Are you passionate about nature? Do you want to help us reverse pollinator decline?

The Bumblebee Conservation Trust is looking for a Trustee with experience in Finance to join our Board.

Trustees work well together, and with the executive team with a spirit of openness and trust. We recruit individuals skilled in their field and passionate about nature, species conservation and bumblebees! We’re very proud of our inclusive culture at the Trust – we care as much about what you have the potential to do as what you have already done and we welcome applications from those who are new to trusteeship as well as those with previous experience. We want to hear how your lived experience will give us a better representation of the diverse audiences we seek to inspire to take action for bumblebees.

The closing date for submitting your application is 1000 BST on Thursday May 16th. If you have a background in finance and accounting with an understanding of charity sector finance and want to join a dynamic charity fighting to save our precious bumblebees, please download the recruitment pack for more information and details of how to apply.

Background

The Bumblebee Conservation Trust was established because of serious concerns about the ‘plight of the bumblebee’. In the last 80 years, UK bumblebee populations have declined and two species have become nationally extinct. The Trust is a science-led charity, concerned with halting and reversing the decline in bumblebees. We are governed by a Board of ten Trustees.

Sustainable Kirriemuir is recruiting for an experienced and highly organised Manager to lead our staff team to deliver our strategy, and support the board of trustees to maintain best practice and develop our long-term plans. This is an exciting opportunity for someone to play a key role in developing our charity as we grow in size and increase our impact.

You will be responsible for leading a diverse team of staff and volunteers, and developing partnerships with key stakeholders. Responsibilities will be varied, including all aspects of managing staff, overseeing the day-to-day financial operations of the charity as well as ensuring delivery of strategic aims in keeping with our charitable purposes. The role will include opportunities to be hands-on with climate action, leading on our key annual events, e.g. Kirriemuir Tattie Day.

Excellent leadership and communication skills are essential for this role. Candidates should have a solid understanding of financial management and be comfortable with using project management tools. The ability to think strategically, problem-solve, and adapt to changing circumstances is crucial. The successful candidate will be passionate about the power of community to mitigate, adapt and build resilience to the climate and biodiversity crises. They will have a track record in delivering grant-funded community projects in the third sector.

About Us

Formed in 2019, Sustainable Kirriemuir is a Scottish community-led environmental charity which seeks to increase our community’s awareness of the impacts of climate change and the benefits of sustainable practices. We achieved charitable status in August 2023.

Our vision is for Kirriemuir to be a sustainable, net-zero community where people and nature flourish. Our strategic plan (available on our website) was developed following a community information gathering exercise to imagine our future as a thriving community, the outcomes of which have informed our strategic objectives for the next five years.

In practice we are working towards helping our community live more sustainably, making social and environmental change happen, so people and nature can thrive.

We believe powerful change can be simple to make; small steps everyone can take to make their own lives better can help steer us towards a healthier and more sustainable future. We make that change happen project by project. Each one we run focuses on the things that matter to those they support across our core themes of Active & Sustainable Travel, Food & Growing, Action for Nature and Sustainable Living.

The Role

You will be responsible for overseeing all of our operations, staff, projects and deliverables and ensuring all of our activity is delivered on budget and in line with our strategic aims. Undertaking this role you will be the key link between the staff delivering the operational activities of the organisation and the board of Trustees. If you think you have the right skills, we’d love to hear from you. For more information about what this role involves, please refer to the Job Description.

About You

The ideal candidate will have experience in operational management or organisational development, ideally in the third sector. They will be friendly and approachable, with a positive and supportive attitude. For full details, please refer to the Job Description.

Are you passionate about the importance of green spaces within our communities? Do you have an interest in gardening? Do you have the knowledge, skills and experience to lead an organisation that is playing an important role within the community? This year Amisfield Preservation Trust (Amisfield Walled Garden) celebrates its 25th year anniversary. We are looking to recruit a new Chair who can lead the organisation forward to the next stage in its development.

About Amisfield Preservation Trust

Amisfield Preservation Trust provides a regenerative community space (Amisfield Walled Garden) just outside of Haddington for a wide range of groups. The project is volunteer led. Since project inception, volunteers have recreated a beautiful, historic and peaceful 8 acre walled garden which had fallen into disrepair. The project helps improve the life chances of those most vulnerable in our community, through support for individuals with barriers to employment; drives inclusion through involving volunteers with a range of additional support needs; promotes learning through educational activities for school groups with their teachers, and for the general public through a variety of training events; helps the community to flourish through increased social connection and regenerative activities that improve mental and physical wellbeing and resilience and help increase pride in the local community and place. Amisfield Walled Garden is a beautiful, tranquil garden. We are a 3 star Visit Scotland attraction which is open to the public (free of charge) for 6 days in the week.

We are looking for a volunteer Chair to lead the Amisfield Preservation Trust, the small charity that looks after the garden. The role involves working with our volunteer Board of Directors, Volunteer Coordinator, Wellbeing and Outreach worker and garden volunteers to ensure that the garden continues to play an important and much-loved role at the heart of the local community.

The qualities and experience we’re looking for in our new Chair are:

• An enthusiasm for gardening (whether amateur or professional)
• Great leadership skills
• A real sense of community, with great networks across the county or a willingness to create them
• Knowledge or experience of the voluntary/charitable sector
• Somebody comfortable with being the public face of the garden
• Ideally somebody based locally in East Lothian or willing to travel to Haddington.

Chair Role Description

Specific duties:

• Organising and Chairing monthly Amisfield Preservation Trust Board meetings
• Promoting good governance amongst fellow Board members and ensuring activity is in line with the garden’s charitable purposes
• Leading the Board in planning and coordinating a programme of garden developments and improvements
• Leading the Board in planning and coordinating a range of community events
• Working with fellow Board members to support and manage the garden’s two employees.
• Contributing to regular communications to the garden’s volunteers, supporters and stakeholders across email, the website and social media
• Being a key contact for the garden for stakeholders, funders and donors, including East Lothian Council
• Working with fellow Board members to compile applications for funding and collate impact reports to funders
• Representing the garden in the local media and with stakeholders across East Lothian

There are currently 8 members of the Board. The Chair role will be for a term of three years, with an initial probationary period of six months.

Are you looking for an opportunity to use your skills to make a difference to the environment, local communities and Edinburgh as a whole? An opportunity has arisen to join our trustees!

You will be interested in joining ECCAN’s trustees if you have a personal commitment to supporting any climate or nature action.

ECCAN is looking to co-opt trustees. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to supporting community-led action in Edinburgh; to address the climate and nature emergency in ways that create a just, thriving and resilient city.

A recently established charity, the trustees are responsible for facilitating the community-led development of a strategy and a long-term plan, and making decisions to oversee the running of ECCAN. The Charity has received a year’s start up funding from the Scottish Government, and trustees will be responsible for:

- providing leadership, direction, and advice to the ECCAN staff team;

- designing, inviting applications for, and distributing community funding;

- securing the charity’s long-term organisational and financial future.

trustees contribute to the delivery of ECCAN Mission Statement. This is a volunteer role that will provide the right candidate with the opportunity to be an integral part of our dedicated team and make a positive impact in Edinburgh, its communities, and environment.

THE ORGANISATION

ECCAN supports community-led action in Edinburgh to address the climate and nature emergency and work for a just, thriving and resilient city.

Our network empowers individuals and community groups, providing resources, support, and opportunities for meaningful climate and environmental action.

ECCAN was set up in May 2022 and we have now grown to be a network of 247 members including 76 community groups. Our dedication is to the environment and to members, operating to constantly recognise and respond to our community’s needs.

TRUSTEES TERMS OF APPOINTMENT

Terms of Office

- Trustees will be co-opted until the next election at the Annual General Meeting in November 2024

- This is a voluntary position, but reasonable expenses are reimbursed i.e. childcare, travel etc.

Time Commitment

• Around seven hours per month, of which trustees meetings lasting two hours every
• month.
• Attending relevant subgroups