Volunteer CPRE Buckinghamshire Trustees

What will you be doing?

By becoming a Trustee of CPRE Bucks you will:

be part of a well-respected environmental charity make a real difference for a cause that you care about play a vital role in our core work share your passion for the Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes countryside be a part of a small and friendly team and form new connections with others

CPRE Trustees and volunteers are motivated to help for a range of reasons, but normally they have a strong interest in protecting and enhancing the environment, as well as encouraging people to enjoy the countryside and all it has to offer. The role involves:

contributing actively as a member of the Executive Committee in giving strategic direction to the organisation, setting overall policy, defining goals, setting targets and evaluating performance; participating in one or more of our specific areas of activity, such as planning, media or campaigns; ensuring that the charity complies with its constitution, charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations; safeguarding the good name and values of the charity; ensuring the effective and efficient administration of the charity; ensuring the financial stability of the charity; having oversight of staff appointments and monitoring performance; being an advocate for the charity at all times - asking people to join, giving out leaflets, gathering names of interested parties and talking publically about our work.

In addition, our Trustees should expect to help with our marketing, communications, fundraising and/or campaigning activities, including presenting to various groups and perhaps performing one of our volunteer roles. Trustees should bring experience in one or more of the areas listed under “Supplementary Information”, so that the Executive Committee as a whole has a good balance of expertise.

What are we looking for?

Trustees should bring experience in one or more of the areas listed under “Supplementary Information”, so that the Executive Committee as a whole has a good balance of expertise. You will be home-based, carrying out activities around your other commitments and attending meetings either virtually or at  venues round the county. As a guide, we anticipate this voluntary role will take on average 2-3 hours per week (more if you are willing to take on one of our volunteer roles), including attendance at six meetings per year and the Annual General Meeting. This is an excellent opportunity to play an influential role in a respected local environmental organisation, applying your management skills and experience to make a real difference and to be part of a friendly and passionate group. We would hope that Trustees will once experience is gained take a turn as vice chair or chair in rotation. We would like to recruit at least one trustee from the North of Buckinghamshire  All Trustees should have:

a commitment to CPRE and a strong interest in the countryside an understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship and being a company director  a willingness to devote the necessary time and effort to their duties as a trustee an ability to think strategically good, independent judgement confidence in public speaking to other groups  a willingness to speak their mind and participate fully in meetings and challenge when necessary the ability to work as a team member with a group of committed volunteers good computer skills and digital literacy 

All Trustees must be, or become, members of CPRE. You should also be:

willing to undertake relevant training about CPRE with the National Charity enthusiastic about and broadly familiar with the Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes countryside reliable and responsible, following through on commitments.

This is an ongoing, mission-critical and strategic role and as such, we would hope that in taking it up you envisage being available for a reasonable period of time i.e.  3-4 years or longer

What difference will you make?

CPRE Buckinghamshire campaigns for the protection and enhancement of the Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes countryside for everyone to value and enjoy. We are a small, but expanding, branch of the national CPRE (The Countryside Charity), which is a long-standing environmental charity. Our members, supporters and volunteers come from all across the county. We:

promote the beauty, tranquility and diversity of the Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes countryside by encouraging the sustainable use of land and other natural resources; work closely with the National Charity on issues and campaigns at a national level; operate through the planning system, screening planning applications countywide and raising the alarm where the countryside is threatened; influence planning policy through the local development framework process; offer advice and support to individuals and local groups embarking on planning campaigns; lobby for sustainable transport policies and safer country lanes.

We need to recruit new Trustees to provide continuity and to help govern the charity and guide our future work. CPRE Trustees and volunteers are motivated to help for a range of reasons, but normally they have a strong interest in protecting and enhancing the environment, as well as encouraging people to enjoy the countryside and all it has to offer.