Trustee

Organisation overview 

West Horsley Place is an extraordinary historic house and estate in the heart of Surrey; with 400 acres of woodland and grazing, historic gardens and outbuildings and at the heart of the estate a 15th century manor house.

We have a joint mission: to conserve and protect the heritage in our care, and to enrich people’s lives through culture, heritage and nature. 

West Horsley Place was the much-loved home of Mary, Duchess of Roxburghe until her death in 2014. To his great surprise, she left the estate to her great-nephew, broadcaster and writer Bamber Gascoigne (1935-2022). Bamber and his wife Christina recognised not only the historical significance of the place, but also its unique atmosphere — a spirit of creativity, calm, and possibility. They had a clear vision for a future where the estate would be conserved and open for everyone to enjoy, with culture, heritage and nature at its heart. 

We do that by offering an ever-growing public programme centred on arts and nature, giving people the freedom to explore and discover, to create stories and become part of ours. We balance this with commercial activities such as filming and private events, and ongoing conservation works to enable as many visitors as possible to enjoy this beautiful setting. 

 As a young charity with a small, dedicated staff team of 12, a committed and involved Board of Trustees plus more than 400 dedicated volunteers, our team are delivering projects across a range of areas including conservation, environment and sustainability, arts, heritage, learning, estates and gardens. We fulfil our mission and increase our impact through partnership, collaboration and co-creation. Since 2017 Grange Park Opera have hosted a celebrated opera season for several weeks each summer in a purpose-built opera house within the grounds, alongside our own programme of summer events.

The Universities of Oxford, Surrey, Exeter, Royal Hollaway and UCA are other notable partners, alongside arts partnerships with The Ingram Collection, Guildford Shakespeare Company, Shakespeare’s Globe and Historic Royal Palaces.

More about our history is available on our website, www.westhorsleyplace.org.

Role details 

As a trustee, your core responsibilities will include: 

·       Contributing to the shape of the company's mission, values and long-term strategy

·       Supporting the Board and operational team with expertise and advice for your professional area

·       Reviewing and commenting on management reports provided to the Board

Each trustee, as part of the trustee team, will:

·       Ensure the Trust complies with legal, financial, and regulatory obligations

·       Monitor financial planning, budgeting and risk management

·       Uphold high standards of governance and accountability

·       Stay up to date on current trustee good practice

·       Promote the work of the Trust across professional networks

·       Support fundraising initiatives as required and help build partnerships

Attendance: Mix of in person and remote 

Time commitment: 6-8 hours a month

To apply for or express an interest in this position, please email bicenquiries@weareadvocate.org.uk