Trustees And Governance
Our Trustees
Colin Braithwaite – Chair
Jenny Benfield – Vice Chair
Marie Armitage – Trustee
Jean Chapman – Trustee
David Greet – Trustee
Graham Evans – Trustee
Julie Close-Mitchell – Trustee
We are registered with the Charity Commission.
Trustee Recruitment
LWPH provides for those who seek to live in an active Christian environment, residential care and assisted living units for the elderly.
We have residential care homes in Woodhall Spa, Westcliff on Sea and Minehead and assisted living units in Minehead and Milborne Port (Dorset).
The origins of LWPHomes derive from the formation in 1849 of the Methodist Local Preachers Mutual Aid Association (MLPMA). With the passage of time, MLPMA felt the need to make specific provision for Local Preachers and their dependants in terms of residential care in retirement. This led to the formation of Mutual Aid Homes (MAH) in 1949. Both MLPMA and MAH were charities with specific focus on the Methodist Church, but in 2004 both charities expanded their horizons to embrace a more ecumenical approach. MLPMA became the Leaders of Worship and Preachers Trust (LWPT) and Mutual Aid Homes became the Leaders of Worship and Preachers Homes. Today, LWPHomes does not receive any funding support from nor does it have any direct association with LWPT.
LWPHomes gives priority to those involved in or training for leading worship and their dependants. The key criterion for admission of residents is that they have an enthusiasm to reside in and embrace an active Christian community as Christian family values are at the heart of our organisation with daily prayers and regular celebrations of Holy Communion.
The charity’s work is more important now than ever, as those entering residential care are older than hitherto and thus are truly some of the more vulnerable people in our society.
The high-level management of the charity is delivered on a day to day basis by an employed executive Officer and a Director of Care Services. Other key functions (eg financial advice and HR support) are supported by retained advisers.
We welcome enquiries from purposefully minded individuals to join the LWPHomes Board of trustees. The primary requirement is that our trustees are Christian, ideally from within the Methodist or Wesleyan Reform churches, and are prepared to take an active part in sustaining the Christian ethos in our Homes. In addition, we look for individuals with skills and experience in finance, and general / project management.
In many ways this is a crucial time for the charity. Whilst our care professionals have kept our Homes covid-19 free during the testing times of the pandemic, the essential hands on touch has been curbed during the months lockdown and renewed energy is necessary to get back on track with both pastoral care and business development.
The successful applicants will have a skill set that is a positive blend of pastoral enthusiasm and a commitment to the provision of the best possible care services. Our purpose is to have a Board that reflects true diversity and we welcome applicants who will bring a range of skills and experiences to support our work.
Routinely, the Board meets formally twice a year. Circumstances may well require other meetings but our processes allow for electronic meetings where they are a sensible way forward. Trustees are encouraged to visit the Homes to meet the residents and staff and, ideally to take a part in or even lead the daily act of worship. Previous experience as a trustee is not essential as web-based trustee training (where necessary) is available. The induction process will include a visit to see the work of one of our Homes at first hand.
The trustee term of office is for 3 years and a maximum of 4 terms. As LWPH is also a company limited by guarantee, trustee liability in respect of the operation of the charity is essentially limited to one pound. Our trustees are reimbursed for all travel / accommodation and other costs associated with their duties as trustees.
You can find out more about our charity on this web site. If you have any questions, in the first instance, please contact Simon Lee, our Director of Care Services, at our Head Office on 01702 342059.
To apply, please email your CV and a covering letter to our Company Secretary at LWPHomes, 1 Winton Avenue, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex SS0 7QU or by email: adrian.needham@lwphomes.org.uk.
