Enabling Active Living

CHAIR OF TRUSTEES

www.southwestmscentre.co.uk

Charity Number 2270804

RECRUITMENT PACK September 2019

Welcome Letter

Dear Applicant

We would like to thank you for your interest in becoming a voluntary Chair at The Southwest

Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre. It is an exciting time for the Charity as we have just developed a 3

year strategy. We have embarked on a journey to improve our governance and provide a Centre that

is fit for the future. We would welcome dynamic, business orientated individuals to join our Board

and help us on this journey. Please take a look at our website southwestmscentre.co.uk for more

information, and if you feel that this role is for you, we are eager to hear from you.

In this document you will find:

1. The Advertisement 2. Some information about our Charity 3. Chair Role Description 4. Person Specification 5. Trustee Code of Conduct 6. Staff Structure Chart 7. Some additional information about our Board 8. The application process 9. Annual Accounts for 2017/18

Applications can be made by sending a current CV to our recruitment partner, Jackie Dawkins of

Shine Charity Recruitment (Jackie@shinecharityrecruitment.co.uk). Please include a covering letter,

which demonstrates your suitability.

If you would like to discuss the role further before applying, please feel free to contact Jill Patient,

Centre Manager on 01392 447411.

We look forward to receiving your application.

Yours sincerely

Molly Holmes (Chair) and Jill Patient (Centre Manager)

Advert

The South West MS Therapy Centre was established in 1982 to provide therapies, information and

support for people with Multiple Sclerosis, their carers and families in the south west. Our aim is to

offer a number of therapies in a welcoming and friendly environment, promoting independence and

to improve wellbeing and quality of life for our members.

We are recruiting a voluntary Chair who is passionate about improving the lives of people with

Multiple Sclerosis and has the expertise to drive our organization forward. Key objectives in our

strategy are:

Future sustainability

Maximizing our reach to people with MS of all ages in the south west;

Increasing the size of the Centre to provide modern up to date facilities for clients, carers

and professionals;

Increasing the range of therapies we provide.

We are seeking people with a strong track record at board or management level together with

experience in strategy and governance.

Our Board meets six times a year and you will also be required to attend 1-2 strategy days a year plus

induction training. All meetings are held in the evening at the MS Therapy Centre in Exeter.

For more information please contact our Recruitment Partner, Jackie Dawkins at Shine Charity

Recruitment Jackie@shinecharityrecruitment.co.uk or 01884/841751

About the South West MS Therapy Centre (West Grange, Clyst Heath EXETER Devon EX2 7EY Tel: 01392 447411)

The South West MS Centre is part of a national network of MS Therapy Centres. Clients are offered a range of

therapies to assist with managing their MS, they become member of the Centre and pay an annual fee to

access these therapies. A Centre Manager who is supported by an Events & Fundraising Manager,

Administrator and Finance Officer manage the centre. Supporting them is a team of part time staff and

volunteers who ensure the Centre runs well five days a week. The Centre does not receive any Government

funding, and relies upon donations and fund raising activities.

Some of the therapies offered: -

Hyperbaric Oxygen (HBO)

Oxygen is the healing element in the atmosphere. It is essential to the health of everyone that the tissues in

the body absorb oxygen. Any tissue injury requires Oxygen for healing. It is believed that the use of Hyperbaric

Oxygen therapy for Multiple Sclerosis and many other conditions is beneficial.

The actual cause of MS is currently not known, but there are many Disease Modifying Drugs (DMDs) which are

available to limit or reduce MS symptoms and relapses. While not intended to compete with the latest DMDs,

the use of Hyperbaric Oxygen is a "self help" therapy which provides the body additional oxygen. This can

increase the body's own ability to heal and limit some of the damage caused by the disease. Normally this is

without any negative side effects.

Experience shows that early and ongoing Hyperbaric Oxygen therapy may reduce the rate of progression or

the frequency of relapses. Hyperbaric Oxygen may also help many other conditions. It is particularly beneficial

for the healing of bone and soft tissue injuries, burns and ulcers (associated with diabetes). In fact currently

60% of hyperbaric users are not MS sufferers.

Physiotherapy

The centre has a large selection of modern physio equipment, and is constantly adding to the range. They

have an onsite Physiotherapist who is very familiar with MS and can distinguish between symptoms caused by

neurological problems and those caused by muscular problems.

Complimentary Therapies

Exercise classes, Yoga, Tai Chi, Pilates, Massage, Reflexology, Counselling & Chiropody are just a few of the

various therapies which are available at the Centre.

Governance

The annual income of the charity is c£160,000 per annum. The Charity has recently set a strategy for the next

three years and updated the Articles of Association to meet the requirements of the Code of Governance for

smaller charities set by the Charity Commission. The Board has made great strides in improving the

governance of the charity and in setting a clear plan for the future.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

CENTRE MANAGER

ADMINISTRATOR FINANCE OFFICER PR/FUNDRAISING MANAGER

RECEPTION STAFF OXYGEN OPERATORS THERAPIES/SUPPORT DRIVERS/GARDENER/MAINTENANCE

PART-TIME RECEPTIONISTS x 3 SENIOR OXYGEN OPERATOR PHYSIOTHERAPY PART-TIME STAFF X 2

MEET & GREET (Volunteers) x 4 No.1 OPERATORS (Volunteers) x 2 COUNSELLOR DRIVERS (Volunteers) x 2

RECEPTION (Help) x 1 No.2 OPERATORS (Volunteers) x 5 TAI CHI

YOGA FUNDRAISING (Volunteers) x 4

ADMINISTRATION PILATES

Admin (Volunteer) x 4 REFLEXOLOGY EXERCISE ASSTS (Volunteers) x 4

MASSAGE

EXERCISE CLASS

VIOFOR

CHIROPODY

June 2019

Chair of the Board: Role Description

The Chair of the Board is elected for a 3 year term by Members at the Annual General Meeting of the Centre. The Chair is an Officer of the Company, which controls and runs the Centre and as such, bears the corporate legal duties and responsibilities associated with that office. The Chair ensures the effective and proper running of the Centre in line with all aspects of the law related to a Limited Company, the Centre's Memorandum and Articles of Association and the MS National Therapy Centre's Rules and Manual of Guidance. The responsibilities of the Chair include: a) Advising the Committee on deciding the policies and policy interpretation for the Centre in accordance with all the relevant Company, Health and Safety, Employment, MS National Therapy Centres, regulations and legislation. b) Ensuring that the Committee are aware of their responsibilities under, and the conditions of, the Companies Act and the Charities Acts (and in particular their collective and individual responsibilities as Trustees of the Charity and Directors of the Company). c) Advising and guiding the Committee, ensuring participation, about MS National Therapy Centres and/or Centres' regional activities. d) Ensuring that Committee Meetings, General Meetings, Extraordinary General Meetings and Annual General Meetings are properly called, held at appropriate times and intervals, advised to the Membership as necessary and that accurate records (minutes) of the attendance, business conducted, decisions agreed at all such meetings are properly kept. e) Through the Committee, co-ordinate the activities of membership, staff direction and recruitment and employee policy, facilities and materials procurement and maintenance, therapeutic operations, fund-raising and charitable disbursements, public relations, publicity and events, providing encouragement and guidance to - and promoting the development of - the sub-committees or persons undertaking responsibility for these aspects of Centre management. f) Working with the other two Officers at the Centre (the Secretary and the Treasurer) to ensure that the Centre adheres to all the administrative, financial, safety and employment legislative responsibilities imposed upon it by the Companies Act, the Charity Acts and the Health and Safety Executive. g) Being responsible for ensuring the proper selection and recruitment of the Centre's Officers and, so far as possible, the availability of suitable qualified candidates. h) To be the Centre's representative for liaison with the MS National Therapy Centres and with other Centres and with local organisations.

Person specification: Chair of Trustees

QUALITIES

Education and qualifications

Good standard of literacy and numeracy Competent in Microsoft Office Word & Excel

Experience Leadership Managing people Team work Working with a management committee structure Chairing meetings Analysing information: financial: statistical: political Fundraising Decision making Report writing Developing policies and procedures Budgetary and sound financial management

Skills and Knowledge Organisational governance Brand Awareness / PR knowledge Awareness of and providing direction for Social Media Presence Communication and public speaking /presentation skills Assertiveness Networking, good local knowledge Negotiation Ability to manage change and resistance Influencing and political awareness Team working Decision making Listening

ATTRIBUTES ESSENTIAL

Personal characteristics Ability to offer complete confidentiality

Integrity

A commitment to the organisation and its values & objectives

Ability to fulfill time commitment

Willingness to learn

Good, independent judgement

Willingness to speak their mind

Ability to be flexible

Strategic thinker

Ability to maintain personal and professional boundaries

Non-judgemental

Ability to lead in a consultative and empowering manner

Ability to motivate a team

Ability to self evaluate and reflect on practice

Trustee Code of Conduct

It is the responsibility of management committee members or trustees to:

Act within the governing document and the law – being aware of the contents of the Charity’s

governing document and the law as it applies to the Southwest Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre;

Act in the best interest of the Therapy Centre as a whole – considering what is best for the Charity

and its beneficiaries and avoiding bringing the Centre’s name into disrepute;

Manage conflicts of interest effectively – registering, declaring and resolving conflicts of interest. Not

gaining materially or financially unless specifically authorised to do so.

Respect confidentiality – understanding what confidentiality means in practice for the Charity, its

board and the individuals involved with it.

Have a sound and up-to-date knowledge of the Charity and its environment – understanding how the

MS Therapy Centre works and the environment within which it operates;

Attend meetings and other appointments or give apologies – considering other ways of engaging with

the Charity if you are regularly unable to attend Trustee meetings;

Prepare fully for meetings – reading papers, querying anything you don’t understand and thinking

through issues in good time before meetings;

Actively engage in discussion, debate and voting in meetings – contributing positively, listening

carefully, challenging sensitively and avoiding conflict;

Act jointly and accept a majority decision – making decisions collectively, standing by them and not

acting individually unless specifically authorised to do so;

Work considerately and respectfully with all – respecting diversity, different roles and boundaries, and

avoiding giving offence.

Trustees are expected to honour the content and spirit of this code.

Additional Information

Board Meetings - Meetings are held every two months (17.30pm) at the Centre

Expenses – reasonable out of pocket expenses may be reimbursed to Trustees, however Trustees

cannot be paid or receive remuneration in kind

Trustees are covered by indemnity insurance

There is one sub committee- Finance which meets twice a year;

All Board members are required to attend 1-2 strategy days a year plus induction training.

Other Trustees:

o Molly Holmes (Chair) o Rory Gibson (Company Secretary) o Emma Grant o Darren Herd o Mike Holmes o Darren Walters

Centre Manager Jill Patient

Recruitment Process Application by CV and Supporting Statement to Jackie Dawkins, Shine Charity Recruitment

01884/841751 (jackie@shinecharityrecruitment.co.uk)

First interview with Jackie Dawkins

Informal meeting with current Chair and Centre Manager

Meet the Board - attend a meeting as an observer.

References - two references will be taken prior to appointment