Since its opening in 1999, Thornhill Lees Community Centre has provided a safe and welcoming space for the communities in Thornhill Lees and the surrounding villages. We offer the community a weekly food hub, the Helping hands café, hosting of Kirklees College’s adult learning courses, keep fit and yoga classes and craft activities. The centre’s rooms are also available for rental for groups, meetings and functions.

The centre is owned by the people of Thornhill Lees and is run on their behalf by the trustees.

We have steadily rebuilt our activities since the COVID pandemic and now need to develop our organisation further for a sustainable future. We see the expansion of our trustee team as central to this next phase.

Thornhill Lees Community Centre is looking to increase its current team of three trustees to build sustainability of the organisation to open its next chapter. We are looking for enthusiastic, conscientious candidates, ready to take on hands-on responsibility to help the centre move forward. An important part of our work will be developing a business plan to guide the centre through the next ten years. Alongside this, we need to update our policies and procedures and plan for maintaining the twenty-five year-old building.

General responsibilities of a trustee in the UK are set out in charity law and guidance from the Charity Commission. Trustees have overall responsibility for the governance and management of the charity:

Ensure the charity carries out its purposes for public benefit

• Trustees must make sure the charity is only doing what it was set up to do, as stated in its governing document.
• Activities should clearly support the charity’s objectives and benefit the public.

Comply with the charity’s governing document and the law

• Follow the rules in the charity’s constitution, trust deed or articles of association.
• Ensure compliance with charity law and other relevant legislation (e.g., employment, data protection).

Act in the charity’s best interests

• Make decisions that further the charity’s purposes, not personal interests.
• Avoid conflicts of interest and manage them properly when they arise.

Manage resources responsibly

• Protect and use the charity’s assets only for its purposes.
• Ensure financial controls are in place, budgets are monitored and funds are not misused.

Act with reasonable care and skill

• Apply your knowledge and experience to make informed decisions.
• Seek professional advice when needed and prepare properly for meetings.

Ensure accountability

• Oversee accurate records, filed annual returns, accounts and reports to regulators.
• Be transparent with stakeholders and maintain public trust.

Person specification

• Willing to give at least six hours of your time per month to attend regular monthly Trustee meetings (lasting up to two hours) and take on responsibility for an agreed action(s) before reporting back on progress at the following meeting.
• Highly organised.
• Strong teamworker.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Highly computer literate.
• (Desirable) Knowledge of business and committee procedures.

Benefits of volunteering with Thornhill Lees Community Centre

• Working within a friendly organisation of volunteers, staff and service users.
• A sense of achievement from giving back to the local community.

A DBS check will be carried out. Two references will be required.

For more information please submit your details  and one of our trustees will be in touch.

Rolling application. Please apply as soon as possible.

• References required
• DBS (criminal record check that the organisation will organise)

• 18+