Volunteer roles for the Health sector

The Organisation

The Organisation

Muscular Dystrophy UK is the leading charity supporting over 110,000 people in the UK living with one of more than 60 muscle-wasting and weakening conditions. The charity connects people affected by these conditions—including individuals, their families, healthcare professionals, and scientists—ensuring access to the healthcare, support, and treatments needed to maintain both mental and physical well-being.

The organisation supports people at every stage of life, from diagnosis to living well. Its work includes:

• Providing expert advice and guidance to help people live well in the present.

• Funding ground-breaking research to improve understanding of different conditions and develop new treatments.

• Collaborating with the NHS to promote universal access to specialist healthcare.

• Campaigning to improve rights, understanding, accessibility, and treatment options for those affected by muscle-wasting conditions.

The Role

This is an exciting time for Muscular Dystrophy UK, which will soon publish a bold new strategy to guide its work over the next decade. With strong financial foundations, diverse income streams, and robust external partnerships, the organisation is well positioned to scale its impact.

The charity is seeking passionate and committed individuals to join its Board of Trustees. Trustees play a vital role in setting the strategic direction of the charity, ensuring financial stability, and safeguarding its mission to support people affected by rare and progressive muscle-wasting conditions.

Person Specification

Muscular Dystrophy UK is looking for individuals who bring experience, engagement, and a genuine passion for contributing at Board level. Candidates should demonstrate:

• Strong commitment to Muscular Dystrophy UK’s values and goals.

• Strategic leadership knowledge and experience.

• Excellent communication and teamwork skills.

• Understanding of governance responsibilities within a charitable organisation.

• Willingness to act as a supportive and critical friend to the executive team.

In addition, the charity particularly welcomes applicants with experience in any of the following areas:

• Investment management

• Clinical experience of neurological conditions

• Clinical research

• Human resources and culture development

• NHS health and care systems and commissioning

Muscular Dystrophy UK is committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation that reflects the communities it serves. Applications are encouraged from individuals of all backgrounds, particularly those from underrepresented groups, including people from ethnic minority backgrounds, LGBTQ+ communities, and those with lived experience of the conditions represented. The charity believes that diversity strengthens its work and enhances its ability to support beneficiaries effectively.

GACD (the Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases) is the only alliance of international research funders jointly funding, developing and facilitating global research collaborations to tackle the growing burden of chronic ‘non-communicable diseases’ (NCDs) including heart disease, diabetes, cancers and mental health conditions. The worldwide burden of NCDs is increasing, but doing so most rapidly in poorly resourced countries where they are a significant risk to health and wellbeing. GACD aims to provide essential evidence on the most effective ways to prevent or manage these chronic conditions and improve health equity.

As a member of the GACD Board of Trustees, you will provide strategic leadership and oversight for GACD as it seeks to fulfil its charitable objects. You will ensure GACD operates in accordance with its governing document and meets its legal and regulatory requirements.

At this time, we are particularly looking to attract a candidate with a strong understanding of the UK charity sector, including experience with charity governance and best practices in charity management.

This is a voluntary role and the position is expected to start from December 2025/January 2026 for a three-year term, in the first instance.
You can find full details of the role by downloading the role description.

Closing date: 26 September 2025 at 12 noon
Interviews (virtual): w/c 13 October 2025

Securing our Future: championing sustainable, innovative care and strengthening community impact.

This is a pivotal moment to join St Helena. Under our Securing our Future programme, we took action to protect our specialist palliative care and bereavement support services for north east Essex. This has been a challenging period for the hospice sector as we navigate rising costs, increasing demand and evolving income streams. We have been innovating how we deliver truly person-centred care whilst diversifying our income streams, with an increasingly commercial focus to how we deliver our charitable purposes. 

This role forms part of the board of St Helena Hospice Trading Ltd, the wholly owned trading susidiary of St Helena Hospice. As we continue to diversify our income to support specialist palliative and bereavement care across north east Essex, our trading company plays a vital role in generating sustainable revenue through retail and enterprise.

To help us thrive, we are recruiting two new Trustees:

1. A philanthropic leader with a proven track record in major gifts, diversified fundraising strategy and nurturing high-net-worth relationships
2. A digital strategist skilled in digital transformation, data-driven decision-making and enhancing online engagement.

Please read the candidate pack for more information.

Chair of Trustees – Aurora Wellbeing

Lead with purpose. Make a lasting difference.

Aurora Wellbeing is a local charity dedicated to supporting people affected by cancer and long-term health conditions. We promote wellbeing, empowerment, and compassionate support across our communities.

We are looking for an experienced and committed individual to become Chair of our Board of Trustees. This is a unique opportunity to help shape the future of Aurora and lead our governance in line with the Charity Commission’s guidance and our Aurora Wellbeing 2025 and Beyond Strategy.

We’re seeking someone who shares our mission and values, brings leadership experience, and is passionate about making a meaningful difference. A background in charity governance or senior leadership is essential.

We’re particularly keen to hear from applicants with experience in areas such as strategic planning, fundraising, healthcare commissioning, digital innovation, or promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion.

About Aurora

The Aurora Wellbeing Services based in Worksop, Doncaster and Mexborough provide a unique service supporting people affected by cancer or long-term conditions, as well as the wider local community.

We provide person-centred, holistic support to local people, and encourage them to be active participants in their wellbeing. We work together to improve both their physical and emotional health.

Aurora provides a range of support services, including counselling, support groups, exercise & dietetic sessions, beauty & holistic treatments and more.

 The Role – Chair of Trustees

To lead the Board of Trustees in delivering effective governance, strategic oversight, and mission alignment in accordance with the Charity Commission’s guidance and the “Aurora Wellbeing 2025 and Beyond Strategy.” The Chairman ensures the Board operates with integrity, transparency, and impact.

We are looking for someone who:

• Shares Aurora Wellbeing’s mission and values
• Has proven leadership experience at Board or senior executive level
• Understands charity governance and legal responsibilities
• Can offer time, commitment, and strategic insight to lead the Board effectively
• Is passionate about improving wellbeing for people affected by cancer and long-term health conditions

We are particularly keen to hear from applicants with the following skills and experience:

• Strategic planning and governance
• Income generation, fundraising, or business development
• Healthcare commissioning in the voluntary and community sector
• Digital innovation or impact evaluation
• Building strong partnerships and acting as an ambassador
• Promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion

How to apply

Your application should include:

1) A Supporting statement (one side of A4 please) outlining:

• Why you want to be the Chair of Aurora?
• Relevant skills and experience
• How you meet the role criteria and tell us about any which you cannot meet.
• What you think the charity could do in the future and how you could help

2) Your CV

Selection and Recruitment Timetable

Deadline for applications - Wednesday 1st October 2025

Shortlisting - October 2025

Interviews - Monday 3rd November 2025

We look forward to hearing from you!

Role Description for Chair of Trustees

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership

• Lead the Board in setting the charity’s strategic direction and long-term goals.
• Oversee the development and monitoring of the annual business plan, budget, and risk management framework.
• Ensure alignment with Aurora’s strategic priorities: Growing our Reach, Growing our People, and Growing our Reputation.

Governance and Compliance

• Ensure the Board complies with its legal duties under the Charities Act 2011 and the Charity Commission’s CC3 guidance
• Maintain high standards of governance, including regular reviews of Board effectiveness, structure, and key policies.
• Ensure appropriate oversight of financial performance, risk, and regulatory compliance.

Board Development and Culture

• Foster a culture of openness, inclusion, and continuous improvement.
• Support the recruitment, induction, and development of Trustees to ensure a balanced and skilled Board.
• Address identified skills gaps, particularly in digital, fundraising, and people development.

Stakeholder Engagement and Representation

• Act as a key ambassador for Aurora Wellbeing, enhancing its reputation and influence.
• Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, funders, and partners.
• Support income generation and innovation through strategic partnerships.

Accountability and Impact

• Ensure the charity is accountable to its beneficiaries, funders, and regulators.
• Promote transparency in decision-making and reporting.
• Oversee the measurement and communication of the charity’s impact.

Person Specification

Essential

· Proven leadership at Board or senior executive level.

· Strong strategic thinking and planning skills.

· Deep understanding of governance, compliance, and risk.

· Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

· Commitment to Aurora’s mission and values.

· An understanding of healthcare commissioning, particularly within the voluntary and community sector

Desirable

· An understanding of healthcare commissioning, particularly within the voluntary and community sector

· Experience in business development, fundraising, or entrepreneurship.

· Knowledge of digital transformation and impact evaluation.

Time Commitment

• Minimum of four Board meetings per year (typically in person, with remote options).
• Monthly meetings with the CEO.
• Availability to support staff and attend key events as required. Occasional sub-committee participation and ad hoc support between meetings.

 Tenure

• The Chairman will serve a term of three years, renewable for a second term.
• A third term may be served by exception, subject to approval by the Board of Trustees.

Location: Primarily remote, with occasional travel to London for meetings and ad hoc around the UK as required.
Type: Voluntary (reasonable expenses reimbursed). 
Time Commitment: Approx. 8 hours per month, including quarterly Board and Executive meetings
Tenure: 3 years (renewable once, up to a maximum of 6 years, subject to appraisal)
Start Date: 01 December 2025

How to Apply

Submit:
• A personal statement (max 450 words) outlining your interest in the role and what you would bring to it
• Summary of your professional and voluntary experience (maximum 2 pages)
Deadline: 21 September 2025
Interview: 16 October 2025 (to be held virtually.

Role Summary
The Centre for Perioperative Care (CPOC) is seeking an enthusiastic and committed individual to serve as Patient Lead. This voluntary leadership role is central to ensuring that the patient voice is embedded in all aspects of CPOC’s work. The Patient Lead will represent patients on the CPOC Board, chair the Patient & Public Engagement Network (PPEN), and guide the team of patient representatives.

Key Responsibilities
• Represent the patient voice at CPOC Board and Executive meetings.
• Chair and lead the Patient & Public Engagement Network (PPEN).
• Develop and deliver the PPEN’s programme of work, focused on improving outcomes for surgical patients before, during, and after surgery.
• Collaborate and build relationships with a diverse range of clinical and non-clinical stakeholders to influence perioperative care policy and practice.
• Champion the views and experiences of underrepresented and marginalised patient groups, ensuring their voices inform perioperative care policy and practice.
• Contribute to strategic planning and decision-making from a patient perspective.
• Participate in bi-weekly virtual leadership meetings and quarterly in-person or virtual board and executive meetings.
• Inspire, support and mentor the patient representatives.
• Contribute to CPOC communications (e.g., blogs, presentations, articles, interviews).

Youth Leaders work directly with young people in St John Ambulance Badger Setts and Cadet Units. By organising a mixed weekly programme, this role will support the learning and development of young people into the next generation of healthy citizens. Youth Leaders also help young people develop their confidence, teamwork skills, and self-discipline, and generally encourage them to strive to be the best they can be, as well as supervise and support other adult volunteers in their team.

You’ll get a huge sense of satisfaction and pride delivering an essential service. It’s great for you, great for your community and great for our nation, and it requires only a small commitment of your time. 

This group meet on a Friday evening

Pursuing the role

• Closing date for these opportunities is 30/09/2025

Do you want to help prevent breast cancer? Are you a highly engaged senior communications professional with charity or not-for-profit governance experience, strong networks and want to use your connections and expertise to help a fantastic charity build their profile, impact and authority in the field of breast cancer prevention? 

We are looking for individuals from the private, third, or voluntary sectors with a strong ability to bring connections and influence to the charity, to join the board of trustees. You have a thorough understanding of what good charity governance looks like, time to commit and you have a deep interest in and are keen to promote breast cancer prevention.

Specifically, we are looking for someone who has leadership experience and expertise in strategic communications, branding and marketing. 

If this sounds like you, then we would be delighted to hear from you. 

ABOUT US 

Breast Cancer UK’s vision is a world where everyone is empowered to reduce their breast cancer risk.  Our mission is to lead a movement to empower individuals, advance scientific research and reshape policy to reduce breast cancer risk for all. 

We are the only UK breast cancer charity focused entirely on the primary prevention of breast cancer by funding animal-free scientific research into the causes of breast cancer, campaigning to reduce risk, using traditional and digital channels to raise awareness. Today it is estimated that 1 in 7 women will be diagnosed with the disease at some point in their lives but at least 30% breast cancers are thought to be preventable. 

Our research and advocacy work focuses on the environmental and chemical causes of breast cancer. Our education programme and advice include all preventable risk factors.

Our strategic Plan (2025-2028) is a bold and forward-looking roadmap that aims to drive lasting change for breast cancer prevention through significantly increasing the visibility of our cause by expanding our research and collaborations, expanding access to prevention education across the UK and mobilising support behind a new policy approach that prioritises prevention.The trustee role is critical in supporting these outcomes. 

Breast Cancer UK’s annual income has grown from £107,000 (31.3.2014) to £1.5M (31.3.2024). Our new strategic plan sets out our ambition to expand further.

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Board of trustees and support the CEO and wider staff team to deliver our vision and strategy. 

FOR DETAILS OF THE ROLE PLEASE SEE THE  RECRUITMENT PACK 

APPLICATION PROCESS

To apply for this role please submit an up to date CV and a covering letter outlining why you meet the person specification. All documents must be submitted via this link – https://breastcanceruk.hrpartner.io/jobs/trustee–communications–qgam4

For further details please download our Recruitment Pack from our website

TIMETABLE 

Interviews – to be held on the evening  in  September via Microsoft Teams 

QUERIES 

At Breast Cancer UK, we’re dedicated to being a caring and welcoming place, where everyone feels supported and employees feel like they belong. Our aim is to create an inclusive culture where our employees can reach their full potential, without prejudice and discrimination. We value respect, understanding, and the richness that diversity brings.

We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, identities and abilities.

No one should die because they needed first aid and didn’t get it. St John Ambulance teaches people first aid so they can be the difference between life and death, and you can help us do this.

We are seeking Event Paramedics to respond to and manage emergency calls/incidents whilst attending events. At all times provide specialist, clinical, social and holistic care to undertake clinical assessment and interventions those individuals in the pre-hospital environment, which may include stadia, concerts, motorsports, road races etc. This may encompass working on both ambulances / FRV’s and within treatment units as required.

Successful candidates will be registered Paramedics with the HCPC and be able to provide evidence of CPD activity within the previous 12 months.

No one should die because they needed first aid and didn’t get it. St John Ambulance teaches people first aid so they can be the difference between life and death, and you can help us do this.

We are seeking Event Nurses to respond to and manage emergency calls/incidents whilst attending events. Event nurses shall provide specialist, clinical, social and holistic care and undertake clinical assessment and interventions in the pre-hospital environment, which may include venues such as stadia, concert halls, motorsports tracks, road races, etc. This will mainly involve working in treatment units or temporary event medical centres.

Successful candidates will be registered nurses with the NMC and will be able to provide evidence of CPD activity within the previous 12 months.

The Coroners' Courts Support Service (CCSS) is a registered Charity whose trained volunteers give emotional and practical support to bereaved families and other witnesses attending an inquest.

We need volunteers to provide emotional support and practical help to bereaved families, witnesses and others attending Inquests at Coroners' Court. Our volunteers at court also provide help and assistance to the Coroners' Officers, as and when required.

We are looking for reliable, supportive people with excellent communication skills. A mature and calm attitude is needed in order to be able to talk to people during a sometimes bewildering and emotional experience. Volunteers must be willing to undergo a period of observations and shadowing, as well as attend a 3 day training course. A minimum commitment of one day (9:00am - 5:00pm) per fortnight is asked for. Training and mentoring is provided and travel expenses to the court are reimbursed.

New volunteers should possess good communication and listening skills and the ability to empathise with people they support.

The Coroners' Courts Support Service (CCSS) is a registered Charity whose trained volunteers give emotional and practical support to bereaved families and other witnesses attending an inquest.

We need volunteers to provide emotional support and practical help to bereaved families, witnesses and others attending Inquests at Coroners' Court. Our volunteers at court also provide help and assistance to the Coroners' Officers, as and when required.

We are looking for reliable, supportive people with excellent communication skills. A mature and calm attitude is needed in order to be able to talk to people during a sometimes bewildering and emotional experience. Volunteers must be willing to undergo a period of observations and shadowing, as well as attend a 3 day training course. A minimum commitment of one day (9:00am - 5:00pm) per fortnight is asked for. Training and mentoring is provided and travel expenses to the court are reimbursed.

New volunteers should possess good communication and listening skills and the ability to empathise with people they support.

The Coroners' Courts Support Service (CCSS) is a registered Charity whose trained volunteers give emotional and practical support to bereaved families and other witnesses attending an inquest.

We need volunteers to provide emotional support and practical help to bereaved families, witnesses and others attending Inquests at Coroners' Court. Our volunteers at court also provide help and assistance to the Coroners' Officers, as and when required.

We are looking for reliable, supportive people with excellent communication skills. A mature and calm attitude is needed in order to be able to talk to people during a sometimes bewildering and emotional experience. Volunteers must be willing to undergo a period of observations and shadowing, as well as attend a 3 day training course. A minimum of 2 court days per month attendance requiured. Training and mentoring is provided and travel expenses to the court are reimbursed.

New volunteers should possess good communication and listening skills and the ability to empathise with people they support.

The Coroners' Courts Support Service (CCSS) is a registered Charity whose trained volunteers give emotional and practical support to bereaved families and other witnesses attending an inquest.

We need volunteers to provide emotional support and practical help to bereaved families, witnesses and others attending Inquests at Coroners' Court. Our volunteers at court also provide help and assistance to the Coroners' Officers, as and when required.

We are looking for reliable, supportive people with excellent communication skills. A mature and calm attitude is needed in order to be able to talk to people during a sometimes bewildering and emotional experience. Volunteers must be willing to undergo a period of observations and shadowing, as well as attend a 3 day training course. A minimum commitment of one day (9:00am - 5:00pm) per fortnight is asked for. Training and mentoring is provided and travel expenses to the court are reimbursed.

New volunteers should possess good communication and listening skills and the ability to empathise with people they support.

The Coroners' Courts Support Service (CCSS) is a registered Charity whose trained volunteers give emotional and practical support to bereaved families and other witnesses attending an inquest.

We need volunteers to provide emotional support and practical help to bereaved families, witnesses and others attending Inquests at Coroners' Court. Our volunteers at court also provide help and assistance to the Coroners' Officers, as and when required.

We are looking for reliable, supportive people with excellent communication skills. A mature and calm attitude is needed in order to be able to talk to people during a sometimes bewildering and emotional experience. Volunteers must be willing to undergo a period of observations and shadowing, as well as attend a 3 day training course. A minimum commitment of one day (9:00am - 5:00pm) per fortnight is asked for. Training and mentoring is provided and travel expenses to the court are reimbursed.

New volunteers should possess good communication and listening skills and the ability to empathise with people they support.