Chair of Board of Trustees
About the Wessex Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Therapy Centre
Wessex MS Therapy Centre was founded nearly 40 years ago, in common with many other similar charitable MS Centres around the UK. The Centre’s aim is to support our members living with Multiple Sclerosis, together with their carers and families, to improve their quality of life and wellbeing through a range of therapies within a sociable, attractive and friendly environment.
The Centre is based in a purpose-built building, funded by the Bradbury Foundation, close by the Warminster Community Hospital in the centre of Warminster.
The Centre is run by our Chief Executive Officer (CEO) with a small staff; a team of self-employed therapists and some 60 volunteers. There are currently over 250 regular members using the Centre who live within an area covering Yeovil in the West, Andover in the East, Bath to the North and Bournemouth in the South. The members are mostly those living with MS, but those with other conditions do join for therapies where we have spare capacity, particularly oxygen therapy.
The Centre’s running costs are funded through a mix of grants, donations, fundraising events, and income from a charity shop in the town centre. We link with other MS Centres through our umbrella organisation, the MS National Therapy Centres (MSNTC) that also ensures high standards of training for those operating the oxygen therapy equipment.
Chair of Trustees
We are seeking to appoint a new Chair of Trustees to work closely with the CEO and with the Board of Trustees. We are looking for leadership, inspiration, strategic management for the continuing good governance and development of our Centre. To show encouragement to the staff, therapists, and volunteers who are providing the therapies and caring support to the members. This helps with their mobility and wellbeing, together with a sense of being members of a wider family within the Centre.
We are looking to our new Chair to provide both drive and influence in overcoming the challenges we face in fundraising and reaching out to more people living with MS within the area we seek to support, and act as an Ambassador for the Centre.
Remuneration
The role of the Chair is not accompanied by any financial remuneration, although expenses for travel away from the Centre to events may be claimed.
Location
Warminster
Time Commitment
We hold 8 Board meetings a year, supported by both finance and fundraising sub committees. An AGM is normally held in May each year and an all board awayday is an annual event. The Chair is also expected to have regular meetings with the CEO and attend various events and meetings representing the Charity.
Reporting to
Board of Trustees
Quality, Skills and Experience that we are looking for in a New Chair
- Someone with wide experience of leadership, management, people skills and teamwork.
- A strategic thinker
- A person with influence and significant contacts within the wider community.
- Knowledge and experience of working in and with the Charity Sector.
- Have experience in Charity Governance
- Have an understanding of Charity law.
- Ideally have been a Trustee.
- A person of standing within the wider community.
- Ideally living within a reasonable distance of the Therapy Centre to enable regular consultation with the CEO and trustees.
- Whilst it would be advantageous for the New Chair to have some knowledge about MS, the trustees do not feel this is an essential prerequisite and are sure that any suitable candidate will rapidly assimilate understanding about MS and other diseases treated by the MS Centre.
Applications
Applications to fill the vacancy of Wessex MS Therapy Centre Chair of Trustees need to reach the Centre by Monday 4th April 2022.
Applications with a covering letter, and accompanied by your CV, need to be sent to:
Rosie Eliot, CEO, Wessex MS Therapy Centre by email to [email protected] .
Requests for further information should be addressed as above by email or by telephone on 01985 217728.
Short-list interviews will be held in the week beginning 3rd May 2022.
We wish to select the preferred candidate by the middle of May.
Documents available to applicants will include:
Job Description
Memorandum of Association & Articles of Association
Draft Business Plan