Trustees wanted for Cartwheel Arts

Heywood arts charity Cartwheel Arts is looking for volunteers to join its board of trustees.

Cartwheel is a local participatory arts organisation which promotes social inclusion, cohesion, and diversity through community participation in vibrant, innovative, high-quality arts projects in Rochdale, Oldham, Bury, Wigan and beyond.

Trustees are volunteers who lead charities, working with the staff to make decisions about what they do and providing guidance, scrutiny and advice about how they how they operate.

Trustees will get induction, training, and reimbursable expenses; access to additional mentoring, signposting and support if required; opportunities to make strategic decisions and develop new skills; opportunities to network with a wide range of professionals; influence to shape innovative projects; and the chance to improve health and wellbeing of people and communities.

A trustee's duties would require:

• Ensuring that Cartwheel Arts complies with its governing documents, charity law and any other relevant legislation and regulations.
• Ensuring that Cartwheel Arts pursues its charitable objects as defined in its governing documents.
• Ensuring that Cartwheel Arts applies its resources exclusively to fulfilling its objects, no matter how worthwhile other activities may be.
• Contributing actively to the board in giving clear strategic direction to Cartwheel Arts, setting overall policy, defining goals, setting targets, and evaluating performance against those targets.
• Safeguarding the name and values of Cartwheel Arts.
• Ensuring Cartwheel Arts’ effective and efficient administration.
• Ensuring Cartwheel Arts’ financial stability.
• Ensuring the proper investment of Cartwheel Arts’ funds.
• Supporting Cartwheel Arts’ employees and volunteers.

Who is Cartwheel looking for?

Cartwheel is seeking trustees who:

• Believe in the power of art and creativity to change people’s lives.
• Can help reach the diverse communities of Rochdale and Greater Manchester.
• Have a commitment to equality, anti-discrimination, and Cartwheel’s core values.
• Can support and guide the organisation in delivering its aims – promoting wellbeing and social cohesion through high-quality creative activity.

Trustees should also understand the interests, skills and needs of the diverse communities. This includes:

• Children, young people and adults who experience ill mental health.
• Communities with experience of forced migration, including the refugee and asylum-seeking process.
• Communities at risk of experiencing racial inequalities.
• Children, young people and families experiencing poverty.
• Are prepared to give the necessary time and effort over a minimum commitment of three years.

Cartwheel would also welcome applications from trustees with additional skills in environmental responsibility, human resources (HR) and legal expertise.

If you do not currently feel that you have all the required skills and experience but are committed and willing to learn and grow – Cartwheel welcomes your application, providing you have the time to develop these skills and responsibilities.

The expected time commitment is five trustee meetings per year. Board meetings currently take place on Wednesday evenings between 6pm and 7.30pm either online or in the Rochdale borough, and one in-person AGM & Away Day taking place on a Saturday in November. 

All trustees are encouraged to also attend a sub-committee group that focuses on a particular area of the organisation, for example, Engagement and Communications or Human Resources. Subcommittees meet for around one hour up to four times per year.

Board meetings always require some reading and scrutinising of documents in preparation, and Cartwheel will work to support you with any access needs you have.

Trustee interviews will take place via Zoom, during the week commencing 25 September.

Successful trustees will be invited to attend the AGM & Away Day on Saturday 4 November, 9am – 4pm in Rochdale.

To apply, please visit: www.cartwheelarts.org.uk/make-a-difference/volunteer/