10
Abbeyfield Grimsby Society Trustee Information Pack November 2020
www.abbeyfield.com1
Abbeyfield Grimsby Society Trustee Information PackNovember 2020
www.abbeyfield.com2
Contents3 Welcome from the Chair
4 AboutTheAbbeyfieldSociety
5 AboutTheAbbeyfieldGrimsbySociety
5 Abbeyfieldvolunteers
7 ChairandTrusteeroledescriptions
8 What’sinitfortheTrustee?
8 Whatwe’relookingfor
9 Trusteepersonspecification
10 Recruitmenttimetableandhowtoapply
Trustee Information Pack
www.abbeyfield.com3
Dear applicantIamdelightedyouareinterestedinhelpingtoshape,overseeandleadthefutureofTheAbbeyfieldGrimsbySociety.TheAbbeyfieldGrimsbySocietyisacommunitybenefitsocietywithrules.Ourmission,throughourvolunteersandprofessionalstaff,istoachievetheAbbeyfieldSocietyMissionandValuesbyprovidingaccommodationandsupportforolderpeoplewithintheirlocalcommunity.
WearelookingtoenhanceourBoardbyappointinganewChairandoneormoreTrusteestoleadustoensureourfuturesustainability.Youwillbejoininganorganisationofdedicatedskilledpeople,whoarepassionateaboutprovidingaffordablehousingforolderpeople.
Thisisagreatopportunityforyoutogiveasmallamountoftime,whilstknowingyouaremakingarealdifferencetothelivesofolderpeopleandhelpingtoalleviateloneliness.
Ifyoubelieveyouhavetheskills,experienceandpassiontoassistusinachievingourmission,wewouldliketohearfromyou.
Yourssincerely
Chris OldfieldChairman
Trustee Information Pack
www.abbeyfield.com4
UponleavingtheArmyin1956,RichardCarr-Gomm,thefounderofAbbeyfield,wasdeeplysaddenedatthelonelinessandisolationhesawamongsttheelderlywhenhereturnedtohisneighbourhoodinBermondsey,SouthLondon.Determinedtodosomethingaboutit,Richardboughtahouseandinvitedtwoofthelocalresidentstomoveintoshareeachother’scompany.
Beforelong,morepeoplemovedintothehouseandseverallike-mindedvolunteersjoinedRichardinsupportingtheelderlyresidents.Withintwoyears
thereweresixhousesandfromtheseTheAbbeyfieldSocietygrewandexpandedtomorelocationsacrossLondonandbeyond.Itbecameacharitydedicatedtoimprovingthequalityoflifeforpeopleenteringoldage.
Today,Abbeyfieldhasmorethan400housesandlooksafter7,900residentsin9countriesspreadover5continents.Itstillmaintainsthatsamefundamentalphilosophyofcommunityandfriendshipatitscore.
TheAbbeyfieldSocietycelebratedits60thanniversaryin2016/17.Ourhistoryclearlydemonstrateswhathasremainedunchangedsinceourfoundation–acommitmenttoenhancingthelivesofolderpeoplewhereverweoperate.
About the Abbeyfield Society
Trustee Information Pack
www.abbeyfield.com5
TheAbbeyfieldGrimsbySocietyisknownasaMemberSociety,whichmeansthatalthoughittradesunderthenameofAbbeyfield,allofthedaytodayrunningofthehouseismanagedbytheBoard.TherearealsohousesthroughouttheUKthataremanageddirectlybyAbbeyfield.WeareamembershipstructureandwepayayearlymembershipfeetobepartoftheAbbeyfieldfamily.
AtAbbeyfieldGrimsbyweareproudofthecareandsupportweprovideforolderpeopleinourhouselocatedinGrimsby.Residentsliveina‘family’environmentwhereweencouragethemtopursuehobbiesandinterests.
Thehousehasbeenrunsince1985byavoluntarycommittee.LivingwithAbbeyfieldistheperfectoptionforpeoplewhocan’tliveontheirownandwhothinkthatgoingintocareistheironlyoption.Inasupportedhouse,residentsretaintheirindependencebutliveinasupportivefamilyenvironment.
About Abbeyfield Grimsby
Trustee Information Pack
VolunteerscontinuetobethelifebloodofAbbeyfieldandprovidethefoundationtothesupportthatwedeliverthroughourservices.Everyresident,staffmemberandvolunteercreatestheunique,warmandcaringatmospherethatdefinesanAbbeyfieldhome.
Ourfounder,RichardCarr-Gomm,wasthefirstvolunteer,givingtimetohelplonelyandisolatedpeopleinhiscommunityinBermondsey,SouthLondon.Today,over60yearslater,volunteersnationallycontinuehislegacy,bringingtheirskillsandpersonalitytoourhomestocultivatefriendships,alleviatelonelinessandencouragecommunityspirit.Thededication,commitmentandhoursofunpaidtimethatourvolunteersgiveusisinspirationalandinvaluable.
Abbeyfield volunteers
www.abbeyfield.com6
Trustee Information Pack
ChairmanofAbbeyfieldMemberSocietiesareresponsibleforprovidingeffectiveleadershipandmanagementtotheBoardofTrustees,enablingthemtofulfiltheirresponsibilitiesfortheoverallgovernanceandstrategicdirectionofthecharity.Oftenviewedasanambassadorandpublicfaceofthecharity,theyprovideavisionthatensuresthehouse/homeisfull,provideshighqualitysupportandcare,andiswell-integratedintothecommunity.
Skills SoughtWeareseekingaChairwithoneormoreofthefollowingskills:•StrongLeadership•RiskManagement•Governance•Fundraising•Marketing•Legal •HR•OperationalHousing•ITandDigital
Key Duties1. LeadingtheTrusteesinthedevelopmentofthestrategicplansforthecharityandensuringthat
thecharityisruninaccordancewiththedecisionsoftheTrustees.2. LiaisingwiththecharitySecretarywiththedraftingofagendasandsupportingpapersforTrustee
meetingsandensuringthatthebusinessiscoveredefficientlyandeffectivelyinthosemeetings.3. UndertakingaleadershiproleinensuringthattheBoardofTrusteesfulfilsitsresponsibilitiesfor
thegovernanceofthecharity.4. LeadingonthedevelopmentandimplementationofproceduresforBoardinduction,
development,training,andappraisal.5. MaintainingtheTrustees’commitmenttoBoardrenewalandsuccessionmanagement.6. Anunderstandingoflegalduties,responsibilitiesandliabilitiesoftrusteeship.
EligibilitySomepeoplearelegallydisqualifiedbylawfromactingasaChairmanincluding:anyonewhohasanunspentconvictionforanoffenceinvolvingdeceptionordishonesty;anyonewhoisanundischargedbankrupt;anyonewhohasbeenremovedfromthetrusteeshipofacharitybythecourtsorCharityCommissionformisconductormismanagementandanyonewhoisdisqualifiedfrombeingacompanydirectorundertheCompanyDirectorsDisqualificationAct1986.
Chair role description
www.abbeyfield.com7
Trustee Information Pack
AbbeyfieldGrimsbyiscurrentlyseekingaChairandnewTrusteestobalanceandstrengthenitsBoard,tobringnewexperienceandperspective,aswellastoequiptheBoardwiththeskillsandexpertiseitrequirestomakesounddecisionsandrobuststrategy.
Skills SoughtWeareseekingtrusteeswithoneormoreofthefollowingskills:•Leadership•RiskManagement•Governance•Fundraising•Marketing•Legal•HR•OperationalHousing•ITandDigital
Key Duties1. ToattendscheduledBoardmeetings.2. ToworkinpartnershipwiththerestoftheBoardandtheChairmantodeliverAbbeyfield
Grimsby’sobjectives,setitsstrategicdirectionandupholditsvalues.3. ToensurethatAbbeyfieldGrimsbycomplieswithalllegalandregulatoryrequirementsincluding
itsgoverningdocumentandanyotherrelevantlegislationandregulations.4. ToensurethatAbbeyfieldGrimsby’sgovernanceisofthehigheststandard.5. TocontributetoAbbeyfieldGrimsby’sachievementofbestpracticeinrelationtothequalityof
supportitprovidestoitsbeneficiariesandinitsemploymentpractices.6. Toperformdutiesinadiligentmanneranduseyourbestendeavourstopromote,protect,
developandextendthebusinessofAbbeyfieldGrimsby.7. Toavoidanyconflictofinterestandtodeclareanyconflictwhicharises.8. Toagreewithdelegationofauthorityandensuresuchdelegatedauthorityisclearlyexpressed
andaccountable.9. TobetheguardiansofAbbeyfieldGrimsby’sassets,takingallduecareovertheirsecurityand
theirusage,ensuringthattheyareusedexclusivelyinpursuanceoftheagreedobjectives.10. TobeanambassadorforAbbeyfieldGrimsby,safeguardingitsgoodnameandvalues.11. TocontributeactivelytotheBoardofTrustees,usinganyspecificskills,knowledgeorexperience
tohelptheBoardofTrusteesreachsounddecisions,maintainingcorporateresponsibilityandconfidentiality.
Terms of appointmentThetermforTrusteesisthreeyearswiththeopportunityofasecondterm,subjecttorenewal.Trusteesrolesareunremunerated,althoughexpensesarepaid.
Location and time commitmentBoardmeetingsarecurrentlyheldbi-monthlyvirtually.Theoveralltimecommitmentiseighthourspermonth.
Trustee role description
www.abbeyfield.com8
Trustee Information Pack
Thisisanopportunityforyoutogiveasmallamountoftime,whileknowingyouaremakingarealdifferencetothelivesofolderpeopleandhelpingtoalleviateloneliness.
Youwouldbejoiningourcharityatanexcitingtimeworkingwithdedicatedandskilledpeople,whoarepassionateaboutprovidingaffordablehousingforolderpeople.
We’relookingforpeopletojoinourBoardofTrusteestohelptakeAbbeyfieldGrimsbyforward.Weareseekingskilledprofessionalstohelpusbuilduponthepast35years’ofsuccesswhilstbeingsufficientlyflexibleandresponsivetomeetthechallengesthatwewillfaceinthefuture.
Thesortofpersonwe’rehopingtofindhasarealinterestinsupportingolderpeople.They’llbeflexibleandresourcefulwithexcellentcommunicationandinterpersonalskills,andsomeoneusedtodealingwithawidevarietyofpeoplewithtact,diplomacyandconsideration.Agoodsenseofhumourmightalsohelp!
Abackgroundingovernance,fundraising,legal,HRorbusinessstrategyarehugelyvaluablealthoughnotessential.
Wearelookingforpeoplewithenthusiasmandmotivationandacan-doattitude,whoarecomfortableworkingaspartofateamaswellasindividually,withbreadthofvisionandarecordofindependentjudgement,aninquiringmind,andanabilitytospeakarticulatelyandsuccinctly.
What is in it for the Trustees?
What we are looking for?
www.abbeyfield.com9
Trustee Information Pack
TheBoardofTrusteesarejointlyresponsiblefortheoverallgovernanceandstrategicdirectionofthecharity.Thisincludesitsfinancialhealth,theprobityofitsactivitiesanddevelopingtheorganisation’saims,objectivesandgoalsinaccordancewiththegoverningdocument,legalandregulatoryguidelines.
AllTrusteesshouldbeawareofandunderstand,theirindividualandcollectiveresponsibilities.TheyshouldnotbeoverlyreliantononeormoreindividualTrusteeinanyaspectofthegovernanceofthecharity.
Experience• Experienceofoperatingonaboardorcommitteeinacharitable,publicsectororcommercialorganisation.
• Strategicandforward-lookingvisioninrelationtoAbbeyfieldGrimsby’saimsandobjectives.• Strongindependentjudgementandleadershipandtheabilitytothinkcreativelyinthecontextoftheorganisationandtheexternalenvironment.
• Aproventrackrecordofsoundjudgementandeffectivedecisionmaking.• Ahistoryofimpartiality,fairnessandtheabilitytorespectconfidence.• Atrackrecordofcommitmenttopromotingequalityanddiversity.• Demonstrableexperienceofworkingeffectivelyasamemberofateam.
Knowledge, skills and understanding• Commitmenttotheorganisationandawillingnesstodevotethenecessarytimeandeffort.• WillingnesstospeaktheirmindandmakeunpopularrecommendationstotheBoardwherenecessary.
• Good,independentjudgementandstrategicvision.• Anabilitytoworkeffectivelyasamemberofateam.• AnunderstandingoftherespectiverolesoftheChairmanandTrusteesandthelegalduties,responsibilitiesandliabilitiesoftrusteeship.
Person specification
Thisisanopenapplication.
How to applyToapplyforthisrole,pleasesupplyaCVandcoveringletterexplainingyourinterestinourorganisationaswellasyoursuitabilityfortherole.
Applicationsshouldbesubmittedto:[email protected]
ForaninformalandconfidentialdiscussionabouttherolepleasecontactJulieBradbury: [email protected] 07794279242
www.abbeyfield.com
Recruitment timetable
Trustee Information Pack
