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Posted by Robert Wilson (2001) on February 6, 2007, 10:34 am I am looking for an old boy who wants to help another old Skinner with this ambitious charitable venture. This actually is an exciting opportunity to play a crucial role in the development of a rapidly growing, award winning and truly entrepreneurial charity. I set up the charity READ International (Recycling Education Allowing Development), whilst studying at Nottingham University a couple of years ago, just three years after finishing at Skinners. Its purpose is to oversee and coordinate a group of regional student volunteer-led Tanzania Book Projects based at English universities to gather books, sports equipment, lab equipment, computers and other educational resources locally and redistribute to target regions in Tanzania. As well as this our university volunteers supply presentations/workshops to their local secondary schools across England about student volunteering, young social enterprise and global citizenship. The concept began in 2003 as a student volunteer-led project at the University of Nottingham to collect, collate, and ship disused secondary school text books from the UK to Tanzania. In its second year I coordinated a team of 20 university volunteers in the UK and successfully collected 40,000 textbooks. In August 2005 the same I led a team of 7 student volunteers out to Tanzania to distribute 25,000 text books to 20 Tanzanian schools. I then continued this voluntary project in 2005/06 and in August 2006, I led a second group of six students to Tanzania and successfully distributed another 25,000 books to a further 20 schools in Tanzania. I created READ International to replicate the Nottingham University model universities across the country. Now a total of five student volunteer-led Tanzania Book Projects are running semi-independently through university volunteering communities under the support umbrella of our registered charitable organisation, READ International. We rely on the dedication and active participation of student volunteers across the UK. With their help we can transport complete sets of textbooks to remote Tanzanian schools and libraries at approximately 50p per book because of our low cost student volunteer-led operating model. Within 3 years we will transport 925,000 disused textbooks from the UK to Tanzania. We require a three year grant of £102,117 to enable our project to redistribute at least £9.4 million worth of educational materials to Tanzania, supply hundreds of presentations/ workshops to UK schools and pave the way for hundreds of volunteering opportunities for University students across the UK. Now I need your help! We require a qualified finance professional with financial expertise and some time to give, to sit on our Board of trustees as a treasurer. I have recently started earning a full time wage and we expect our turnover to rapidly increase over the next three years as we expand from a fairly small local project into a national charity. All financial affairs are currently being managed by myself (financially unqualified). To manage the process more effectively we need a treasurer ASAP. We need an expert to step in and manage all aspects of the charities finances. But we do not anticipate that this will be a difficult role for anyone with financial management experience. We currently hold trustees meetings six times a year and they last no longer than 2 hours. They are currently scheduled for Tuesday evenings. I do not anticipate this role to be too stretching for anyone with experience. General Responsibilities In addition to the above statutory duties, the treasurer should use any specific skills, knowledge or experience they have to help the board of trustees reach sound decisions. This may involve: Scrutinising board papers Additional duties of the Treasurer
Contact me at robert.wilson@readinternational.org.uk
To ensure that READ International complies with its governing document, charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations.
To ensure that READ International pursues its objects as defined in its governing document.
To ensure READ International applies its resources exclusively in pursuance of its objects.
To contribute actively to the board of trustees' role in giving firm strategic direction to READ International, setting overall policy, defining goals and setting targets and evaluating performance against agreed targets.
To safeguard the good name and values of READ International.
To ensure the financial stability of READ International.
To protect and manage the property of the charity and to ensure the proper investment of the charity's funds.
Leading discussions
Focusing on key issues
Providing guidance on new initiatives
Exploring potential new avenues of funding
Other issues in which the trustee has special expertise
Overseeing, approving and presenting budgets, accounts and financial statements
Being assured that the financial resources of READ International meet its present and future needs
Ensuring that the charity has an appropriate reserves policy
The preparation and presentation of financial reports to the board
Ensuring that appropriate accounting procedures and controls are in place
Liaising with any paid staff and volunteers about financial matters
Advising on the financial implications of READ International's strategic plans
Ensuring that there is no conflict between any investment held and the aims and objects of the charity
Monitoring READ International's investment activity and ensuring its consistency with READ International's policies and legal responsibilities
Ensuring READ International's compliance with legislation
Ensuring equipment and assets are adequately maintained and insured
Ensuring that the accounts are prepared and disclosed in the form required by funders and the relevant statutory bodies, e.g. The charity commission and/or the registrar of companies
Ensuring that the accounts are scrutinised in the manner required (annual audit) and any recommendations are implemented
Keeping the board informed about its financial duties and responsibilities
Contributing to the fundraising strategy of READ International
Making a formal presentation of the accounts at the annual general meeting and drawing attention to important points in a coherent and easily understandable way
Sitting on appraisal, recruitment and disciplinary panels as required
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