Trustee
DOVE COTTAGE DAY HOSPICE
Stathern
Full-time
Listed 1 week ago
@dovecottagedayhospice www.dovecottage.org 01949 860303Dove Cottage Day Hospice, Canal Lane, Stathern, LE14 4EXTRUSTEEAPPLICATION PACKPlease contact us if you have any enquiries regarding theinformation enclosed in this application pack Dove Cottage Day Hospice Trustee Role Brief January 2026 1. Introduction Dove Cottage is seeking to appoint a chairperson and a new trustee to its board with immediate effect. For the position of chairperson, we are particularly looking to receive applications from someone with a good understanding of governance and leadership ideally in a charity context. We are also looking for an applicant with a health & social care background to join as trustee. The following brief tells you everything you need to know about the role and how to apply. If you would like to have an informal discussion about the role please contact Dan Smeeton – CEO dan@dovecottage.org 2. About Dove Cottage Founded in 1996 and based in a picturesque location in the village of Stathern in the Vale of Belvoir, Dove Cottage Day Hospice provides high quality day care and support for people in North East Leicestershire, South East Nottinghamshire and South West Lincolnshire who are living with life-limiting illnesses such as cancer, motor neurone disease and end stage COPD. As a charity, we offer our care services free of charge. We provide care and advice, wellbeing activities such as complementary therapies, chaplaincy support, bereavement counselling, games, crafts, refreshments and a home-cooked lunch. Our guests come to the hospice to be cared for in a home-from-home atmosphere, usually for one day a week. We also provide a number of support services such as bereavement support and a dementia sitting service. Dove Cottage Day Hospice is well supported by the local community, over 120 of whom support us as volunteers. Our funding comes from donations, trusts, fundraising events and network of charity shops which contribute significantly to the overall income of the charity. We also receive a small grant from NHS Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board to support our work. Dove Cottage Day Hospice, Canal Lane, Stathern, Melton Mowbray, LE14 4EX Tel: 01949 860303, email: admin@dovecottage.org, www.dovecottage.org Registered charity number: 1057941 3. Merger with LOROS 2023 marked a significant moment in the life of the charity as our founder and Chief Executive, Chris Gatfield, retired in April after almost three decades of transformative hospice work in our community. After thinking carefully about the future, the trustees and members of Dove Cottage felt that a merger with LOROS hospice (The Leicestershire and Rutland Organisation for the Relief of Suffering) could provide excellent opportunities to build on Chris’ legacy and help safeguard the long-term future of the charity. LOROS is a large and very well-established charitable provider of care and support for people affected by terminal illness, which is keen to ensure that more people living in rural communities have access to specialist support. The merger took place on 1 April 2023 when the existing members and most trustees stood down, enabling LOROS to become the sole member of Dove Cottage and a different group of trustees to take up the reigns. Adopting this model of merger enabled Dove Cottage to benefit from LOROS’ support and extensive expertise whilst retaining its name and charity status, both of which are important to our guests and supporters. Since the merger the new board have made real progress in ensuring the organisation has remained stable for its people, the community it serves and financially. We are now looking for two talented people to lead the realisation of our three-year strategy as members of the board of trustees. 4. The trustee role The board of trustees is the governing body of Dove Cottage. Our trustees play a vital role in making sure that the charity achieves its core objectives as set out in the governing documents. They oversee the overall management, finances and administration of Dove Cottage and ensure that the charity is successfully implementing a clear strategy in line with our vision. Trustees are also there to support and constructively challenge the Chief Executive Officer. The Charity Commission sets out 6 main duties for our trustees. a) Ensure Dove Cottage is carrying out the purposes for which it was set up, and no other purpose. This means: • Understanding the purposes as set out in the governing document. • Planning what Dove Cottage will do, and want you want it to achieve. • Being able to explain how all of the charity’s activities are intended to further or support its purposes. Dove Cottage Day Hospice, Canal Lane, Stathern, Melton Mowbray, LE14 4EX Tel: 01949 860303, email: admin@dovecottage.org, www.dovecottage.org Registered charity number: 1057941 • Understanding how Dove Cottage benefits the public by carrying out its purposes. b) Comply with Dove Cottage’s governing document and the law. This means: • Ensuring that Dove Cottage complies with its governing document. • Complying with charity law and all other laws that apply to Dove Cottage. c) Act at all times in Dove Cottage’s best interests. This means: • Doing what you and your co-trustees decide will best enable Dove Cottage to carry out its purposes. • Making balanced and adequately informed decisions, thinking about the long-term as well as the short-term. • Avoiding putting yourself in a position where your duty to Dove Cottage conflicts with your personal interests or loyalty to another person/body • Not receiving any benefit from Dove Cottage unless it is properly authorised and clearly in the charity’s interests. d) Managing Dove Cottage’s resources responsibly. This means: • Making sure the charity’s assets are only used to support or carry out its purposes. • Not taking inappropriate risks with the charity’s assets or reputation. • Not over-committing Dove Cottage. • Taking special care when investing or borrowing. • Complying with any restrictions on spending funds. e) Act with reasonable care and skill. This means: • Making use of your skills and experience and taking appropriate advice when necessary. • Giving enough time, thought and energy to your role, for example by preparing for, attending and actively participating in trustees’ meetings. f) Ensure Dove Cottage is accountable. This means: • Demonstrating the charity is complying with the law, well run and effective. • Ensuring appropriate accountability to LOROS as sole member. • Ensuring accountability within the charity, particularly where you delegate responsibility for tasks or decisions to staff or volunteers. 5. Main responsibilities The trustees of Dove Cottage have a responsibility to: • Support and provide advice on Dove Cottage’s purpose, vision, goals and activities. • Approve operational strategies and policies, and monitor and evaluate their implementation. Dove Cottage Day Hospice, Canal Lane, Stathern, Melton Mowbray, LE14 4EX Tel: 01949 860303, email: admin@dovecottage.org, www.dovecottage.org Registered charity number: 1057941 • Oversee Dove Cottage’s financial plans and budgets and monitor and evaluate progress. • Provide leadership to the board and to ensure that trustees fulfil their duties and responsibilities for the proper governance of the charity. • Support and, where appropriate, provide constructive challenge to the executive officer. • Ensure that the board as a whole works well and in partnership with key staff. • Ensure the effective administration of the charity. • Ensure that key risks are being identified, monitored and controlled. • Review and approve Dove Cottage’s financial statements. • Provide support and challenge to senior staff, specifically the Dove Cottage CEO in the exercise of their delegated authority and responsibilities. • Keep abreast of changes in Dove Cottage’s operating environment. • Contribute to regular reviews of Dove Cottage’s governance arrangements. • Attend board meetings, well prepared to contribute to discussions. • Exercise independent judgement, acting legally and in good faith to protect Dove Cottage’s interest, to the exclusion of your own/third-party interests. • Ensure appropriate accountability to LOROS as sole member. • Contribute to the promotion of Dove Cottage’s objects, aims and reputation through the application of your skills, expertise, knowledge and contacts. 6. Person Specification Trustees must be able to demonstrate the following skills and values. • Commitment to Dove Cottage. • Strategic vision. • Good, independent judgement. • Ability to think creatively. • Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. • Understanding and acceptance of the responsibilities of trusteeship. • Ability to work as a member of a trustee team. • Capacity to challenge current thinking, governance and the management of Dove Cottage in a constructive and supportive manner. • Commitment to Nolan’s seven principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership. • Willingness to devote the necessary time and effort. We are particularly interested to hear from prospective trustees with the following experience – Dove Cottage Day Hospice, Canal Lane, Stathern, Melton Mowbray, LE14 4EX Tel: 01949 860303, email: admin@dovecottage.org, www.dovecottage.org Registered charity number: 1057941 • Charity governance and leadership experience • Clinical and/or health & social care leadership 7. Commitment All trustees are required to: • Attend at least six board meetings each year, although trustees may together decide to change the frequency of meetings. • Attend the charity’s Annual General Meeting and any extraordinary general meetings should these be required. Some meetings will be held in person at the hospice in Stathern and some will be held via Microsoft Teams . There will be times when trustees need to be actively involved beyond board meetings. This may involve visiting the hospice and shops, helping out at events, scrutinising papers, leading discussions, providing advice and guidance on new initiatives, responding to complaints and concerns, and getting involved in various matters about which they have a special expertise. 8. Remuneration and expenses The role is a voluntary one and trustees will therefore not receive any remuneration for their services as members of the board. Out-of-pocket expenses incurred by trustees during the course of carrying out the role will be reimbursed in accordance with Dove Cottage’s expenses policy. Attendance costs associated with any training or governance events which may be required for the role will also be covered by Dove Cottage. 9. Further information More information about the trustee role can be found in the Charity Commission’s guide called: “The essential trustee: what you need to know, what you need to do”, which is available on the Charity Commission’s website www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-essential-trustee-what-you-need-to- know-cc3. Further useful information about the role of trustees is provided by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations: www.ncvo.org.uk. You can find out more about Dove Cottage at www.dovecottage.org. The charity’s latest annual report and financial statements can be found at https://register-of- charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity- details/1057941/accounts-and-annual-returns. More information about LOROS Dove Cottage Day Hospice, Canal Lane, Stathern, Melton Mowbray, LE14 4EX Tel: 01949 860303, email: admin@dovecottage.org, www.dovecottage.org Registered charity number: 1057941 is available at www.loros.co.uk and on the Charity Commission’s website at https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity- details/506120/charity-overview. 10. How to apply Please send your CV and a covering letter setting out why you are interested in the role and how your skills and experience meet the person specification to Becca Stevens trustees@dovecottage.org as soon as possible. If you would like an informal discussion about the role please contact Dove Cottage Chief Executive, Dan Smeeton dan@dovecottage.org Dove Cottage Day Hospice, Canal Lane, Stathern, Melton Mowbray, LE14 4EX Tel: 01949 860303, email: admin@dovecottage.org, www.dovecottage.org Registered charity number: 1057941 OUR VISION & MISSION OUR VISION To maximise the quality of life for those living with a life-limiting condition requiring palliative care within our local community. To deliver a service that is accessible, that shows compassion, is dignified, gives care to those families in need and offers respite for carers. OUR MISSION We aim to deliver high quality holistic care through a range of services, including nursing care, the provision of information, physical, psychological, and emotional support, therapeutic and diversional therapies. Through such activities we hope to maximise independence and promote confidence and self-esteem. Our services help to reduce social isolation and loneliness, give people a sense of belonging, community inclusion and improve wellbeing. We aim to offer a support system and valuable respite care to families during the patient’s illness and in their bereavement. We work in partnership with other care providers to ensure that the needs of the family are met to the highest level possible. We are committed to compliance with all relevant regulatory standards, we uphold transparency and advocate for good stewardship. Our dedication extends to the sustainability and continual enhancement of our services, ensuring they remain attuned to the evolving needs of our local community. Dove Cottage Day Hospice, Canal Lane, Stathern, LE14 4EX @dovecottagedayhospice www.dovecottage.org 01949 860303 OUR VALUES OUR VALUES Our core values are: Caring Above and beyond Respect Integrity Nurturing Giving ‘”You matter because you are you and you matter to the end of your life. We will do all we can, not only to help you die peacefully but also to live until you die” (Dame Cicely Saunders, founder of the hospice movement) Dove Cottage Day Hospice, Canal Lane, Stathern, LE14 4EX @dovecottagedayhospice www.dovecottage.org 01949 860303