· Ensure governance excellence

· Act as a charity trustee and company director ensuring financial sustainability and legal compliance.

We welcome people who have knowledge and experience of working in the following areas including but not limited to:

· Education, particularly with Adult and Community Learning, FE or Local Authority experience

· Finance, Audit and RIsk

· IT and cyber security

· Legal, Governance and Compliance

· Marketing, HR, Communications and PR

· Fund Raising

· Health and wellbeing

· Charity

· Community work, including volunteering in your local community

Most meetings are remote, but two or three meetings a year will take place in Stratford, East London.

About The Pinnacle Centre

The Pinnacle Centre is a third space in Birmingham helping young adults grow holistically. We work across three domains: personal development, sports and wellbeing, and community and belonging.

Vision 2030 is where that work is heading. We're building a multi-purpose centre in Birmingham — sports facilities, co-working space, an auditorium and a café — designed as a home for young adults to train, work, learn and gather.

Role Summary

You bring in corporate support — sponsorship, charity-of-the-year partnerships, in-kind giving and employee fundraising. You build relationships where the business genuinely gets something back.

Key tasks

1.  Prospecting

○ Identify businesses whose interests align with Pinnacle's work and audience.

○ Research decision-makers and the best route in.

○ Maintain a prospect pipeline with clear ownership so approaches never collide with other teams.

2.  Proposition & pitch

○ Build sponsorship packages with clearly defined deliverables and honest value.

○ Pitch to businesses and negotiate terms.

○ Agree everything in writing before delivery begins.

3.  Delivery & stewardship

○ Deliver what was promised: visibility, access, engagement and reporting.

○ Provide sponsors with evidence of impact and reach.

○ Renew partnerships before they lapse rather than after.

4.  Coordination

○ Coordinate with the Partnerships Lead so one organisation has one relationship with us.

○ Work with Events on sponsor presence and experience on the night.

○ Report income and pipeline to the CFO.

What we're looking for

● Sales, business development or sponsorship experience.

● Confident with senior business contacts and comfortable making the first approach.

● Commercially minded — you can structure something where both sides win.

● Strong follow-through; the role is mostly what happens after the pitch.

● Knowledge of the Birmingham business network (desirable).

What we have to offer

● Real ownership of a function, not a task list — you will shape how it works, not just execute someone else's plan.

● A seat in a team building towards a 2030 horizon, with a clear line of sight to the leadership team.

● Access to our network of founders, professionals, entrepreneurs and investors through Pinnacle's events programme.

● Training, mentoring and the opportunity to build and lead a team of your own as the organisation grows.

● The reward of building something in your city that will outlast all of us.

Please note: this is currently a volunteer position. Reasonable expenses for travel, equipment and refreshments are reimbursed in line with our Expenses Policy. As Pinnacle grows and funding allows, we expect several senior roles to move to paid positions, and volunteers already in post will be considered first.

About The Pinnacle Centre

The Pinnacle Centre is a third space in Birmingham helping young adults grow holistically. We work across three domains: personal development, sports and wellbeing, and community and belonging.

Vision 2030 is where that work is heading. We're building a multi-purpose centre in Birmingham — sports facilities, co-working space, an auditorium and a café — designed as a home for young adults to train, work, learn and gather.

Role Summary

You build the non-financial relationships that give Pinnacle reach and credibility — mosques, universities, community organisations, sports clubs and local institutions. Corporate Partnership handles money; you build mutual value.

Key tasks

1.  Relationship building

○ Map and prioritise the organisations worth partnering with across the city and country.

○ Make first approaches and build genuine working relationships.

○ Define what Pinnacle offers a partner, not only what we want from them.

2.  Partnership delivery

○ Agree scope in writing through MOUs or referral arrangements.

○ Coordinate joint events, cross-promotion and shared initiatives.

○ Deliver our side properly, so partners want a second year.

3.  Reach & audience

○ Use partnerships to reach young adults we are not currently reaching.

○ Support Marketing with partner distribution channels.

○ Represent Pinnacle credibly at partner events.

4.  Coordination & records

○ Coordinate with the Corporate Partnership Lead so one organisation has one relationship with us.

○ Maintain the partnerships register: status, owner, value and renewal date.

○ Report on partnership activity to the CMO.

What we're looking for

● Relationship-building or community engagement experience.

● Confident making a first approach to someone you do not know.

● Strong follow-through — most partnerships die of neglect.

● Credible representing Pinnacle without senior cover in the room.

● Knowledge of Birmingham's community and institutional landscape (desirable).

What we have to offer

● Real ownership of a function, not a task list — you will shape how it works, not just execute someone else's plan.

● A seat in a team building towards a 2030 horizon, with a clear line of sight to the leadership team.

● Access to our network of founders, professionals, entrepreneurs and investors through Pinnacle's events programme.

● Training, mentoring and the opportunity to build and lead a team of your own as the organisation grows.

● The reward of building something in your city that will outlast all of us.

Please note: this is currently a volunteer position. Reasonable expenses for travel, equipment and refreshments are reimbursed in line with our Expenses Policy. As Pinnacle grows and funding allows, we expect several senior roles to move to paid positions, and volunteers already in post will be considered first.

Inclusive Boards is delighted to be supporting Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance in their search for two new Trustees.

About  Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance

The Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance (LNAA) is one of the UK’s leading Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) charities, providing rapid, life-saving critical care across Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Our Helicopter and Critical Care Cars take the expertise of the hospital directly to the scene of the emergency, reaching any point in our two counties in under 20 minutes. Each mission costs approximately £4,000, and with over 32,000 missions since our founding in 1994, our service is made possible entirely through the generosity of the communities we serve.

LNAA is in a period of significant growth and transformation. We celebrated our 30th anniversary and our 30,000th mission in 2024 and were rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission in 2025 – a milestone that reflects the exceptional standards across our entire organisation. Looking ahead, our five-year strategy focuses on expanding our service further, including the introduction of a second helicopter in 2027 to ensure we can be by the side of even more patients when they need us most.

About the Trustee roles

To support this ambitious strategic direction, LNAA is seeking to appoint two new Trustees: one Generalist Trustee who will bring broad strategic leadership experience and sound governance judgement, and one specialist Trustee with expertise in Digital Technology and AI.

Role 1: Generalist Trustee

A strategic and collaborative leader, bringing broad experience, sound judgement and the ability to contribute constructively to Board discussion across a range of areas.

Essential:

Senior-level strategic leadership or governance experience. Ability to contribute broad perspective, constructive challenge and sound judgement to Board discussions.

Desirable:

• Experience in areas such as Finance, Aviation, Commercial leadership, Marketing or another relevant discipline.
• Familiarity with the charity or not-for-profit sector.

Role 2: Digital Technologies / AI Expertise

Use your skills and expertise to provide insight into digital transformation, AI innovation and emerging technologies, ensuring our work remains relevant, ethical and future-ready.

Essential:

• In depth knowledge of Digital and AI technologies, including strategy and emerging trends.
• Experience providing strategic oversight or advisory input at board or senior level.

Desirable:

• Awareness of ethical and regulatory issues around AI and digital transformation.
• Track record in driving digital innovation, ideally in a non-profit or public sector setting.

Seeking a Chair/Co-Chair and a Treasurer

Are you passionate about helping children develop a love of reading? 

We are looking for a Chair/Co-Chair and a Treasurer with Board level experience to support our small but mighty charity to bring the joy of reading to primary school children across the country.

Location: Online Salary: Voluntary with reasonable expenses reimbursed

Deadline for applications: 30th September 2026

About Us:

The Children’s Bookshow is a national charity that inspires children with a love of books and reading through an annual programme of inspiring theatre and digital performances and engaging creative workshops. We showcase some of the best authors and illustrators of children’s books from around the world, and celebrate children’s literature in translation. 

We are an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation that has been running successfully for 24 years. Each year, we deliver 15 events in venues ranging from iconic theatres such as The Old Vic in London to community spaces and smaller scale theatres such as the New Wolsey in Ipswich, plus a programme of 60 creative workshops in primary schools. We target areas of high socio-economic deprivation, support environmental sustainability, and partner with local authorities, libraries and education providers. Every child who attends our theatre performances receives a free copy of the author’s book to take home and keep. This is integral to our offer - putting excellent books directly into the hands of children.

“Having Frank Cottrell-Boyce in for a free workshop really did make such a difference to our school and to our children. Frank was able to inspire every single child to write, no matter their need or ability, and children who would normally be reluctant to share their ideas in front of the class were confident to do so. Every single one of them went home talking non-stop about the amazing author they had met - with many now inspired to become authors. I can't put into words how grateful we are or how much of an impact those couple of hours have had on both the children and staff.”  Teacher,Winyates Primary, Peterborough

The opportunities:

If you have the expertise and passion to support our work and help us to deliver the impact and change experienced by Winyates Primary, then we would love to hear from you!

Thanks to successful fundraising, The Children’s Bookshow is financially stable for the next two years. Iterative growth and continued financial sustainability are crucial for us to fulfill our aspirations for the future: 

• Give more primary school children the invaluable experience of a live author event at a local theatre.

• Enable children to work creatively with a world class artist in their own classroom.

• Increase book ownership by putting a free book into the hands of every child who attends one of our performances.

We are recruiting a Chair/Co-Chair and a Treasurer to join our Board of highly-skilled, committed and friendly Trustees to guide and support us in achieving these aims.

Chair/Co-Chair:

We are looking for a passionate and dedicated Chair/Co-Chair to lead our Board of Trustees. You will work with our Board to ensure good governance, and act as a supportive, critical friend to our Senior Leadership team. 

What You Will Do

• Lead Board meetings and maintain focus on our core mission.

• Support and guide our CEO and Senior Leadership Team.

• Collaboratively with Trustees, ensure our charity complies with legal duties and Charity Commission regulations.

• Act as an external figurehead to help raise our profile.

We Are Looking For:

• A commitment to the values and mission of our charity.

• Strong strategic leadership, communication, and listening skills.

• A supportive, engaged and positive approach helping to move our charity forward to achieve our shared aims.

Time commitment: around 8-10 days per year.

Treasurer:

We are seeking a new Treasurer to ensure high standards of financial governance and decision-making, and to act as a key sounding board for the Co-Directors in the financial planning, management and reporting of our charity. This will include overseeing our annual budget and cashflow and quarterly management accounts, and advising on how best to invest our reserve fund. 

We are looking for: a skilled and experienced  finance professional, ideally with accountancy qualifications, with Board level experience with a UK charity and an interest in our work.

Time commitment: around 5-7 days per year.

Meetings:

There are typically four Board meetings a year lasting around an hour. Three of these meetings take place online and we endeavour to meet in person once a year in central London for a meeting followed by lunch. We welcome Trustees to attend our theatre performances and online events wherever possible to directly experience our work. 

We also have a Finance and Operations Committee that occasionally meets online and reports to the Board, which Trustees are invited to opt into to share their expertise in specific areas such as Finance, Staffing, Fundraising and Development. 

How to apply

Please email your CV and a covering letter (each a maximum of 2 sides of A4) detailing your relevant expertise and experience for the role of Chair/Co-chair or Treasurer, and why you would like to be part of The Children’s Bookshow. We look forward to hearing from you. 

The Children’s Bookshow is committed to creating a collaborative Board of Trustees that is inclusive and representative of our society. We actively encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds and from all sections of society to apply. 

The opportunity

The Finance and Audit Committee (FAC) provides BIICL’s Board of Trustees with oversight and assurance on our finances, controls, investments, and audit. We're looking for a chartered accountant or senior finance leader to chair the Committee and join our Board of Trustees at a pivotal moment: a new Director and CEO, a new Director of Operations in post, and a new strategy launching in 2027. You'll bring real technical credibility and the judgement to translate financial detail into confidence for a Board whose backgrounds are mostly legal and academic. In return, you'll help shape the next chapter of one of the world's most respected independent legal institutes.

The current Chair’s term ends in December 2026. We are seeking a successor to join in October, allowing time for handover and induction ahead of the November FAC meeting and the December Board meeting.

Purpose of the role

The Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee provides strategic, non-executive financial oversight rather than day-to-day accounting.

As a trustee, you hold joint legal and fiduciary responsibility for the charity’s overall governance, strategic direction and financial health.

As Committee Chair, you will act as a trusted advisor and critical friend to the Director and Chief Executive and the Director of Operations, ensuring that BIICL’s income is robustly governed, financial risks are mitigated, and resources are deployed optimally to deliver maximum social impact. BIICL outsources financial management to a specialist non-profit accountancy firm, overseen internally by the Director of Operations; you’ll evaluate how well that arrangement is working and recommend change if needed. 

Key responsibilities

Strategic financial oversight

· Budgetary scrutiny: oversee the annual £2.5m operational budget and financial forecasts provided by the executive team.

· Performance monitoring: review quarterly management accounts, analysing variances, cash flow health, and performance against key performance indicators (KPIs).

· Reserves management: champion the regular review of a robust Reserves Policy to safeguard the charity against sudden funding fluctuations.

· Investment assets: oversee the performance of the charity’s cash reserves and any investment portfolios, ensuring alignment with ethical investment strategies.

Audit, risk and internal controls

· Statutory reporting: lead the FAC in reviewing the Annual Report and Accounts, ensuring compliance with Charity SORP FRS102 and statutory filing deadlines.

· External audit: manage the relationship with the External Auditor, leading on the tender process and reviewing the post-audit management letter.

· Risk mitigation: oversee the financial section of the organisation’s risk register, ensuring internal controls are sufficient to prevent fraud and compliance failures across complex funding streams, and ensure FAC oversight of the wider Risk Register.

· Fiscal compliance: monitor compliance with complex tax regimes relevant to this scale, including VAT, Gift Aid, and trading subsidiary operations (as applicable).

Committee leadership and Board reporting

· Meeting governance: set the agenda and chair quarterly FAC meetings, fostering an environment of collaboration, constructive, and high-quality challenge.

· Board communication: report clearly to the full Board of Trustees, translating complex financial positions into strategic insights for non-financial board members.

Statutory trustee duties

· Legal compliance: ensure the charity complies with charity law, company law, and all other relevant legislation or regulation.

· Strategic direction: contribute actively to the Board of Trustees in setting the charity’s overarching vision, mission, values, and strategic goals.

· Asset protection: act as a responsible custodian of the charity’s assets, ensuring funds are spent solely in furtherance of its charitable objectives.

· Effective governance: attend and actively participate in full quarterly Board meetings, the Annual General Meeting (AGM), and strategic away days.

· Collective decision-making: maintain the principle of collective board responsibility, upholding and supporting decisions made by the wider board.

Legal and regulatory frameworks

The postholder is required to understand, uphold, and apply the following core regulatory frameworks:

· The 6 Essential Trustee Duties (Charity Commission Guidance CC3): You share collective legal liability to ensure the charity carries out its purpose for the public benefit, complies with its governing document, acts in the charity's best interests, manages resources responsibly, acts with reasonable care and skill, and remains fully accountable.

· Financial Reporting Standards 102 and the Charities SORP: Because our annual income exceeds £250,000, the accounts must be compiled under the Statement of Recommended Practice (Charities SORP), transparently separating restricted, unrestricted, and designated funds.

· The Charity Governance Code: Our Board intends to benchmark itself against this code. You will directly champion Principle 5 (Board Effectiveness) and Principle 6 (Risk and Control) to ensure internal controls are regularly evaluated.

Person specification

Experience and qualifications

· Financial qualification: chartered status (e.g. ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA) is essential.

· Senior leadership: proven experience operating as a CFO, Finance Director, or partner in a professional services practice in an organisation of similar or larger scale.

· Sector expertise: strong working knowledge of Charity SORP, restricted and unrestricted funding, and UK charity law is highly desirable.

· Governance background: previous experience as a trustee, non-executive director, or committee member is advantageous.  

Core skills and attributes

· Strategic clarity: ability to look past the numbers to see systematic risks and strategic opportunities.  

· Collaborative challenge: ability to robustly hold senior staff and third-party advisors to account while maintaining a supportive, professional working relationship.

· Communication: ability to explain intricate financial matters plainly to non-financial audiences.

· Commitment to the cause: a demonstrable passion for the charity’s core mission and alignment with its values. 

Terms of appointment

Term:

Trustee appointments are for a three-year term, renewable for a maximum of two consecutive terms.

Time commitment:

Trustees are required to commit approximately 8-10 days per year. There are four board meetings, four FAC meetings per year, a strategy day, plus approx. 2-3 hours per month for executive consultation. 

Location:

London/Hybrid – FAC meetings usually take place online; Board meetings and strategic away days are in-person, usually at our London office.

Remuneration:

This is a voluntary role and is not accompanied by any financial remuneration; however, all reasonable travel and out-of-pocket expenses are reimbursed.

Reporting to:

Board of Trustees / Chair of the Board

How to apply

To apply formally, please submit a CV and supporting statement, each no more than two sides of A4, clearly outlining your suitability for the role against the criteria in the person specification and your motivation for applying.

Please include your home address, contact email, and mobile number.

We aim to acknowledge receipt within 2-3 days.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We expect to interview candidates from mid-September with a view to appointing by the end of October.

For further information about the role or to arrange an informal discussion, please contact Tom Asher, Director of Operations

Kiplin Hall and Gardens in North Yorkshire is recruiting Trustees to join the friendly and dedicated Board which oversees the management of this intriguing Jacobean house.  The house was built in the 1620s for George Calvert, Secretary of State to James I, and founder of the US state of Maryland. A member of the Historic Houses Association, the Hall and Gardens welcome 40,000 visitors a year. In 2025 we opened a new Welcome Centre at Kiplin with improved retail and catering for our visitors and with the support of MEND funding undertook major repairs of the Hall roof. The National Lottery Heritage Fund enabled us to create new galleries and improve our visitor access and services. There is a dedicated staff of 10 FTE supported by a team of 240 volunteers.

TRUSTEE - We are seeking a Trustee with skills and experience in finance/accountancy to join the Board. We are keen to recruit someone who can advise the Board on its financial responsibilities and has oversight of the Trust's finances. As a Trustee you will contribute to Kiplin's business strategy and forward plan, ensuring the organisation's financial stability and sustainability. Over the next 10 years we are planning further developments to enhance the visitor experience. We are keen to attract the right person to the Trust Board to help guide Kiplin through an exciting period of change and transition. 

INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR - We are also seeking a new Independent Director to join the Board of Kiplin Hall Trading CIC, our trading arm that looks after our retail and café. We are particularly looking for people with experience in cafés or other catering environments.

Our aim is to develop and broaden the diversity of our governance team, ensuring we have a variety of perspectives and backgrounds and are particularly interested in receiving local applications.

Help our registered charity with retreats or community events!

We are a registered charity, housed in a beautiful English medieval manor with an ancient courtyard and a magnificent timbered Great Hall, dating from the 13th century. It is situated in extensive grounds where deer roam freely and where squirrels run up and down trees.

We are recruiting volunteers to join and to help us run activities. In exchange of your work, we offer free board, including 3 meals a day. We hold retreats, workshops, and run a weekly community cafe intended to create an exchange between the Abbey charity and the local community. 
As a volunteer, you will play a crucial role in creating a welcoming and comfortable environment for our guests and visitors and you will greatly benefit from the interactions with our retreat visitors who come from all ways of life. 

You will have your own unique room in this ancient building BUT DEPENDING ON THE ACTIVITIES (usually during a retreat) YOU CAN BE ASKED TO SHARE A ROOM WITH ANOTHER VOLUNTEER — always around the same age and gender, and usually for no more than 3 or 4 nights. The rooms are not en-suite but there are showers and toilets nearby. The food provided is vegetarian.

PLEASE NOTE THAT YOUR STAY IS SUBJECT TO A ONE WEEK TRIAL. It is something to keep in mind before applying. This rule applies to us as well as to you: the first week is an opportunity for both sides to make sure that the arrangement is a good fit.

For UK nationals or people with the settled status, you can stay at the Abbey for up to 3 months. 

We expect volunteers to help 25 hours per week. You must be able to help flexibly, both independently and as part of a group, and without us having to chase you. Please note that we are expecting from our volunteers to help with whatever is needed rather than what they want to do. We expect volunteers to be responsible, proactive, mature and respectful. 

Most of the help is very straight forward and does not require special skills: we mainly need help to keep the place clean and tidy and to welcome guests and visitors. We are particularly interested in volunteers with housekeeping and hospitality experience, customer service skills, or volunteers able to help for different tasks as gardening, cooking, cleaning, DIY and so on. If you have a prior interest in mindfulness and/or meditation, we would be very interested if you would like to share your practice.

Your days off may not be the same from one week to another and you don't necessarily have consecutive days off. You will always work on Saturdays as we are running our weekly cafe and you may also sometimes work on Sundays depending on our activities, but you will have time off each week. The Abbey Manager and the Housekeeping & Volunteers Coordinator are  very cautious about providing the best balance possible between your work and your free time. Each Monday, you will have your weekly schedule.

After induction and training we like to get our volunteers straight into action. After training you would typically be expected to:
- Assist with cleaning, ironing and preparing the Abbey for our guests
- Give a hand in the kitchen and serve food to our guests and clients
- Welcome guests and visitors.

Please note that you will be sharing a house with a small group of people (usually between 5 and 6), mainly international volunteers, and we expect you to be part of the Abbey life (e.g. you don't take your meals on your own in your room). You will be living, eating and working among other people with different temperaments, cultures and personalities. The Abbey is not the place for you if you don’t enjoy socializing and if you don't wish to be part of a group. Of course, you will have plenty of time for quiet and solitude each day and there will be time for your own work, besides the Abbey tasks, if you are a digital nomad. And on your days off, you do your own things and live your life :)

Our house is a quiet and peaceful place, well suited for rest, reflection and respectful communication. It isn't a place for late night parties, illegal drugs and a city lifestyle — but if you like being surrounded by nature and meeting new people from different cultures as well as living and working together in a friendly and beautiful environment, then this is the place to be. You will have a lot of freedom, autonomy and time for yourself as long as the work is done and the house rules are respected.