If you volunteer with GBSN you get the bonus of working with a great team and supporting families across the county!
Maybe you are a family who have benefitted from our support in the past or currently attend groups?
Maybe you have a passion for breastfeeding and supporting others? Maybe you are looking for new feel good challenges to give back in 2024?
We are looking for new Trustees to join our team.
GBSN is a small, independent, self-funded charity. We run seven weekly breastfeeding support groups that offer skilled support and social support for mothers who are breastfeeding. We also offer 1:1 video calls.
The Breastfeeding Counsellors (BFCs) and volunteer Peer Supporters work within a person-centered model. Our annual running costs are around £40,000. We do not receive NHS or government funding. We rely on fundraising and grant writing alongside donations of services and money.
Our support is accessible and free of charge to all families whenever they are in need of help during their breastfeeding journey. Although we are a small charity, we achieve big things, supporting families 2500 times in 2023.
GBSN is an independent source of support and information and all help and support offered by GBSN Peer Supporters and BFCs is offered free from commercial interests. We therefore uphold the WHO Code on Marketing and Distribution of Breastmilk Substitutes and subsequent resolutions:
https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/254911/WHO-NMH-NHD-17.1-eng.pdf
The current Board of Trustees has different talents and skills. It represents Peer Supporters, Breastfeeding Counsellors and has strong governance in place. We work well as a cohesive team, structured around Trustees leading teams focussing on Supporting the Supporters, governance, fundraising, events, marketing/social media and training.
We need ideally three new Trustees to lead in the following:
Fundraising: skill set or experience of fundraising and/or grant writing and developing a fundraising strategy.
Social Media: Passion and commitment to Social media for the charity providing engaging and fact checked content.
Volunteer Coordinator: Experience or skilled in engaging and coordinating volunteers.
What we are looking for:
Time commitment of approximately 2-3 hours per week (flexibly provided)
We meet monthly, mainly online, although do meet up in person a few times a year. We keep in regular contact between meetings through email and WhatsApp.
Application is by emailing [email protected] Please include a bit about yourself and what you bring, alongside your understanding of how working within the WHO Code would influence your work as a GBSN Trustee. A formal CV is not required, but if you have one prepared please do send it if you wish.
Whilst all our Trustees must be passionate about supporting breastfeeding families, there is no requirement to have breastfed your own child(ren) for a certain amount of time. (We do have a requirement for our Peer Supporters but this does not apply to Trustees)
Closing dates for applications 14th February 2024.
Memorandum and Articles of Association, 2022/23 accounts, our GBSN Philosophy and our statement of values are available from the Board of Trustees.