Trustees - Safeguarding, Housing or Church Leadership experience

Orchards is a Christian charity (CIO: 1179459) working in partnership with local churches across the UK to see women free from sexual exploitation and empowered for flourishing, independent lives. We build trusting relationships with women and support them for lasting recovery through our main areas: 1) transitional safe housing; 2) trauma counselling; 3) training and work opportunities for job and life skills. We are grounded in specially trained churches, who we partner with and train to become communities where a woman, if she chooses, can rebuild belonging, receive befriending support, and explore the Christian faith for herself.  

We launched in 2018 with one woman and one flat. Since then, we have had the privilege of setting up three safe properties embedded in a network of churches in South London and have launched a national counselling service (face to face and online). Last year we opened a new counselling hub in East London and have recently opened a new housing hub in East Sussex and through local church partners in those areas.

Orchards Trustees serve the board with a passion to see women free from sexual exploitation, bringing their relevant career experience and skills and prayerfulness. At present the Trustees have members from a variety of professional backgrounds; including an HR specialist, former CEO of an anti-trafficking NGO, an accountant and communications consultant. They represent a range of church denominations and church networks.

Two of our Trustees reached the end of their tenure this year and we are seeking new Trustees to strengthen the Board and help position us for sustainable growth in the coming years. We are particularly looking for Trustees with experience in the following areas:

- Safeguarding – a qualified social worker or safeguarding professional with experience of adult safeguarding. This Trustee will work alongside the Safeguarding Lead to ensure best practice and ongoing monitoring of safeguarding strategy within the organisation.

- Church leader or church network leader – an experienced church leader able to work across denominations. This Trustee will help us to develop our church partnerships and to bring local church perspective into the strategy and growth of the charity.

- Housing – an experienced housing professional with knowledge of social and Local Authority housing. This Trustee will help us work strategically with Local Authorities as we expand our housing provision and seek creative ways to provide move-on housing options for women.

We are particularly looking to ensure diversity of perspective and voice across the board. As such, we welcomeapplicants from all cultural backgrounds to apply, in addition to applicants with lived experience of sexual exploitation.