Small grants officer volunteer roles in Edinburgh
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About us
My Life Films is an award-winning charity that uses film and TV to enrich and support the lives of people living with dementia and their carers. My Life TV is our specialist on-demand streaming service, specifically designed to meet the cognitive needs of people living with dementia, for use within care settings and at home.
My Life TV is carefully curated to enable people living with dementia to feel stimulated and connected to the world, improving their mental health and supporting their essential care.
Our high-quality content includes interactive shows like quizzes, singalongs, drawing and chair yoga; calming content, including animal and nature programmes and slow TV; a wide range of reminiscence programmes, from the 1960s onwards, and much more.
Since launching in 2021 we work with highly respected content partners, as well as producing our own programming, in partnership with trusted organisations in the dementia care field, and more widely. The Alzheimer’s Society, BFI, Royal Parks, Museum of Brands, BBC Archive and National Trust are just some of the partners we are proud to work with.
We have ambitious plans to scale up its use, so we can reach and support as many people living with dementia as possible.
About the role
Stepping in at the helm of a well-established Board, and working closely with the highly experienced Executive Director, our new Chair will lead My Life Films through its next phase of growth and impact.
The new Chair will review and reinvigorate the charity’s governance, ideally including a board audit, as well as challenging and interrogating the group’s strategic plan.
This role will suit potential candidates who are ready to step-up to chair a not for profit organisation. This means they are likely to bring current or previous board experience as a non-executive or trustee. Candidates may have experience in the care sector, health sector, charity or foundation, possibly an organisation involved in supporting people living with dementia. This experience could enable candidates to draw on networks in the care, health, charity, voluntary sectors, social enterprise or foundation. It will be important that the new Chair can demonstrate a personal passion and commitment to improving the lives of people living with dementia.
The Chair will also help guide the Executive in optimising the existing model, developing new opportunities by helping expand networks and making introductions when necessary. They will act as a critical friend to Executive Director, coaching and challenging as required and providing leadership and strategic direction to the Board.
They will hold the organisation to the highest ethical standards, ensuring compliance with all regulatory requirements and that My Life Films is run in the best interests of its stakeholders.
The Board of Trustees is the governing body of the charity and is collectively responsible for its success. All trustees must take decisions in the interests of the charity.
My Life Films has a trading subsidiary – MLF Productions Limited – and it is expected that the Chair of My Life Films will also Chair the trading company.
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Selection Criteria
When applying, we ask candidates to highlight any areas of expertise they can bring in the areas identified below.
• Skills and Experience –
Governance / leadership
• Any experience of operating at Board level in the voluntary, public or private sector preferably with a knowledge of the Social Care sector.
• Understanding of good charity governance, including trustees’ legal duties, financial oversight and risk management.
• Experience of chairing effective meetings and facilitating inclusive, robust discussion and decision-making Experience of fundraising, advocacy, campaigning, or working with regulators, commissioners or major funders.
Strategy and finance
• Ability to think strategically, interrogate complex information and focus the Board on priorities, impact and long-term sustainability.
• Strong financial literacy and ability to scrutinize budgets, management accounts and risk registers (not necessarily as a finance professional).
People leadership
• Track record of leading senior individuals or teams; able to coach, support and hold to account a CEO
How to Apply
If you are interested in the role, Maana Ruia a trustee with My Life Films and a member of Enter The Boardroom Community would be happy to fix up a time to talk to you.
Please submit your application to Julian Freeston The application should comprise a Cover Letter detailing your suitability and desire for the role (no more than two pages) and an up-to-date CV (no more than four pages).
The application deadline is 5pm, 29th May 2026
If you are interested in the role, Maana Ruia a trustee with My Life Films and a member of Enter The Boardroom Community would be happy to fix up a time to talk to you. Please get in touch via Details can be found on the website.
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Thank you!
The Willats Trust is a grant-making, cross-denominational Christian charity with a vision to see our estates and most deprived communities around the UK transformed by the love of Jesus.
Our mission is to fund relational evangelism through local expressions of church, by working with like-hearted partners to share the good news of Jesus in the areas of greatest deprivation across the UK.
Since our establishment in 1858, sharing the Gospel in these communities has always been our priority. Thanks to the generosity of Mr Willats, who gifted a significant property portfolio to the charity at its inception, we have been able to use funds generated from this property portfolio to finance grant-making to support evangelists, church planters, or other activities related to evangelism and making disciples in the top 20% areas of deprivation across the UK.
Following a strategic review in 2025, we have an ambition to more than double the amount we award in grants from £500,000 to £1m a year. Over the next ten years, we want to see more thriving Jesus-centric churches planted in our areas of greatest deprivation and led by people who look like the communities they are serving. This means part of our grant-making supports immediate tactical needs, but part of our grant-making also seeks to influence the underlying factors which will enable the long-term fulfilment of our vision.
We believe the kingdom of God works best when we all bring what is in our hand and let God do the multiplication. Our posture is to come alongside like-hearted partners who share the same vision and work together in partnership to support and equip those God has called to these communities.
We are seeking to make two Trustee appointments. Individuals who bring expertise in one or more of the following areas:
- Mission-related: someone with lived experience of planting, leading or supporting Jesus-centric churches in communities experiencing significant deprivation. You will probably also carry a sense of calling that is bigger than a single geographic area and will be able help us think strategically about how we use our resources to contribute to increased church planting and evangelism in our areas of greatest deprivation, alongside others, over the next decade and bring deep relationships with others already serving in this space.
- Commercial property: someone with professional property expertise relating to exiting portfolios of residential and non-purpose-built HMO properties, or property development, who can advise on asset optimisation and property exits over the coming years, which will enable us to give more money away.
- Legal, financial or HR: individuals with strategic leadership skills and a passion to see resources deployed for Kingdom-purpose.
The time commitment required of a Trustee is usually likely to equate to approximately 6-8 days per year.
It’s a crucial and exciting time in the history and further development of The Willats Trust. By being a Trustee you will be able to make a difference across the UK and get to have a ringside seat to see what God is doing, as we know his heart is always for the most overlooked and forgotten. We are full of expectancy for what God is going to do in this current season and want to play our small part in this, alongside others.
We appreciate the rich diversity of our Trustees and Staff and seek to create a culture where everyone develops and fulfils their potential. We recognise the immense value of different perspectives brought by those with varied backgrounds, characteristics and experiences. We particularly welcome applications from under-represented sections of the community (specifically in our context, women, individuals of Global Majority Heritage and those from non-Anglican church worshipping backgrounds).
Please note that this role has an Occupational Requirement to be a committed Christian as permitted under Schedule 9, Part 1, of the Equality Act 2010.
Closing date: 12 noon BST on Friday 8th May 2026.
