Volunteer roles in woking, surrey

Join a small charity with a big heart and help shape our future.

Barefoot and Free is a grassroots UK-based charity funding respite breaks for families with neurodivergent children or children affected by trauma. We're growing from the ground up and we’re looking for passionate, creative Volunteer Fundraising Champions to grow with us.

This is more than a stepping stone role. It’s a real opportunity to be part of something long term that's meaningful, mission-driven, and deeply rewarding. You'll play a key role in shaping a small charity with huge potential and your efforts will directly impact the lives of families who truly need support.

Why Join Us?

Grassroots charity work is full of heart but it’s not without its challenges. We don’t have huge budgets, so we need fundraisers who can think outside the box, raise funds rather than spend funds and inspire others to get behind the cause.

But the rewards? They’re immense:

• You’ll see the direct results of your work as we grow together.

• You’ll gain invaluable experience for your CV and future roles in the third sector.

• You’ll be part of a close-knit team where your ideas and efforts are truly valued and supported.

Your Role

As a Volunteer Fundraising Champion, you’ll help us raise the funds we need to provide life-changing breaks for families. You’ll be the creative spark and the friendly face behind fundraising efforts that make a real difference.

Key Responsibilities:

• Plan, organise and deliver creative fundraising activities (raffles, online quizzes, challenge events, etc.)

• Engage and support individual fundraisers (e.g. sponsored runners, event hosts)

• Act as a key contact for fundraising volunteers providing encouragement, advice, and practical support

• Develop and maintain a central fundraising tracker (Excel or similar)

• Log all fundraising activity, targets, and deadlines

• Collaborate with our social media volunteer to promote campaigns

• Support recruitment and onboarding of new fundraising volunteers

What You’ll Bring

• Clear, friendly written and verbal communication

• Creativity and confidence in engaging with people online and offline

• Strong organisation and time management skills

• Self-motivation and the ability to work independently

• A genuine passion for our mission and grassroots charity work

• Experience in fundraising or event planning is helpful but not essential, heart and drive matter more

Time Commitment

• Flexible and remote

• Around 2 to 5 hours per week

• We’ll work around your availability this role can fit around your life, studies, job, or family

What You’ll Gain

• Hands-on experience in fundraising, event planning and project coordination

• Something impressive and meaningful for your CV or portfolio

• Real-world charity sector experience

• Friendly support and mentoring from a passionate team

• A strong sense of purpose, knowing your efforts directly support families in need

• References available on request

How to Apply:

Please send a recent CV along with a short note about yourself, including any relevant fundraising or event planning experience (formal or informal!)

We can’t wait to hear from you and hopefully welcome you to the Barefoot and Free family.

Citizens Advice Merton and Lambeth is a local charity dedicated to providing information, support and advice to individuals and families who live, work or study in Merton or Lambeth. We also work to raise awareness and understanding of the challenging issues affecting our clients and communities.

Aim of this role

· Work together with the R&C team to raise awareness trends of the concerns affecting clients locally as well as areas identified by national Citizens Advice, and raise call for evidence

· Together with the R&C team, promote CAML services by creating leaflets, posters and take part in content creation (written and video) for social media, website and LinkedIn

· Help CAML R&C team to monitor social media

· Feedback on activities in social media

· Adhere to Citizens Advice Merton and Lambeth’s aims and principles

· Maintain all relevant GDPR rules and regulations

Location

This role is based in our Mitcham office. Mitcham office has a car park.

What we are looking for

- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal are essential

- Understanding of the social media and how it functions

- The ability to build and maintain professional relationships and contribute constructively as part of the R&C team, as well as wider CAML team

- The ability to give feedback clearly and sensitively

- Good report-writing skills with the ability to condense important information and explain to a range of audiences. Able to research, analyse and explain complex information

- Good organisational and time management skills with the ability to work towards set deadlines. Ability to work on own initiative, within given guidelines

- Confidence in using a range of IT software, social media platforms, Canva

And we’ll reimburse expenses too.

Commitment

We are looking for volunteers who are able come in our Mitcham office for at least one day per week. 

Valuing inclusion

Our volunteers come from a range of backgrounds and we particularly welcome applications from racially minoritised people/people of colour, disabled people, people with physical or mental health conditions, LGBTQ+ and non-binary people.

If you are interested in becoming a part of CAML R&C team and would like to discuss flexibility around location, time, ‘what you will do’ and how we can support you please contact us. 

How to apply

Please visit our website to find out how to apply.

We are registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office and will process your personal data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Act 2018. Please refer to our online Privacy Policy for more information on how your personal data will be processed and stored.

ROLDA UK is registered charity that is dedicated to rescuing stray dogs in Romania, caring for them and ultimately finding them a forever home.

 Foster Carer's are crucial in our adoption process - they allow us to offer a seamless aftercare system that supports dogs if their initial adoptive home doesn't work out. As a foster carer, you will be on hand when you can to step in and offer our dogs a temporary home whilst they await their forever home - meaning we don't have to put our dogs in external kennels.

You will provide our special dogs a home away from home, be instrumental in their training and socialisation, assist in helping them meet their new, potential families. Our dogs come from a range of backgrounds so whilst experience with dogs is certainly useful, it is not necesarry as you will be guided and supported by our experienced team every step of the way. 

We do ask that:
-You are over the age of 23
-You are based in the UK
-You have a car and are confident transporting dogs to the vets/onward home
-Secure garden access
-Ideally no other pets or children but get in touch and we can discuss this on a one to one basis 

Fostering is an incredible way to give back, when you foster one dog you allow space for another dog in our shelter. We are here to help every step of the way, including covering all costs so you won't be out of pocket! If you are interested in changing a life, keen to learn about training, have the love and time to spare - we would love to hear from you. 

Cats Protection is the UK’s leading feline welfare charity and our vision is a world where every cat is treated with kindness and an understanding of its needs. Cats are at the centre of everything we do and our objectives are: homing, neutering and educating people about cats and their care. We help thousands of cats across the UK each year thanks to our network of dedicated volunteers, staff and supporters.

A bit about this role

As a charity we are able to help thousands of cats each year thanks to the generous donations we receive from members of the public. Our fundraising team leaders have the exciting and varied role of inspiring our fundraising volunteers to plan and deliver local fundraising events. Using their passion and imagination, they oversee a small team of fundraising volunteers who come together to raise the vital funds needed to cover costs such as veterinary bills and food. Our fundraising team leaders support their team of volunteers in all aspects of their roles, making sure our volunteers are happy, confident and supported.

What can you expect to be doing?

• Supporting and encouraging a team of fundraising volunteers 
• Planning fundraising events and activities with your team in the Swale area ME9, ME10, ME11, ME12, ME13
• Allocating tasks before and during fundraising events
• Keeping financial records from fundraising events
• Encouraging and promoting a professional image of Cats Protection 
• Following policies and guidelines and ensuring licences and permits are obtained for events

A bit more information about this role and the team

What are the benefits to you and the cats?

You will develop new skills, expand your knowledge and make a significant contribution to improving the lives of cats and kittens by helping raise funds and awareness through organising local events. You will also meet new people, make new friends and be part of a dedicated team of volunteers.

We’re looking for someone with

• Great people skills and the ability to bring out the best in others
• Excellent organisational skills
• The ability to prioritise and delegate
• An appreciation of the importance of handling money and charity resources responsibly
• Fine-tuned communication skills and a passion for engaging with people within your local community
• Basic IT skills to use Cats Protection systems - training and support can be provided
• Committee volunteers need to be aged 18+

Time expectation

Our fundraising team leaders usually spend three to four hours per week in this role, which is flexible and can be shared by more than one volunteer if needed.

Support, guidance and keeping you safe

At Cats Protection we believe our volunteers should be happy and confident in their roles. We provide support and guidance from our National Cat Centre and through our regional and local volunteer groups and teams. We offer engaging online and face-to-face training, expenses and have policies and processes to help volunteers get the most out of their time with us.

The wellbeing of our people is important and at Cats Protection we are committed to safeguarding children, adults at risk and all those that we come into contact with as part of our activities.

Closing Date:

We are reviewing applications on a rolling basis and applications will be reviewed as they are received.

The Role:

We are currently seeking a Finance Trustee to join our Board as Treasurer. It’s a voluntary role that requires a committed individual with financial expertise to take a collaborative approach, supporting our Trustees, our Head of Finance and Governance, and our management team to oversee the financial affairs of our charity and ensure that they are legal, constitutional, and within accepted accounting practice.

Our Organisation:

Greener and Cleaner delivers locally but thinks, and influences, nationally. Our vision is greener, healthier, better connected communities across the UK. We seek to achieve this through normalising 360-degree sustainable living, bringing the community together to make changes that can deliver a big impact. We have a non-judgemental peer-to-peer approach, so that all elements of the community feel empowered to take action in how they live, work, and play and in how they use their voice to push for change.

Treasurer Role:

The primary role is to ensure alongside other Trustees that they accept ultimate responsibility for the affairs of G&C and ensure that it is solvent, well run, and delivering the charitable outcomes for which it has been set up. As well as fulfilling the duties of a Trustee, the Treasurer ensures that effective and appropriate financial measures, controls, and procedures are put in place and reports to the Board at regular intervals about the financial health of the organisation.

• Overseeing the presentation of budgets, internal management accounts, and annual financial statements, as produced by the finance team or others where appropriate, to the Board of Trustees
• Ensuring that proper accounting records are kept, and that appropriate accounting procedures and controls are in place. 
• Liaising with any paid staff about financial matters, as appropriate.
• Ensuring that robust and comprehensive financial policies are in place and being implemented, and supporting the development of policies covering financial reserves, and cost management. 
• Overseeing financial controls and adherence to systems. 
• Drawing any major financial concerns to the attention of the trustee and the management team.
• Ensuring that the charity has appropriate reserves in line with its reserves policy, and monitoring and advising on the financial viability of the charity. 
• Advising on the financial implications of the charity’s strategic plan, including overseeing the charity’s financial risk-management process.
• Ensuring that the charity has an appropriate investment policy and that investments and assets are maximised.
• Leading on the appointment of and liaison with external auditors. 
• Overseeing the development and implementation of systems for appraising, mitigating, and reporting corporate risk. 
• Ensuring that the accounts are prepared and disclosed in the form required by relevant statutory bodies – for example, the Charity Commission and/or the Registrar of Companies.
• Keeping the board informed about its financial duties and responsibilities.
• Supporting other Trustees in understanding the charity’s financial position and decision making.
• Contributing to the fundraising strategy of the charity and its ethical fundraising policy.
• Making a formal presentation of the accounts at the Annual General Meeting and drawing attention to important points in a coherent and easily understandable way.

The Person We’re Looking For:

• A finance professional with a firm understanding of charity finance and some experience of fundraising and pension schemes.
• Knowledge of charity fundraising, bid writing, and/or other income generation and/or securing funding through creation or leveraging of partnerships and networks (at a national or local level).
• A strategic thinker with an ability to balance risk and opportunity and the skills to analyse proposals and examine their financial consequences.
• Clear communicator with the ability to explain financial information to members of the Board and other stakeholders.
• Willing to play an active role in areas such as forecasting, setting budgets, and liaising with auditors.

In addition, the Treasurer will also have the responsibilities and qualities of all Trustees.

Responsibilities of All Trustees:

• Demonstrating a commitment to G&C’s objectives
• Contributing to setting the strategic goals and monitoring performance by active participation in Board discussions and decision-making
• Actively assisting the charity to build their connections and partnerships for the purposes of most effectively delivering their goals and fundraising
• Ensuring that G&C complies with its governing documents, the law, and all other relevant documentation
• Helping to identify risks and ensuring appropriate controls are in place
• Helping the Board to make sound decisions by making available their own personal knowledge and experience
• Assisting the Chair to appoint and appraise the performance of the Senior Leadership Team members
• Sharing relevant skills and expertise with the Senior Leadership Team members
• Making all reasonable efforts to attend Board meetings, away days, development meetings, publicity events, and other such public functions as requested by the Chair
• Ensuring the charity’s focus on equality, diversity, and inclusion remains at the heart of its strategy and delivery

Trustee Person Specification:

In addition to the Treasurer role specific above, our Trustees will ideally also demonstrate the following:

• A commitment to the objectives and activities of G&C
• A willingness to devote time and effort to G&C beyond attending board meetings
• Have strategic vision, an ability to think creatively, and an appropriate level of financial literacy
• Understanding of and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities, and liabilities of their position
• Have good independent judgement
• Be willing to effectively act as part of a team
• Adhere to the Nolan Principles of public office: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, and leadership
• A willingness to allow the Employee/s to make reasonable decisions and to act within the limits prescribed by the Board

To Apply:

To see the full job advertisement with details on how to apply, and to learn more about the role and our organisation, please see the attached supporting documents.

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.

Treasurer for the Anthony Toby Homes Trust
 

Do you have financial skills and enthusiasm to help an organisation that provides “a home for living life” for adults with learning disabilities?

You could be the next Treasurer for Anthony Toby Homes, an incorporated charitable company that runs two residential homes in Wokingham, Berkshire.

Set up in 1974 to ensure that individuals with learning disabilities should have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else, the charity opened its first home in 1998 and now runs two homes, for sixteen people with learning disabilities.

With an Unrestricted Income of £1.1m in 2024, and a substantial Balance Sheet of £4m, the charity is poised to continue its mission; both homes achieved a Good CQC Rating.  

What we need from a new Treasurer 

Our Board includes people with experience and skills in supporting people with learning disabilities, and we’d expect our new Treasurer to have empathy with our cause and our beneficiaries. 

While your prior experience of managing finances, bookkeeping or similar is highly important, understanding of current financial practice for charities or SMEs would be useful; a grasp of the Charities SORP & FRS 102 would be welcome, but is not essential. Ability to communicate financial information clearly, especially to other trustees, is important. Support from our employees is always available, as they deal with the day-to-day finances.

Full induction to our organisation will be provided, plus support as a new trustee, including access to external training.

We are a charity not a business, but we apply business principles to governing our organisation. We want to expand the diversity of our board, in all meanings of the word, and strongly welcome applications from people from less-represented groups. 

The focus of a trustee role is strategic, and trustees will not be expected to get involved in operations on a day-to-day basis; however, regular liaison with other trustees and employees is expected.   

We ask for up to ten hours per month, which includes all meetings, discussions, etc.  You will need access to digital communications, as much of our charity’s business is run that way. 

How to apply  

This appointment is being managed for us by inVOLve Community Services, a charity-support organisation, who offer a no-obligation discussion by phone or video. A detailed Treasurer Recruitment Information Pack can be made available to you upon request.

Trustee appointments are subject to satisfactory references, to completion of an online Safeguarding course and an Enhanced DBS check. 

Your CV or similar will be read by our existing trustees, and an interview offered as soon as mutually convenient.

I need to know more 

Contact Mike Allen via Apply Now below for more information and arrange to have a no-obligation initial informal discussion ((Teams or Zoom).

Our vision for volunteering

Volunteering is and always will be at the heart of Cats Protection. It is joyful and inclusive. As a charity, working in partnership, together we transform the lives of cats, people and communities.

The difference you will make to cats and people

From elderly moggies to energic kittens, every day across the UK cats and kittens are in need of a temporary place to stay, and lots of love and TLC! We need more fosterers like you to provide a safe, temporary haven for cats and kittens and provide them with everything they need before they get their chance to land on their four paws and make a house a home.

You can expect us to 

• Make you feel welcome, included and respected in line with our values and behaviours
• Support you in having a positive and impactful experience at Cats Protection
• Ensure you have all you need in place to foster the cat(s) in your care, for example equipment and food
• Cover all your foster cats’ expenses and agreed out-of-pocket expenses in line with our Expenses Policy
• Provide you with access to learning, development and engagement opportunities

What we need from you 

• A stable, safe and compassionate environment in your home or in a purpose-built pen in your garden provided by us
• Enrich the cats’ experience in care including play, exercise and appropriate handling/interaction
• A willingness to complete some training in order to provide high standards of cat welfare
• Introduce cats to prospective adopters so they can find their forever home
• You can find out more about being a Fosterer on our website

Time expectation

Our volunteer fosterers usually spend around one and a half hours per day (around 10 to 13 hours per week) in this role, but this might vary depending on the number of cats or kittens in care.

You may be just the volunteer we've been looking for! 

We are committed to building a diverse, compassionate and inclusive organisation where everyone can be themselves and do their best. We are courageous and compassionate in our purpose of helping people see the world through cats’ eyes. Together, we can make a difference. Together, we are all for cats. Join the UK’s leading cat welfare charity and help make a better life for cats, because life is better with cats.

The National Heritage Science Forum connects organisations involved in heritage science research and its practical application, for the benefit of society. Heritage science brings together the arts and sciences to help us understand, care for and preserve our cultural and natural heritage - from analysing paintings at the sub-microscopic level to addressing global challenges like climate change.

The opportunities

NHSF is seeking four trustees to join its Board at an exciting and transformational time. The positions available are:

• two general trustees
• Honorary Secretary
• Honorary Treasurer

You would join us at a pivotal time for heritage science in the UK, with NHSF playing a leading role in a dynamic research landscape that includes a recent £80 million investment by UK Research and Innovation to establish the Arts and Humanities Research Council-led Research Infrastructure for Conservation and Heritage Science (RICHeS).

Who we're looking for

We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds who share our commitment to increasing collaboration, knowledge-exchange and communicating the value of heritage science to society. You don't need previous trustee experience or a background in heritage science - we'll provide a full induction.

We're particularly keen to encourage applications from people who can help us:

• diversify our income base
• develop our membership
• communicate our work to wider audiences.

What we do need is enthusiasm, commitment and fresh ideas to help raise the profile of heritage science and contribute to the long-term sustainability of this UK-wide charity.

Further information including detailed role descriptions is available on our website.

How to apply

Please send a CV and covering letter explaining why you'd like to become a trustee and which role interests you to by 23:59 on 10th November 2025.

Online interviews will be held in the week starting 24th November 2025.

The successful applicants will be proposed to the membership for appointment at the AGM in January 2026.

People & HR Director – Filling Good (Sustainable Retail Community Benefit Society)

Location: Remote/Hybrid – Maidenhead, Berkshire
Commitment: Voluntary (Approx. 4 hrs/week)
Application Deadline:We will interview candidates as we receive applications of interest
Start Date:  ASAP

About Filling Good

Filling Good is a community-led sustainable retail community benefit society on a mission to reduce waste, promote ethical consumption, and support local, eco-conscious producers. Based in Maidenhead, we are passionate about empowering our members and customers to live more sustainably. As a co-operative, we are owned and governed by our members and guided by values of fairness, transparency, and social impact.

Main purpose of the job

Recognising the primary importance of our volunteers, be responsible for all people-related issues and processes to do with volunteers, members, work experience and paid staff and occasional assistance with Duke of Edinburgh students.

This position is a volunteer position.

Key tasks

- Be responsible for recruitment and for issuing and maintaining contracts

- Members: manage membership lifecycle, from registration to end of membership: welcome emails, renewals, communication of information relating to training and the shop

- Maintain and when required be responsible for operating the grievance, disciplinary, and safeguarding procedures

- Make sure that the Filling Good community is nurtured with get togethers, laughs, etc…

- Training for volunteers

- Documenting organization and job descriptions

Ideal candidate:

- You have experience in HR and people-related processes.

- You have a good understanding of retail and shop floor working and the best approach to working with volunteers.

- You have about 4 hours per week to dedicate to the position, including some regular board meetings.

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. 

Help our charity to create new Allotment sites!

Green Allotments is a small, national, charity on a mission to create new allotment sites in England and Wales. 

We are currently looking for lovely volunteers for various roles which are all home-based:

Volunteer Desk-based Researchers (Our most popular volunteering role!)

Occasional professional/specialist micro-volunteers

Landscape Architect

Social Media Supporters

Welsh Language Translators / Gwirfoddoli Cyfieithwyr Cymraeg

There are no set hours when volunteering for us and you can turn down anything that you are offered. Obviously, we will treat you with dignity and respect.

We do not anticipate that you will incur expenses in this role. We expect our volunteers to already have an internet connection and be willing to use that as part of their volunteer role with Green Allotments CIO.

(At present we are unable to accept applications from under 18s, although we hope to be able to do so in the future as our charity grows)

Trustee – Toynbee Hall

Help shape a fairer future as a Trustee at Toynbee Hall

Toynbee Hall has been tackling poverty and injustice from our home in London’s East End since 1884. We work alongside local communities to provide vital advice and support, carry out research and advocacy, and create space for people to come together and shape solutions to the challenges we all face.

We are now seeking new Trustees to join our Board and help guide the next chapter of our work. Trustees play a crucial role in setting our strategy, safeguarding our mission and ensuring the organisation remains focused, effective and sustainable.

We are particularly looking for a Trustee with a background in finance, accountancy or financial decision making to join our Finance Committee.

You do not need previous experience as a Trustee as we will provide a full induction and support, but you do need to bring independent judgement, strategic thinking and a commitment to building a fairer future.

We aim for a Board that reflects the communities we serve and especially welcome applications from people connected to Tower Hamlets and the East End, as well as from candidates who are Black or Asian or who bring diverse lived experiences.

Time commitment: Four evening Board meetings a year, an annual away day, and membership of at least one committee, which meets up to three times a year, usually online. Trustees serve a three year term, renewable up to a maximum of nine years.

Applications are open until midday on 10 November 2025.

Trustee with a focus on income-generation, for Home-Start Wokingham District

Do you want to improve the lives of parents and young children in Wokingham  by focusing our charity on better income-generation?

You could be a trustee for Home-Start Wokingham District, an local charity that gives every child the best possible start in life.

Set up in 1996, we offer “a lifeline”, a free family support service to families with at least one child under the age of five, provided by volunteers who are parents themselves, to support other parents. That home visiting service is unique in Wokingham Borough, providing compassionate, confidential and non-judgmental help and friendship to local parents struggling to cope with the daily challenges of family life.

We are affiliated to national Home-Start UK, but we are an independent local charity responsible for our own governance and securing our own funding.

Our income in 2023/24 was over £100k, and we want to maintain at least that level in order to provide our services.

What we are looking for in an income-generation-focused trustee

Trustees are the people who make the top-level decisions for our charity. Our Board includes people with experience and skills in supporting parents, and we’d expect new trustees to have empathy with our cause and our beneficiaries. 

We’re looking for strategic focus on our income generation, for a trustee to guide and drive our plans to continue, and increase, our funding streams. You’ll offer support to our Fundraiser and Operations Manager, working with other trustees to develop and track all our income.

You don’t necessarily need prior experience of charity trusteeship, as support from local charity-support organisations is always available.  Full induction to our organisation will be provided, plus specialist support as a new trustee including access to external training.

If you can think strategically and plan long-term, you have the primary skills needed by our trustees; you’ll also need to be able to work collectively with other Board members.

We are a charity not a business, but we apply business principles to governing our organisation. We are looking for people from a variety of backgrounds to join our charity. We want to expand the diversity of our board, in all meanings of the word, and strongly welcome applications from people from less-represented groups. 

The focus of a trustee role is strategic, and trustees will not be expected to get involved in the organisation’s operations on a day-to-day basis; however, contact and liaison with other trustees and employees is expected.   

We ask for about ten hours per month on average, which includes all meetings, discussions, etc.  You will need access to digital communications, as much of our charity’s business is run that way.

How to apply  

This appointment is being managed for us by inVOLve Community Services, a charity-support organisation, who offer a no-obligation discussion by video. A detailed Role Description and Person Specification can be made available to you upon request.

Trustee appointments are subject to satisfactory references, to completion of an online Safeguarding course and an Enhanced DBS check. 

Your CV or similar will be read by our existing trustees, and an interview offered as soon as mutually convenient.

I need to know more 

Contact Mike Allen via Quick Apply, below, for more information and arrange to have a no-obligation initial informal discussion (Teams or Zoom).