About us: Sustenance rescues surplus food in order to prepare nutritious meals and provide groceries for local residents experiencing food insecurity in St Leonards. As a grassroots charity, we combine environmental sustainability with community support, ensuring good food goes to those who need it most rather than going to waste.

Welcome: Thank you for your interest in joining the Board of Trustees at Sustenance. Our board provides strategic direction, legal stewardship, and operational oversight to ensure our charity delivers maximum public benefit to the St Leonards and Hastings communities. All trustees share equal responsibility under charity law to safeguard Sustenance's funds, protect its assets, and ensure all activities directly advance our charitable purpose.

Every member of our Board of Trustees is expected to uphold Nolan’s Seven Principles of Public Life:

●      Selflessness: Act solely in terms of the public interest.

●      Integrity: Avoid placing yourself under financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations.

●      Objectivity: Take decisions impartially, fairly, and on merit using the best evidence.

●      Accountability: Submit yourself to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to your office.

●      Openness: Act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner.

●      Honesty: Be truthful and clear in all governance matters.

●      Leadership: Exhibit these principles in your own behaviour and actively promote them.

Sustenance is looking for experience across these roles in the following areas:

●      Charity fundraising (Grant applications and major donors in particular)

●      Financial/Accounting

●      Human resources

●      Food production, and or distribution

Role Description:

Location: Hastings (Hybrid / Remote with local attendance where possible)

Time Commitment: 4–5 hours per month (includes monthly in-person 1.5-hour board meetings)

Reporting To: Board of Trustees / Chair of Trustees

We are looking for community-minded Trustees to join our Board of Trustees. As a Trustee, you will share overall legal and strategic responsibility for Sustenance, helping shape long-term strategy, ensuring regulatory compliance, and contributing your individual skills to safeguard the charity's assets and community impact.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Direction & Charitable Purpose (~2 hours/month)

●      Ensure Sustenance pursues its stated charitable objects as defined in its governing document and spends funds strictly in furtherance of these goals.

●      Contribute to developing and reviewing long-term strategic plans and evaluating organizational performance against targets.

●      Safeguard the reputation, values, and public trust of Sustenance.

Governance & Financial Oversight (~1.5 hours/month)

●      Ensure compliance with charity law, company law, governing documents, and relevant statutory regulations.

●      Monitor financial stability, internal administrative policies, and proper stewardship of property and funds.

●      Support proper arrangements for the supervision, appraisal, and support of staff or operational leads.

Board Participation & Engagement (~1 hour/month)

●      Prepare for and attend monthly Board of Trustee meetings (1.5 hours per session), reviewing board papers in advance.

●      Apply specific expertise, knowledge, and independent judgement to advise the board and lead key discussion areas.

●      Engage collaboratively as a constructive board member.

We are looking for someone with…

●      Strategic Judgement: Good, independent judgement with the willingness to speak your mind, think creatively, and focus on core strategic priorities.

●      Governance Acceptance: Understanding and acceptance of the legal responsibilities, duties, and liabilities of charity trusteeship.

●      Teamwork & Dedication: Ability to work effectively within a team and devote the necessary time and effort to support board duties.

●      Community Focus: Committed to combating local food waste and supporting food insecurity initiatives in St Leonards.

●      Integrity: Dedicated to sound governance, transparency, and Nolan’s seven principles of public life.

How to Apply & Selection Process

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, experiences, and skill sets who are passionate about combating food insecurity and food waste in St Leonards. Prior board experience is not essential—we provide a comprehensive induction and ongoing support for all new trustees.

1. Expression of Interest: Submit a brief CV and a short covering statement (1 page max) outlining your interest in Sustenance and the role you are applying for.

2. Informal Discussion: Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an informal conversation with current board members to discuss the role and ask any questions.

3. Formal Nomination & Appointment: Selected candidates will undergo formal board appointment in accordance with Sustenance's governing document and Charity Commission guidance.

Equal Opportunities Statement: Sustenance is committed to creating an inclusive board environment. We encourage applications from underrepresented groups in charity governance, including local community residents, younger applicants, and individuals with lived experience of food insecurity.