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Welcome to the NHS Retirement Fellowship
Thank you for your interest in becoming the new chair of the NHS Retirement Fellowship. We are halfway through a five-year plan which is transforming the way we operate, how we engage with the NHS and other key stakeholders, and how we support our members currently and in the future. We have already come a long way from where we started and we are now beginning an ambitious plan of doubling our membership and raising awareness so we can continue with our mission of supporting retired and retiring NHS, health and social care staff. We are seeking a dynamic and professional chair with significant senior leadership experience in the NHS (or the broader health and social care sector) and/or extensive experience of governing a charity to work with us to deliver our vision.
Our Board is made up of a variety of professionals from across the NHS and beyond, a number of whom are members of the Fellowship. We work closely with our dynamic senior leadership team, branch officers and volunteers and have fostered an excellent working relationship for the benefit of our members.
The Fellowship has a small executive team of seven part time staff who all work remotely from home.
The potential for the NHS Retirement Fellowship is immense, and I very much look forward to welcoming you and working with you on this exciting journey.
Julia Hickey
Acting Chair
NHS Retirement Fellowship.
About the NHS Retirement Fellowship
“One of things that makes the NHS a special place to work is the sense of togetherness, belonging and family. So, when colleagues come to retirement, the Fellowship is a wonderful way of maintaining these things and allowing colleagues to continue their connection with the service. I think more can be done to help retired colleagues share experiences, perspectives and support and the Fellowship is ideally placed to do this.” Sir Jim Mackey, Chief Executive, NHS England
Our motto is fun, friendship and fellowship and it sits at the heart of everything we do.
The NHS Retirement Fellowship began in 1978 when retiring nurse Irene James recognised that for significant numbers of retiring NHS staff, their colleagues and friends had also become their family and that those pivotal connections could be lost. Our role has changed during that near 50 years as the NHS has changed and more latterly with the seismic transformation into a digital world. We now have almost 100 branches from the Highlands of Scotland to the north Devon coast and from Swansea in west Wales across to Norwich in East Anglia. About a third of our members are now national members, often choosing to engage on a more remote, digitally based basis. All our members have access to a portfolio of benefits which we offer, including our flagship travel insurance policy, and we are actively pursuing a partnership which would bring a huge range of benefits and discounts to our members. We also have a special fund to support members at a time of need.
Our branches run semi independently from our main charity with their own committees and bank accounts. Volunteers arrange a variety of activities for their members at local and regional level. National members, who choose not to join a specific branch, can join in with local activities and also have access to an increasing number of online based activities. We also hold an annual conference and AGM where the Board, staff and our members can all come together.
We are increasingly working with the NHS and other stakeholders in partnership to see how we can support employers and retain connections, experience and expertise at local level. We’re helping foundation trusts with governors, hospitals with volunteers and NHS charities with supporters. We’re looking to grow so that we are the voice of the retired NHS and wider health service community and see how our members can offer mentoring, support and guidance to the younger generations of NHS staff.
Our charity is looking to become a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) over the next year.
Our values and mission are unchanged from when Irene James recognised the need to continue to support NHS staff when they retired to enable them to retain links, mutual support and understanding and friendships built over the years in their shared working lives. The NHSRF supports people in retirement to maintain friendships and make new ones, from the NHS, health and social care sectors from a diverse background irrespective of race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation and to support each other through friendship.
Role description and time commitment
Our Chair will lead the Board in developing and delivering our strategy, working closely with, and providing line management and support to, our chief executive. They will also support our chief operating officer in preparation for Board meetings and our head of communications in the planning of our conference and other duties. Our Chair will also be a key representative of the Fellowship in meeting and liaising with key stakeholders.
Our Board meets remotely three times a year and once a year in person. We also have two strategy days a year and our AGM and conference which takes place over a weekend in October. There is also a standing invitation to our Members Council meetings, which are three times a year remotely and once a year in person.
Timeframes
The closing date for applications is noon on Monday 1 June. Shortlisting will take place in the following week with interviews to take place in London on Thursday 2 July.
Term of office
We are looking to appoint for a three-year period initially. This will take us through 2028 when the NHS will mark its 80th anniversary and the NHS Retirement Fellowship will celebrate its 50th birthday.
Our chair role is unpaid, but we will reimburse you for reasonable travel expenses.
We provide friendship, fellowship and fun to retired NHS and other health and social care staff, volunteers and their friends and families

We are looking for a new independent trustee who can bring fresh perspectives and objective judgment from outside our immediate membership to join our very committed board. The successful candidate will need to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of charity law and regulation.
Location: Attendance at 4 board meetings (mainly online but with 1-2 in London) each year, and attendance at the Board strategy day.
You may also be required to attend the Council’s annual general meeting and any other general meetings. There may also be additional requirements upon appointment and periodically thereafter for training days in the Council’s office in central London. There will be a full induction as part of the onboarding process.
Remuneration: This is as voluntary unpaid role. Reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed.
About: The Council of Deans of Health is a membership organisation and charity representing over 100 UK universities and colleges engaged in education and research for nursing, midwifery, and the allied health professions. At any one time, our members educate around 200,000 current and future professionals and carry out research that improves the population’s health and wellbeing.
Our Board of Trustees is responsible for oversight of the administration and management of the Council, which is led by the CEO who is accountable to the Board. The role of the Board includes setting and monitoring the implementation of the Council's strategy, and ensuring its financial sustainability and its compliance with legal requirements. The Board of Trustees will play an important role in taking forward the Council’s strategy, overseeing the continued growth of the Council, ensuring its financial sustainability, and avoiding exposing the charity’s assets, beneficiaries or reputation to undue risk. The Board comprises a mix of trustees drawn from our member organisations and independent trustees from a range of different professional backgrounds and experience.
Key responsibilities:
Some of the essential competencies we are looking for all Trustees:
Full details of the role and responsibilities required can be found in the candidate information pack. Please apply by following the instructions in the candidate information pack. The closing date is 22 May 2026 at 4pm.
The Council, on behalf of the UK university healthcare education sector, advances and promotes healthcare education & research for the public benefit.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Inclusive Boards is delighted to be working with Sheffield Hospitals Charity in their search for a new Chair!
Sheffield Hospitals Charity provides additional funding to Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Sheffield Health Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust who support people at every stage on life’s journey. From welcoming babies into the world on the Jessop Wing, supporting cancer care at Weston Park, specialist care at the Royal Hallamshire, Charles Clifford and the Northern General, to improving the mental, physical and social wellbeing of people in our communities. The support provided by Sheffield Hospitals Charity helps to improve the lives of people across Sheffield from patients and their families to our NHS staff who take care of them.
The Chair plays an important role in the governance of the charity, providing leadership to the Board of Trustees to work together, reach good collective decisions, and manage any conflicts. The responsibilities of our Chair are as follows:
Oversight and governance
Lead the Board of Trustees to support development of and approve the charity’s strategy and corresponding plan.
Lead the Board to make key strategic decisions in the organisation’s best interests and in line with its charitable objects.
Lead the Board in ensuring there is financial strategy oversight, and the organisation’s resources are managed responsibly.
Ensure the organisation is operating in line with charity law, charity regulation and its own governing document.
Build an effective, diverse board that can work well together for the good of the organisation.
Working with trustees
Support trustees with development and annual one-to-one reviews.
Help the Board work as a team, drawing on specific expertise, lived experience, and diversity of thought across the Board.
Chair board meetings and work with the CEO and EA to ensure they are well planned and minuted and that actions are circulated and followed up.
Ensure trustees are given the information they need to make decisions effectively.
Support the recruitment of trustees, identifying any skills or knowledge gaps.
Build a diverse board that functions in an accessible and inclusive way. The
Chair-CEO relationship
Manage the relationship with the CEO, providing appropriate challenge and support to help them effectively lead the charity.
Conduct the CEO appraisals and reviews and support their leadership development. Lead on CEO recruitment.
Relate any concerns of the Board to the CEO and Senior Leadership Team.
Work with the CEO to make sure the Board has all the information required, in a timely manner, to make strategic decisions.
Ambassadorial responsibilities
The Chair may be required, from time to time, to act as a champion and ambassador for the Charity.
Person specification
Candidates will need to demonstrate that they have the necessary experience and will need to demonstrate the following skills, experience, and attributes.
Essential
Passion for the National Health Service and an understanding of the role of health charities.
An ongoing and meaningful connection to Sheffield and good standing within the city.
Experience as a board member, trustee, non-executive director, or chair.
Strong comprehension of charity law, regulation, and the roles and responsibilities of a charity chair and trustee.
Skilled in strategic planning, financial management, risk management, and organisational performance.
Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to engage, influence, and negotiate with a range of senior stakeholders diverse in sector and profession.
Capable of building and maintaining relationships in a complex stakeholder environment with competing priorities.
Robust communication skills, both written and verbal, and the ability to communicate complex information to a range of diverse stakeholders.
The ability to lead effectively and inclusively during times of transformational change within and beyond an organisation.
Desirable
Previous chairing experience at the non-executive level.
Experience in working within the health and social care and/or charity sectors – either as an employee or appointee.
Experience in charity fundraising, income generation, marketing and communications.
Understanding of health-related research and innovation and impact assessment skills.
Well versed in people management, wellbeing and learning and development.
How to apply
The recruitment process is being undertaken by Inclusive Boards on behalf of Sheffield Hospitals Charity. If you wish to apply, please supply the following by 11:59pm on 10/05/2026:
A detailed CV setting out your career history including responsibilities and achievements.
A cover letter (maximum two sides of A4) highlighting your suitability for the role and how you meet the person specification. Please note, your cover letter is an important part of your application and will be assessed.
Details of two professional referees together with a brief statement of their relationship to you and over what period of time they have known you. Referees will not be contacted without your prior consent.
Please consider filling out our diversity monitoring form. The information provided to us is confidential, stored securely and separately from your application, and is only used to ensure we are meeting our obligations for equal opportunities under the Equality Act 2010.
For more information, visit Inclusive Boards' website.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
As a Trustee of Nottinghamshire Hospice, you will play a vital leadership role in shaping the future of our hospice. This is an opportunity to contribute to an established Board of Trustees who are responsible for the overall governance and strategic direction of the Hospice.
You will use your skills and experience to guide the future of the hospice, safeguard its resources and champion a culture shaped by Compassion, Trust, and Ambition.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
As our Chair of Trustees, we offer you a deeply rewarding role with the opportunity of personal fulfilment, leadership development, purpose and connection through your vital contribution to shape the strategic direction of a highly respected charity. You will ensure we achieve our mission to provide outstanding, free end-of-life care within our community.You will work alongside a skilled and passionate Board and executive team and have the chance to make a profound and lasting impact on the lives of local people and their families.
We are seeking a passionate Chair of Trustees to help shape the future of our hospice and champion our vision that everyone has the opportunity to die at home with our community-based hospice care.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.