The Volunteer Centre operates democratically and with equal opportunities policies. This means its running is intended to be responsive to the views and requirements of all member volunteers.

The running of the Centre is controlled by the paid Centre Manager who is responsible for implementing the policies and directives of the Board of Trustees.

This involves recruitment, placement and support of volunteers; administration, finances and statistics; publicity, public relations and liaising with other volunteer organisations.

In these duties the Centre Manager is assisted by an Office Administrator, Transport Coordinator, Marketing & Group Development Coordinator, Befriending Coordinator along with our caretaker/cleaner. Volunteers also undertake certain office tasks and the placement of some incoming jobs.

The policies and general management of the Centre are directed by a Board of Trustees. This consists of members elected by and from volunteers, plus some representatives of interested external organisations, together with the officers – Chairperson, Company Manager and Treasurer.

The Trustees carry responsibility for the actions and running of the Centre. The Board generally meets in full every two months and there are also sub-committees.

Although the Centre maintains an independence in its running and policies, there is an inevitable accountability towards those who fund it and will expect certain services delivered and targets to be achieved

Funding is received from several sources, local councils, organisations, foundations, Trusts, and through our own fundraising.

The Board of Trustees directs the running of the Volunteer Centre and the formulation of its policies. Trustees are elected at the Centre’s AGM or invited as representatives of interested external organisations.

The Board also has representatives from the Borough Council and the County Council. The Centre Manager is invited to the Board meetings, but cannot vote.

Meetings of the Board must take place every 2 months. Decisions are taken by majority voting.

The procedures of the Board and rules governing the Centre are written down in our Memorandum and Articles of Association. As a registered company limited by guarantee (Company Number 4666277) and as a registered charity (Number 1097655) we have obligations under the Companies Act and the Charities Commission.

Currently the Officers of the Board of Trustees are:
Centre Manager – Mark Allen; Treasurer – Hazel Body, Chair – Tony Ashton,
Vice Chair – Liz Treacy

We are committed to delivering quality services and running an organisation built on best practice. Our Annual Quality Improvement Plan builds upon our achievement of gaining recognition for achieving level 1 in the PQASSO (Practical Quality Assurance System for Small Organisations) framework in 2005. We have also acquired level 2 in 2010.