Job Description

TRUSTEES WANTED

Perennial (the horticulturists’ charity) wants to strengthen its board with the recruitment of two Trustees with experience of working in fields that relate to our charitable services – client advice, client support and training and education.

Perennial is the UK’s only charity dedicated to building better futures for horticulturists and their families. We provide free and confidential advice, support, and financial assistance to people of all ages working in or retired from horticulture including professional gardeners, tree surgeons, nursery staff, grounds staff and plant scientists.  Our support extends to their spouses, partners and dependent children and generally relates to disability, physical or mental ill health, debt management, financial hardship, retirement and old age.  We have an excellent team of caseworkers and debt advisers who visit people in their own homes and help them to get back onto their feet. We also train and equip horticulturists for successful careers through gardening traineeships and the development of business tools for the many self-employed individuals in the sector.

Founded in 1839 as the Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Society, we have a long history and a strong reputation as a well-managed and financially sound charity which delivers significant benefits to our many clients – more than 1,400 of them in 2017.

We have a diverse and dynamic board of eleven Trustees which we want to strengthen with the recruitment of two Trustees with experience of working in fields that relate to our charitable service – advice, client support or training and education. Experience of the charity sector would also be an advantage. The role involves attendance at our quarterly Board meetings and an annual awayday as well as participation on one of our Board sub-committees which also meet quarterly. We are a UK-wide operation with our head office based in Leatherhead, Surrey. Most of our Trustee meetings are held in London, some are held in Leatherhead and occasionally we hold meetings at one of our gardens which are in Adel, just north of Leeds and West Stow, near Bury St Edmunds.

For an informal exploratory conversation please contact our Chief Executive, Peter Newman at Perennial or visit our website