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Client Trustee Opening

We are excited to announce that we are now recruiting for an additional client trustee role and would love to hear from you if you are interested! You don’t need any Board experience but being able to represent the wider views of older people, and having time to do the role is important – around 20 hours a year.

If you would like to have a chat with Jess Millwood, CEO or Bob Empson, the Chair about the role, please get in touch by email on jmillwood@aukc.org.uk or by calling us on 020 8969 9105. If you would like to apply, please write to Jess Millwood, CEO, Age UK Kensington and Chelsea, 1 Thorpe Close, London, W10 5XL, or by email to her by Monday 4th March setting out why you are interested and why you think you would be a good fit for the role.

The next stage is interviews, which we will keep as informal and friendly as possible!

Overall responsibility:

Work as a member of the Board to contribute experience, expertise and insight and to add value to strategic development and governance of Age UK Kensington & Chelsea to ensure that it is a robust and dynamic charity which supports all elderly people in our community.

Client Trustee Person Specification Essential:
  • Must be a member of AUKC who has used our services for at least six months within the last two years;
  • Understands and is committed to the culture, ethos and purpose of Age UK Kensington & Chelsea;
  • Understands how to represent the wider interests of older members of AUKC as a group rather than relying solely on individual experience;
  • Experience of acting as a credible ambassador;
  • Excellent communication and listening skills – able to communicate concepts and issues effectively;
  • Is able to commit, flexibly, the time and attention to learn about and contribute to Age UK Kensington & Chelsea’s work;
  • Able to self-manage effectively to fulfil the requirements of this role;
  • Must be able to attend meetings remotely
Term of office:

Charity Trustees hold office for an initial term of two years and may be reappointed for up to two further terms of three years each.

Meet Silvia Sinclair, Our Client Trustee

“My name is Sylvia Sinclair and I am a client of Age UK Kensington and Chelsea and also a Trustee.

The first time I became properly involved with Age UK K&C was when Covid 19 happened. Suddenly, we were supposed to stay at home. My son was worried as he lived in Essex, and he asked if he could ring Age UK. When he called, we were taken on immediately, they didn’t ask if we were registered or anything.

Age UK rang us to find out where we are and what help they can give us, especially for food as we were told not to move by the government. Every Tuesday a gentleman would knock and drop a parcel of food at the door for the week. I was happy to have it as I wanted to cook with fresh food for myself and my husband John who was very ill.

Also at Age UK, Will Porter found Georgina to call me every Thursday without fail, so I knew there was someone out there beside my son who knew my concerns and problems with John. I would tell her what my worries were and what was going on. John was very ill and I was caring for him all the time, so this was someone I could tell when I was worried about anything.

It was good to know there was somebody out there who will know if we are still alive or not. All this kindness from Age UK stayed throughout the pandemic. I am very grateful for all their support.

In 2021 John’s condition got worse and he passed on 5th May 2021. He wanted to be buried in country of birth – Ghana. We took him back there and he was buried in in Accra. Before John died, he said to me – ‘I don’t want you to be sitting in the house miserable, you must be doing things in the community’.

I had joined as a volunteer at Chelsea Theatre, recruiting people to be Community Champions and through this group and Age UK we have the happiest group of older people in the South of the Borough!

Age UK has been very good in putting on and promoting lots of activities –in chair exercises we now have over 22 people, so many that there are now 2 groups!

We do knitting on Fridays, making things for older people who will need hats and scarves. Every year in February Age UK will run a Valentines event and we all attend which is very lovely and we have over 70s discos in the North and South of the Borough, and also have activities for older people to go out to V&A museum, Kensington palace – we would not have gone if not for Age UK as we couldn’t afford the prices.

The most important thing is the digital inclusion support – this was a big problem as our GP during covid said ‘take a photo and send it to me’ and I did not know how to. But now most of our older people are getting better at digital inclusion, without it people are left behind.

For us, Age UK is a lifeline – it prevents loneliness and builds up our community conversations and brings about community cohesion and inclusion. Thank you to Age UK!” - Sylvia Sinclair