Trustee Cheltenham Almshouses and Aid CIO

Cheltenham Almshouses and Aid owns and manages four sets of almshouses in Cheltenham.

The charity aims to provide warm, safe, secure homes at an affordable cost for local people in housing need. Residents range in ages from 55 to 100 years.

What will you be doing?

• We currently have a board consisting of 9 trustees with a wealth of experience in areas such as social care, finance, business leadership. Many of our trustees have been with the charity for a number of years and will possibly look at retiring over the next few years.
• Many of the properties owned by the charity are of older stock and there is a constant challenge to keep the buildings well maintained in line with current regulations whilst continuing to provide comfortable and affordable living.
• Cheltenham Almshouses and Aid is run by a board of voluntary trustees, and administered in accordance with schemes prepared by the Charity Commission. The day-to-day supervision is undertaken by the Clerk (32.5 hours per week) and the Administrator (5 hours per week) The charity is not registered as social housing.
• We are now with succession planning in mind looking for trustees to take the charity forward with expertise in the following areas:
• Building and conservation, property and maintenance, we have a number of properties throughout Cheltenham
• Health and Safety within housing
• Finance
• Leadership

• Communications and Marketing

  We have recently built four new wonderful apartments within a conservation area and may possibly in the future look at extending our current stock of properties with more new builds.

  We have a healthy balance sheet and would look to new trustees to guide the charity with new investment opportunities.

  Many thanks for your time reading this.

What are we looking for?

Trustees being sought must combine a passion for the cause with a blend of strategic, financial, and property-related skills. Key qualities include empathy, strategic thinking, and the ability to ask challenging questions, while essential experience covering social housing, property management, and charity law.

• Property & Housing Management: social housing regulations, managing housing portfolios, and property maintenance.
• Legal & Compliance: Knowledge of charity law, health & safety regulations, and safeguarding policies.
• Financial Management: Ability to manage charity resources, review financial reports, oversee budgeting, and understand social enterprise models (e.g., funding, income generation).
• Support Services & Care: Experience in working with vulnerable adults, homelessness services, mental health, or addiction services.
• Capital Projects & Fundraising: Experience in managing construction or refurbishment projects and securing funding for new housing initiatives.

What difference will you make?

This is an amazing opportunity to give a small amount of time, whilst knowing you are making a real difference to the lives of our residents.

With you are on board as a trustee we can ensure that the Almhouses continue for many, many more years, helping those less fortunate by providing safe well maintained homes in wonderful communities, whilst ensuring the long term financial stability, governance of the charity and to help formulate the vision for the future.