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NEW CHAIR WANTED FOR AGE UK MERTON’S BOARD OF TRUSTEES
We are looking for a new Chair of Trustees who shares our values and passion for supporting older adults in Merton. The new Chair will formally take up the role at the AGM in November 2025.
About Age UK Merton
We are an independent charity operating within the national Age UK network providing services for older adults in the London Borough of Merton. Our role is to ensure older adults can access the support, services and care they need to help them to live active and fulfilling lives.
Our vision: Supporting our communities with opportunities to love later life.
Our mission: To provide quality advice and services that meet the needs of older adults in Merton.
Our values: quality, integrity, kindness, inclusivity and collaboration.
Our priorities
We are passionate about making a difference to the lives of older adults in Merton. Our Strategic Plan 2023-2026 outlines our three key priorities in support of our mission:
1. Providing high quality advice and practical support.
2. Building social connection.
3. Creating opportunities for lifelong active ageing.
Our services
Living Well: we deliver holistic person-centered home assessments creating a motivational action plan and supporting older adults to access services and improve their health and wellbeing.
At Home: we provide practical help to enable people to feel comfortable, safe and secure at home with domestic support, shopping and respite for carers.
Activity programme: our weekly-programme of activities includes chair-based exercise, Zumba, Tai Chi, social club with board games, craft club, quiz sessions, walking group, monthly special lunches and aqua fitness. We also run a wide range of out and about trips annually.
Information and advice: our trained advisers offer free accredited information and advice to older adults on benefits, health and end of life, housing, social care, local services and more.
Befriending and volunteering: we provide a high-quality, free, face-to-face and telephone befriending service, helping to reduce social isolation and promote independence.
Foot health service: we offer a low-cost paid-for foot health service for our clients.
Role description
As Chair, you will provide leadership and strategic direction to the Board of Trustees. Your regular responsibilities will include liaising with the CEO to set the agenda and agree the papers for Board meetings, chairing Board meetings, holding regular catch-ups with Trustees, and leading on Trustee recruitment and retention and Board development. In addition, you will also be the line manager to the CEO, holding regular meetings and undertaking the annual appraisal and objective setting. You will also sit on the Finance Committee (chaired by the Treasurer) and be responsible for determining complaints and grievances where a decision is appealed.
As a Trustee, you will have a number of core duties, including ensuring the organisation complies with its governing document, charity law, company law, and relevant legislation; ensuring it pursues its objectives as defined in its governing document; ensuring the financial stability of the organisation; and ensuring the effective and efficient administration of the organisation.
Person specification
Essential
· Previous Board-level experience, either as a Trustee or in another non-executive capacity
· Experience of chairing (either a Trustee Board or other professional experience)
· Strong leadership and interpersonal skills
· Willingness and capacity to devote the necessary time
· Good independent judgment
· A commitment to Age UK Merton and its vision, mission and values
· An understanding of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of Trusteeship
Desirable
· Some experience or understanding of the adult social care or health sectors
· An understanding of Merton as a place
To find out more and to apply
We welcome applications from all sections of the community. While we would especially welcome applications from people who live in our local area, this is not essential to success in the role.
If you are interested in applying, please send a CV (maximum 2-sides of A4) and cover letter (maximum 1-side of A4) to our current chair. Please also contact our chair if you would like to have an informal discussion about the role. The deadline for applications is 5pm on Friday 25th July 2025. Interviews will be held in August/September 2025 and the successful candidate will formally take up the role at the AGM in November 2025.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
- Location: UK-wide (Board meetings online, with occasional in-person events)
- Time Commitment: 8–12 hours per month
- Term: Initial 3-year term, renewable up to a maximum of 9 years
- Remuneration: Voluntary Role (expenses reimbursed)
- Start Date: October 2025
- Applications Open: July 2025
- Applications Close Date: 5 pm, Friday 5th September 2025
- Interview Dates: 15th September (PM) and 17th September (AM)
About DiMHN:
The Design in Mental Health Network (DiMHN) is a UK-based charity dedicated to transforming mental health environments through inclusive, evidence-based design. Our network brings together professionals from healthcare, design, policy, and lived experience to improve mental health outcomes and create spaces that promote dignity, safety, and healing.
Role Overview:
As a Trustee, you will help guide the strategic direction of DiMHN, ensure effective governance, and champion our values. Trustees are expected to provide strategic oversight and contribute expertise to subgroups or advisory functions.
Key Responsibilities:
- Shape and review DiMHN’s strategy, vision, and values.
- Ensure compliance with legal, financial, and governance requirements.
- Monitor performance and support the CEO and executive team.
- Act as an ambassador for DiMHN, promoting our vision, purpose, and values, as well as the work we do.
- Contribute to fundraising, research, and partnerships.
Why Join Us
Joining the Board of DiMHN presents an opportunity to shape the future of mental health environments across the UK and beyond.
You’ll be part of a passionate, forward-thinking community working at the intersection of design, care, and lived experience.
As a Trustee, you’ll:
- Shape strategic direction to drive meaningful change in mental health environments across the UK and beyond.
- Collaborate with a diverse network of leaders, experts, and lived experience advocates, influencing the future of mental health design.
- Provide governance and oversight that ensures the charity’s growth, sustainability, and impact.
- Champion inclusivity by elevating voices often excluded from design and decision-making processes
- Influence policy, standards, and innovation at national and international levels to embed evidence-based design in mental health care.
Who We’re Looking For
We’re looking for people who believe in the power of design to change lives. Whether you come from healthcare, design, research, lived experience, or another walk of life, if you’re motivated by the idea of creating more inclusive, compassionate mental health environments, we want to hear from you.
We have two Trustee vacancies and warmly welcome applications from both first-time trustees and those with previous board experience.
We value fresh perspectives and offer support to help you thrive in the role. We are especially interested in individuals who can bring insight in one or more of the following areas:
- Mental Health Services & Policy: Clinical, community, lived experience, commissioning, or estates, facilities and planning.
- Digital Health & Technology: Expertise in AI, immersive tech, digital platforms, or digital strategy in care settings.
- Finance & Commercial Strategy: Income generation, business development, or financial planning in health, social impact, or design sectors.
- Research & Evaluation: Academic or applied research, impact measurement, or policy analysis.
We’re also looking for Trustees who embody our values:
At DiMHN, our work is grounded in our core values. We’re looking for Trustees who reflect these values through both mindset and action:
Be Courageous – You’re willing to ask challenging questions, confront assumptions, and help push boundaries to make mental health spaces more inclusive and compassionate.
Empathy in Design – You understand that good design starts with empathy. Whether through lived experience or professional perspective, you value collaboration and co-production with those who access mental health care and support.
Evidence-Led, Impact-Driven – You’re curious, reflective, and motivated by real-world change. You use evidence to guide decisions and are focused on outcomes that make a difference.
Improve Together – You believe in learning together. You’re generous with your skills and committed to helping the DiMHN and the wider sector grow stronger through collective action.
Eligibility:
Applicants must be over 18 and eligible to serve as a charity trustee
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
We are actively working to improve the diversity of our Board, recognising that inclusive leadership strengthens both our governance and our ability to achieve our purpose. Diverse perspectives lead to better decisions, richer insight, and more equitable outcomes for the communities we serve.
We know that some groups remain underrepresented in charity governance, including people from racialised communities, disabled people, LGBTQAI+ individuals, younger adults, and people with lived experience of mental health. We also value regional diversity and welcome applications from across the UK. We encourage applications from
How to Apply:
Send your CV and a short written or video/audio statement (max two pages or five minutes), titled “[Your Name] Trustee Role.”
In your statement, tell us why you’re interested, what you’d bring, and any support you might need to thrive in the role.
This role is advertised as part of TPP's Free Giving Back Services. This volunteer advertisement copy has been supplied to TPP and applicants apply direct to the organisation. Please contact the organisation directly if you have any questions about this volunteer role.