Job Description

About Us:

We are a growing charity in Hammersmith, West London that seeks to help the socially and financially disadvantaged. We work with homeless and vulnerable people, including asylum-seekers, refugees, economic migrants and ex-offenders, to improve their lives and conditions. We provide free, home-cooked meals five days a week, as well as employability skills support services. We also operate an innovative driving school for ex-offenders.

We have a staff of around 16, some working part-time, led by the Chief Executive. We also have 100+ volunteers, many of whom assist the chef, serve the meals or wash-up, while others assist with our Jobs Club, social media or fundraising activities.

We are looking for Trustees to join our Board which is currently made up of nine Trustees and the CEO. Trustees have - or need to develop a clear understanding of good governance and have overall control of a charity, with responsibility for ensuring it is doing what it is set up to do.

We are specifically looking for people with expertise in either Finance, HR, IT or Safeguarding.

We are seeking people who can think strategically, work collaboratively and make informed decisions.

The commitment

· Attendance at three Board meetings per annum, which are held in the evenings, plus an Awayday in the summer which includes both staff and trustees – usually held on a Saturday in June.

· Be prepared to join a sub-committee depending on individual expertise eg finance, fundraising, risk analysis or safeguarding.

Other opportunities to get involved

 · Visits to The Upper Room to speak to staff and volunteers in order to gain a closer understanding of the way the charity runs and to encourage and motivate staff.

· Support for local fundraising events, eg attending occasional lectures/concerts; procuring raffle prizes for local events; a couple of hours helping on our stall at the Green Days Festival in Chiswick which is held over a weekend in early June.

· Giving a talk to local schools or churches who are donating goods as part of our Harvest Appeal (October/November) – for those with public speaking skills.

 Find out more

We are keen to diversify our Board to reflect the services we offer and the diversity of our beneficiaries and encourage BAME individuals and those with experience of homelessness or the justice system, as we are under-represented in these areas.

If you have the expertise and the experience that we are seeking, and would like to get involved with a thoroughly worthwhile local charity, we would love to hear from you. For further information about The Upper Room, please go to our website.

How to apply

If you would like an informal conversation please send us a number or email address so we can contact you, or if you would like to apply, please send your CV and a short covering letter highlighting what you can bring to the charity board..

Application Instructions

Please email our CEO Iain Cooper to arrange an informal conversation first or your CV and covering letter if you wish to apply to the same address