Who we are
Sydenham Garden is a unique wellbeing centre utilising’s its gardens, nature reserve and activity rooms to help people in their recovery from mental and physical ill-health in Lewisham.
We do this through providing co-workers (the people accessing our services) an opportunity to take part in one of our five main projects, along with many supplementary activities and clubs.
Four of these projects are focused on Adult Mental Health and the fifth project is focused on Dementia.
The role
We are looking for trustees who have specific professional or voluntary experience of driving one or more of the following areas:
- developing individual giving
- community fundraising
- grant funding
- commissioning contracts
- ethical sponsorship
- commercial trade
We are looking for two trustees in this area, with one candidate taking the lead of chairing our fundraising sub-committee.
Previous experience as a Trustee is not required, nor is senior leadership or senior management experience.
As a trustee you will be expected to bring:
- Passion and enthusiasm about the work and direction of Sydenham Garden
- Commitment to stay informed and engaged in the work of the organisation
- Commitment to carry out the legal duties of a Board Member
- Organisational skills to plan for Board meetings, reading reports ahead of meetings and preparing questions
- Your personal and professional experience, knowledge and skills into board discussions
- A willingness for constructive challenge and empathy to multiple points of view
willingness to act as a champion for the organisation - The ability to treat sensitive information confidentially
- A commitment to anti-oppressive practice by challenging social injustice, bias and discrimination based on race, sex, gender, sexuality and disability.
- Integrity, impartiality, inclusivity, fairness and respect for confidentiality
Good big picture thinking (“Strategic vision”) - Good interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively as a member of a team
Trustees are appointed for a term of three years but are eligible for re-appointment for a further two terms (maximum of 9 years in total)
After an initial induction to meet staff & volunteers and get to know the gardens, trustees attend:
- 5 hybrid Board meetings a year, held in the evenings taking approximately two hours, plus reading Board papers in advance.
- 1 in-person Board away day a year, held during the working week or on a Saturday according to Board availability
- Attending or chairing hybrid sub-committee meetings which meets at 6 times a year taking approximately two hours plus reading committee papers in advance.
- Occasional advice and support to staff, by telephone or in person
It is expected that this will require a commitment of no more than a day per month.
Sydenham Garden hosts a range of events throughout the year. We would always welcome trustees to attend these although they would not be mandatory.
Sydenham Garden is committed to dismantling barriers for people facing exclusion from Trustee opportunities. We particularly welcome applications if you are:
- a resident of the London Boroughs of Lewisham, Bromley, Croydon or Southwark
- from a Black, Asian or minoritised ethnicity
- Trans
- a person with lived experience of mental illness or Disability
Supporting document(s)
- 2025-trustee-information-pack.pdf - Download
