Voluntary Action South West Surrey

About the Charity

The Cedar House Charity was set up for mothers experiencing prenatal and postnatal depression in 2004 and offers support to mothers by holding free weekly group therapy sessions. The groups provide a safe, supported, and confidential environment where mothers can get together with others who may be feeling similar to themselves and are facilitated by our specialist postnatal depression counsellor, Liz Wise. Liz has thirty years’ experience in facilitating groups, providing counselling and has personal experience of the illness. The groups aid their recovery by making them feel normal and reducing the sense of isolation that postnatal depression can bring.

​The charity has been running since 2004 in Surrey, and now also provides a support group in South London. Each group provides creche facilities and both this and the group are free of charge. We get no funding from the NHS or local authorities and rely solely on private donations, grants and fundraising events.

Charity Trustee

Purpose of role:               

Key purpose of the charity trustee role is to function as one of the key decision makers of Cedar House, providing leadership, guidance, support and making decisions for the benefit of the charity and the work that it does. The charity trustee’s will safeguard the charity's assets – both physical assets, including property, and intangible ones, such as its reputation. Cedar House is a small charity, and we rely on the time given generously by our volunteers, including our trustees. These roles require a positive, active input to the shared responsibility of overall governance and fundraising efforts, vital to keeping the charity going.

Key Responsibilities:      

Cedar House Charity Trustees are required to attend 3 board meetings per annum, where the financials including accounts, funding/grant applications and other related topics will be discussed. All trustees must be an active member of the board as it is small. The board members may also share the board roles including Treasurer, Secretary, Chair, safeguarding and communications/fundraising.

Key duties include:

• Ensure the charity is conducting its purposes for the public benefit
• Comply with the charity's governing document and the law
• Acting in the charities best interest
• Managing the charity's resources responsibly (including finances)
• Acting with reasonable care and skill
• Ensuring the charity is accountable.

Eligibility criteria:             

• Must be at least 18 years old
• Must not have been previously disqualified
• Fit the criteria of ‘fit and proper person’ under Finance Act 2010 HRMC
• Can undertake and pass Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
•  Able to travel to Guildford, Surrey for the 3 Trustee Board meetings per year

Key Experience:  

•  Worked in teams of people
•  Experience of making objective decisions, based on factual evidence
•  Understanding of financial information

If you are interested in supporting Cedar House and you are able to provide some time by volunteering, please click on the Fill in an Application button to volunteer or if you wish for further details.   

About the Charity

The Cedar House Charity was set up for mothers experiencing prenatal and postnatal depression in 2004 and offers support to mothers by holding free weekly group therapy sessions. The groups provide a safe, supported, and confidential environment where mothers can get together with others who may be feeling similar to themselves and are facilitated by our specialist postnatal depression counsellor, Liz Wise. Liz has thirty years’ experience in facilitating groups, providing counselling and has personal experience of the illness. The groups aid their recovery by making them feel normal and reducing the sense of isolation that postnatal depression can bring.

​The charity has been running since 2004 in Surrey, and now also provides a support group in South London. Each group provides creche facilities and both this and the group are free of charge. We get no funding from the NHS or local authorities and rely solely on private donations, grants and fundraising events.

Charity Trustee and Secretary

Purpose of role:               

Key purpose of the Charity Trustee role is to function as one of the key decision makers of Cedar House, providing leadership, guidance, support and making decisions for the benefit of the charity and the work that it does. The charity trustee’s will safeguard the charity's assets – both physical assets, including property, and intangible ones, such as its reputation. Cedar House is a small charity and we rely on the time given generously by our volunteers, including our trustees. These roles require a positive, active input to the shared responsibility of overall governance and fundraising efforts, vital to keeping the charity going.

The Charity Secretary's overall role includes secretarial duties such as organizing board meetings, taking the minutes, managing correspondence, managing updates and background information required by the board of trustees, keeping records of membership, and other similar administrative responsibilities

Key Responsibilities:      

Cedar House Charity Trustees are required to attend 3 board meetings per annum, where the financials including accounts, funding/grant applications and other related topics will be discussed. All trustees must be an active member of the board as it is small. The board members may also share the board roles including Treasurer, Secretary, Chair, safeguarding and communications/fundraising.

Key duties include:

• Ensure the charity is conducting its purposes for the public benefit
• Comply with the charity's governing document and the law
• Acting in the charities best interest
• Managing the charity's resources responsibly (including finances)
• Acting with reasonable care and skill
• Ensuring the charity is accountable.
• Arranging 3 board meetings per annum to ensure all trustees are able to attend.
• Take minutes at board meetings, including any actions or follow up activity and share with the board after meetings.
• Arrange necessary paperwork for new trustees and leaving trustees.
• Update information packs for new trustees so they understand responsibilities.

Eligibility criteria:             

• Must be at least 18 years old
• Must not have been previously disqualified
• Fit the criteria of ‘fit and proper person’ under Finance Act 2010 HRMC
• Can undertake and pass Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
•  Able to travel to Guildford to attend the 3 annual trustee board meetings.

Key Experience:               

• Worked in teams of people
• Experience of making objective decisions, based on factual evidence
• Understanding of financial information

If you are interested in supporting Cedar House and you are able to provide some time by volunteering, please click on the Fill in an Application button to volunteer or if you wish for further details.