Job Posted: 11 January 2022 By Next Up

Meanwood Valley Urban Farm is looking for Trustees,  a new Chair of Trustees and help with a number of projects inc risk framework, governance advice, strategy + creating app

Meanwood Valley Urban Farm, Leeds helps 10k children a year, including those excluded from school plus people with learning disabilities and is expanding to help older people and dementia sufferers. The charity is undergoing considerable change, with a new CEO in place.

Meanwood Valley Urban Farm has a vacancy for a new Chair of Trustees and several Trustee vacancies coming up over the year. 

In addition, we have a number of projects where we would appreciate the voluntary skills and experience of interested individuals:

• Health + Safety and Risk – undertaking a H+S audit, risk assessments and developing the capacity of the Farm staff in H&S. Helping the farm to develop a robust risk management framework
• Charity governance – working with the CEO and Board of trustees to undertake a governance self-assessment and action plan
• Long term strategy – to assist the CEO and Board with the development of a new long-term strategy for the charity, including facilitated discussions with staff and visitors
• Fundraising – to advise on the production of a fit-for-purpose approach to fundraising including corporate fundraising, income generation and a reduction in reliance on public sector funding 
• Volunteer Co-ordinator – we have a number of volunteers and corporate social responsibility volunteer visits from organisations across Leeds who help to maintain the Farm and we require an interested individual to co-ordinate all of these activities
• IT/Digital – assistance with the development of a MVUF App – for Farm visitors and students to enhance their experience and to support an MVUF online community; to help us to integrate the use of IT in the learning experience for our students
• Communications – help us to develop a communications strategy including a coherent approach to using social media to tell the story of the Farm; support in developing an online community

Background:

Mean Valley Urban Farm was one of the first three city farms in the UK and was registered as a charity in 1980. Starting with two small fields and a few animals it has developed into a site of more than 27 acres, just a short distance from Leeds city centre.

The charity’s objectives include improving the conditions of life particularly for those in most need, the promotion of health and wellbeing in surrounding neighbourhoods and across Leeds, and the education of people without prior knowledge or experience in agriculture, horticulture, the environment and sustainability. In addition to being a popular visitor attraction and venue for events, we offer three main programmes:

ReConnect – offered to young people experiencing difficulty in the school environment. In partnership with their school, students attend the Farm one or two days a week for a term of full academic year

HOOF – offered to adults with learning disabilities who join either the animal care team or the horticulture team

Schools – environmental education visits based on curriculum related activities and an egg incubation scheme with local primary schools

Our current chair has stepped down for personal reasons after eight years – we are now starting the recruitment process for a new chair. We currently have eight trustees, with places for up to 12 trustees. A number of current trustees have been with us for many years and will be stepping down over the next year or so. We would welcome people helping us on projects and getting to know our Farm before being considered for a trustee position.

Website:

https://www.mvuf.org.uk/

About the organisation:

Meanwood Valley Urban Farm, Leeds helps 10k children, inc excluded. New CEO would love help on projects – from risk framework to strategy and creating an app

Contact email:

To register interest for the chair and trustee positions, or any of the projects, email chief executive, Adam Ogilvie
ceo@mvuf.org.uk

Do you know somebody else who would be interested in this role? Let them know!