RSPCA Branch Trustees in Alton

RSPCA Alton, Haslemere & Petersfield Branch is looking for volunteers to join our Trustee board with expertise in any of these areas:

• Charity finance/Treasurer
• Marketing/Social Media
• Fundraising/Retail
• Project management

You will gain new skills and experience as a Branch Trustee whilst enabling us to help animals in our area.

We are looking for enthusiastic people to take the role as a Charity Trustee, who could devote some time to volunteer for the Alton, Haslemere & Petersfield Branch and support us in boosting our local animal welfare work. Alongside using your expertise, this role will enable you to enhance how we care for and prevent cruelty to animals and drive the implementation of key initiatives. You will serve on the governing body of the charity and be instrumental, alongside fellow Trustees, in the running of the Branch and the implementation of a development plan. At a minimum, you would normally be expected to attend a monthly online committee meeting and to spend further time driving forward our activities.

The Alton, Haslemere & Petersfield RSPCA Branch is the local branch of the national RSPCA, but we are also a separately registered charity looking after animals in our local area. The Branch is in an enviable financial position and employs an experienced member of staff as Branch Manager. Once additional Trustees are in place, we expect to move towards CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation) status.

Our main current activities are:

• Providing financial assistance to local people unable to afford unexpected vets’ bills. In the past year, we have allocated £40,000 to this area.
• Collecting pet food donations, which we collate and then pass to our local foodbanks.
• Re-homing cats in the Alton part of our area, organised in co-operation with the neighbouring RSPCA Branch.
• Some fundraising activities, including organising fun Dog Shows.

We are looking to recruit at least three new trustees to work on significantly developing the Branch over the next few years. Initiatives we are considering are:

• Establishing a comprehensive fostering and re-homing network, across the entire Branch area.
• Major income generation initiatives, including opening our own shops.
• Developing our own animal centre resources, possibly in co-operation with private sector providers in the Branch area.

Core Branch Trustee responsibilities:

• Appreciate and support the aims and policies of the RSPCA.
• Work in conjunction with fellow Trustees and Branch Officers and jointly act in making decisions for the best interests of the Branch and the RSPCA.
• Assist the Branch, as appropriate, to work with and assist national RSPCA staff, including but not limited to Inspectors.
• Actively participate in Branch committee meetings and to attend the Branch Annual General Meeting (AGM).
• Actively promote and advertise the society in an ongoing programme to recruit new Trustees and volunteers and welcome new members.
• In conjunction with fellow Trustees, ensure the proper management and control of all activities and decisions.

What we are looking for in a volunteer:

We are committed to creating a Board which is representative of our society and encourages people from any background to apply. You will need to be able to work with people and have good interpersonal skills.

What we can offer you as a volunteer Branch Trustee:

• Ongoing support provided by our Branch Manager and assistance from relevant national RSPCA staff.
• The platform to utilise your skills and experience to oversee the charity and make decisions that will enhance local animal welfare.
• The opportunity to gain new skills and develop existing ones, whilst making a real difference to the lives of animals.
• A way to expand your professional and personal network through working with like-minded people.

Practical considerations:

To become a Trustee, you will need to be aged 18 or over and have become a member of our Branch. Trustees are elected annually. You must not be disqualified from being a Trustee. Please read the Charity Commission’s guidance on who can be a Trustee of a charity. You will need to sign a Trustee Declaration of Willingness to Act, clarifying that you are not disqualified from being a Trustee. References will be required.

How to find out more about being a Trustee:

For more information on becoming a Charity Trustee and to ensure it is the right decision for you, we recommend reading the Charity Commission's guidance on the role of the trustee and the RSPCA website about Branch Trustees. We have an online session about Becoming a Branch Trustee, which should hopefully give you more of an idea of what the RSPCA Branch Trustee role will involve. If you’ve got the drive and compassion to volunteer with the RSPCA and are passionate about improving animal welfare, we’d love to hear from you! Please visit our website to learn more about what we do. We hope you are interested in volunteering for the Alton, Haslemere & Petersfield branch. Our voluntary roles are subject to an informal interview and trial period. We will ask you to provide contact details for two referees, and dependent on the position, you may need to sign an agreement and undergo specific training before starting the role.