Formed in 2020, Dons Local Action Group are a volunteer-led charity providing frontline poverty relief to the communities of Merton, Kingston and Wandsworth in South West London.
The communities DLAG serve include areas deeply affected by poverty, with dedicated volunteers collecting donations and redistributing food, furniture, and digital devices, to those in need of help.
This charity has won numerous awards since its inception, winning plenty of admirers along the way, including Siobhain McDonagh, MP for Mitcham and Merton, who said: “Dons Local Action Group are nothing short of amazing! Practical, entrepreneurial and inspirational. I love them.”
To play an important part in its vital operations, Dons Local Action Group are looking for a Secretary to the Board of Trustees.
More information about the role is below:
- The charity secretary is primarily responsible for the smooth and efficient running of meetings of the trustee board and any sub-committees, providing assistance and support to the chair of the board of trustees.
- The secretary may also be closely involved in monitoring the requirements affecting the charity and its activities, and ensuring that the trustees’ decisions are acted upon, and that all decisions made by the trustees are in accordance with the governing document, reflect the objects of the charity, and continue to provide public benefit.
- Responsibility for maintaining the ‘conscience’ of the charity, by way of ensuring that the trustees continue to take decisions and act in line with the governing document, and comply with the relevant legislative and regulatory requirements the charity is subject to.
- To ensure that other meetings such as AGM, SGM and events are properly administered.
- To monitor committee member action points.
Specifically responsibilities include:
- Planning and preparing committee meetings and the AGM with others as appropriate. Plan meeting dates, book rooms, send out notifications, minutes and other papers.
- Drawing up agendas together with the Chair
- Minute committee meetings or ensuring another minute taker is available.
- Accurately recording decisions and actions in the minutes and to report to the next committee meeting on the progress of actions and the result of decisions.
- Dealing with correspondence, writing letters, e-mails as agreed at committee meetings, summarising correspondence/emails received at the next committee meetings and drafting replies as appropriate.
- Making arrangements for any necessary reporting to be done, for example the annual report to members.
- Ensuring that trustee decisions are implemented in accordance with the charity’s governing document or other internal operational procedures.
Qualities & Skills required:
- Experience of Board/Committee secretarial skills essential
- Ideally knowledge of Charity law and the voluntary sector.
- Organised and methodical.
- Good listening, oral and literacy skills
- Ability to take good minutes
- Able to work as a team and be committed to the charity values
- Able to keep accurate records
- Relevant skills to organise a meeting well
Commitment required:
- The role is expected to require approximately five hours per week and attendance at Trustee meetings.
- We rely on volunteers to operate.
If you’d like to help your community and be part of Dons Local Action Group’s amazing army, please get in touch. E-mail info@donslocalaction.org
