Wythenshawe Foodbank is looking for several new volunteer trustees to help guide our charity, strengthen our board and support our work with local people experiencing financial hardship and food crisis.

About Wythenshawe Foodbank

Wythenshawe Foodbank is an independent local charity and part of the Trussell network. We provide emergency food and practical support through our central hub and community distribution centres across Wythenshawe.

Demand for our services remains high. Our staff and dedicated volunteers work hard to ensure that everyone who comes to us receives compassionate, practical support and is treated with dignity and without judgement.

We also work with referral agencies, schools, community organisations, local businesses, donors and other partners to connect people with wider support and help address the circumstances that have led them to need the foodbank.

About the trustee role

Our trustees share responsibility for the governance and strategic direction of Wythenshawe Foodbank. They make sure the charity is well run, financially responsible, legally compliant and focused on the needs of the community it serves.

As a trustee, you will work collectively with the rest of the board to:

• Help shape the charity’s purpose, priorities and future direction
• Ensure our resources are managed responsibly and used to further our charitable aims
• Review the charity’s finances, risks, policies and performance
• Support and appropriately challenge operational decisions
• Ensure compliance with charity law, safeguarding, health and safety, data protection and other relevant requirements
• Help maintain positive relationships between trustees, staff and volunteers
• Promote the foodbank and build relationships within the local community
• Support fundraising, partnerships and grant applications where appropriate
• Always act in the best interests of Wythenshawe Foodbank and the people it supports

Trustees are not expected to manage the foodbank’s daily operations. Your role is to provide oversight, sound judgement, constructive challenge and practical support to the staff and volunteers responsible for delivering our services.

Who we are looking for

You do not need previous experience as a trustee. We are interested in people who care about Wythenshawe, want to tackle food poverty and can bring useful skills, knowledge or life experience to the board.

We would particularly welcome applicants with experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Finance, accounting or charity funding
• Fundraising and grant applications
• Human resources and people management
• Charity governance, legal matters or risk management
• Marketing, communications or social media
• Community engagement and local partnerships
• Operations, facilities or service delivery
• Safeguarding or working with vulnerable people
• Lived experience of financial hardship, poverty or using community support services

These are areas of interest rather than a checklist. We welcome applications from people with different professional, voluntary and personal backgrounds.

We are looking for trustees who can demonstrate:

• A commitment to equality, social justice and reducing food poverty
• Compassion and respect for people experiencing difficult circumstances
• Sound, independent judgement
• A willingness to contribute ideas and participate in discussions
• The ability to work constructively as part of a team
• Honesty, integrity and an understanding of confidentiality
• A willingness to learn about the responsibilities of charity trustees
• Sufficient time and commitment to participate properly in the role

Time commitment

Trustee meetings are currently held every two months during the evening. Trustees are expected to prepare for and attend meetings regularly, with occasional additional meetings, events or agreed tasks between meetings.

This is a voluntary, unpaid position.

Why join us?

Becoming a trustee is an opportunity to use your skills and experience to make a genuine difference in Wythenshawe. You will help guide an established local charity, support a committed team of staff and volunteers and contribute to decisions that directly affect people across the community.

You will also gain valuable experience of charity leadership, governance, strategic planning and collaborative decision-making.

Equality and inclusion

We want our board to reflect the community we serve and believe that different backgrounds and perspectives make us more effective.

We welcome applications regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, employment history or educational background. We particularly encourage applications from people with lived experience of poverty or financial hardship and from groups currently underrepresented in charity governance.

How to apply

Please complete the Wythenshawe Foodbank trustee application form, explaining why you are interested in joining the board and what skills, knowledge or experience you could contribute.

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to an informal interview with members of the Board of Trustees.