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About the organisation

About Us
Mary Frances Trust (M FT) is a mental health and emotional well-being charity, supporting people living in Surrey Downs (Banstead, Elmbridge, Epsom & Ewell, and Mole Valley) since 1994. We offer a variety of face-to-face and online services, available to adults (aged 16+) living in Surrey who would like to restore and/or maintain their mental and emotional well-being (no diagnosis needed). All our services are free of charge. 


Our Vision
We believe anyone experiencing any kind of mental or emotional health issues should feel confident to ask for help, receive appropriate support for as long as they need, and be inspired to develop the skills that will help them to restore and maintain their own well-being over the long term so they can lead a fulfilling life.


Our mission

  • Work alongside people experiencing any kind of emotional or mental health issues for as long as they need and inspire them to develop the skills that will help them to restore and maintain their emotional well-being.

  • Involve people with lived experience of mental health issues at every level of the organisation, so together we can design, deliver, monitor, and review our services and ensure they respond to their changing needs.

  • Consistently challenge stigma attached to mental illness and raise awareness of the importance of looking after your mental well-being.

  • Lead and co-ordinate the development and delivery of first-class, voluntary mental health services in Surrey.

  • Maintain sufficient funding streams to be able to provide person-centred services to people experiencing any kind of emotional or mental health issues.


Our Values
Inspiring: We believe that everyone can lead a fulfilling life and achieve their goals and full potential. We encourage people to recognise and use their own strengths and resources. We inspire people to develop the skills that will empower them to become experts at managing their own mental well-being.  To accompany people on this journey, we offer personal, tailored support to help them regain a sense of hope and control.

Inclusive: The people we support aren’t passive recipient of our services and are not being “done to”. Through our commitment to Co-Production, we involve people with mental health lived experience in every aspect of our organisation, including the design, delivery, monitoring, review, and evaluation of our services.We believe in the power of connection. We encourage the people we support to fully participate in their local communities. As an organisation, we also strive to be part of and reflect the diverse population we serve.

Agile: We live in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment, so we’re always ready to adapt and innovate to meet the evolving needs of the local communities we serve. We are an integral part of a wider mental health system and are dedicated to providing easy access first-class mental health support by working in partnership and collaboration.

Respectful: We work hard to establish mutual honest and trustworthy relationships. We actively listen and treat people we support with the same kindness and respect as we do our staff and volunteers. We strive to be an organisation where people feel safe and that they belong.

About the role

Role Overview
Our Trustees are ultimately responsible for the overall running of MFT ensuring that this is in the best interests of its beneficiaries. Trustees are members of the MFT Board of Trustees (the Board). A member of the Board has responsibilities under both UK Charity Law and UK Company Law as Directors. The Board sets the overall strategic direction and policy, and controls the work of MFT to ensure that it is in line with MFT’s values, its Memorandum and Articles of Association (governing document) as well as UK Charity and Company Law and regulation. The Board is also responsible for enabling MFT to meet its aims within resource constraints, ensuring the funds are properly accounted for, supporting staff in securing funding, and appointing senior staff as needed. The Board oversees the operation of MFT through the delegation of authority to the Chief Executive and other senior staff. Trustees act as a group rather than as individuals. The Board works closely with staff and MFT’s Advisory Group to ensure that work is carried out in the best interests of the people who use its services.


Key Responsibilities:

  • Take on the legal responsibilities of a charity Trustee and Company Director and understand and perform their roles and responsibilities to the best of their abilities.

  • Ensure that MFT and its representatives operate within all legal and regulatory requirements including its governing document, Charity Law and Company Law.

  • Ensure that MFT pursues its objects as defined in its governing document and that the vision and mission of MFT are maintained.

  • Work with fellow Trustees, staff, MFT’s Advisory Group, and people using our services to determine the overall direction and development of MFT through strategic planning and good governance.

  • Ensure the financial stability of MFT.

  • Be proactive in developing MFT’s network of support and always be an ambassador for MFT.

  • Support MFT’s fundraising strategy by assisting in the cultivation and stewardship of potential and existing donors.

  • Undertake investigations of complaints or handle staff issues in accordance with relevant MFT policies as required.


Provide adequate time and commitment to fulfill the role of Trustee including:

  • Attending Board meetings regularly, ensuring you prepare for the meetings to enable yourself to contribute appropriately and effectively, actively engaging in discussion, debate and voting.

  • Making your skills, experience, and knowledge available to help the Board reach sound decisions which may involve leading discussions, identifying key issues, providing advice and guidance on new initiatives, and evaluating or offering advice on other areas where the Trustee has particular experience.

  • Participating in, and possibly chairing, sub-committees and working parties and attending special events when required.

  • Participating in induction and training.

Our ideal candidate

The Treasurer Role
In addition to all the Trustee’s duties listed above, the Treasurer’s role also involves:

  • Monitoring and advising on the financial administration and stability of the organisation, and the proper investment of funds.

  • Ensuring regulatory and legal responsibilities in relation to the financial governance of the charity are met.


Treasurer Key Responsibilities:

  • Oversee financial affairs of the organisation, leading in the Board’s duty to ensure that proper accounting records are kept and that financial resources are properly controlled, invested and economically spent.

  • Monitor and advise on its financial viability.

  • Monitor and report on the financial health of the charity to the Board of Trustees.

  • Provide strategic financial guidance to the Board.

  • Support the Finance and Administration Manager with the annual audit.

  • Oversee steps taken to protect the charity against fraud.Chair the Finance sub-committee in line with its terms of reference.


Skills and Experience for both Trustee & Treasurer
We are seeking people who can demonstrate:

All of our Trustees need to be able to absorb and understand information from written reports, finance spreadsheets, and verbal updates. They will have high-level listening and questioning skills; be able to put across their point of view and take into account other perspectives to make collective decisions in the best interest of the charity and those it serves.

For our Treasurer, we are particularly looking for someone with financial management experience and/or qualifications, and an understanding of charity governance and financial regulatory requirements. You will have strong analytical and evaluation skills and the ability to explain financial information to non-financial Trustees, as well as leadership and strategic planning capabilities.

To ensure that the Board has the right skills and experience to be able to support the charity most effectively, we are particularly keen to recruit Trustees with knowledge or experience in one or more of the following:

  • Lived experience of mental health and / or knowledge of the needs of people using mental health services


Co-production:

  • Knowledge of Surrey Downs / Leatherhead and neighbouring areas

  • Working with people who have a disability

  • IT and / or Information Governance

  • Human Resources management.

  • An understanding of, or connections with, NHS, local government, and statutory bodies and, of property leasing, would also be helpful.

We recognise that these skills can be developed through a range of different experiences and it is not necessary to have previous experience as a Trustee to apply.

We are committed to creating an organisation that is diverse, inclusive of all, representative of the community we serve, promotes positivity, and instils a can-do attitude in everyone, no matter their background or characteristics at every level.

We strongly encourage applications from members of every community and actively seek to hire people with lived experience of mental health issues. We would also particularly welcome applications from people from Black, Asian, and ethnic minority communities.

What’s in it for you

You will be joining a friendly and committed Board, and have the opportunity to use and develop your skills and experience in board-level decision-making.


Here’s what our current Trustee, Steve, has to say about his experience::


“Being a volunteer Trustee at Mary Frances Trust has been such a great experience for me. It is a role that makes me feel that I am giving back to society using my professional experience; supporting those with mental health issues within our local community. It is also a role that is not massively time consuming so I can make it work around my day job”.

 

Apply for the role

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Treasurer & Trustee

Mary Frances Trust

Mary Frances Trust

Apply by

23 Feb 2025

Cause

Cause

Location

Location

Role-type

Trustee

Time commitment

0-5 hours per month

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