Chair

Vacancy: Chair, Friends of Leckhampton Hill & Charlton Kings Common (‘FOLK’)
Location: Cotswolds (Cheltenham)
Position: Voluntary
Remuneration: None

This is a unique and exciting opportunity for an experienced and knowledgeable Chair to lead and shape the future direction of an award-winning and enthusiastic volunteer organisation now in its 26th year.

FOLK was formed to represent the interests & needs of the many users of Leckhampton Hill and Charlton Kings Common, situated within the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Much of the site is protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest owing to its geology and rare grassland habitats, and in 2026 also received the special honour of being designated as one of the King’s Series of National Nature Reserves.

With the retirement of the current long-standing Chair, we are looking for a passionate individual who will guide a popular and effective volunteer effort to deliver against FOLK’s aims and objectives, and to enhance the reach and reputation of the organisation in the local community and far beyond. Many hundreds of thousands of users visit every year to enjoy the site’s many attractions, including wonderful examples of industrial history, geological formations and rare grassland habitats which support flora & fauna of local and national importance.

The Role

We are looking for a Chair to lead a passionate Committee of elected members and officials to

1. Ensure that FOLK runs smoothly & effectively, whilst delivering against the organisation’s Aims & Objectives
2. Embrace change, to ensure that FOLK remains relevant to all current and future stakeholder groups and members
3. Act as a figurehead to maximise opportunities for FOLK’s involvement with local organisations and individuals, and to increase awareness of our activities & successes

Duties of the Chair

As Chair, you will play an important leadership role across a wide range of governance

• Chair FOLK’s AGM and regular Committee meetings, and FOLK Risk Management sub-committee to meet Risk and Health & Safety standards; oversee recruitment of new members to Committee & Officer posts, and supervise performance and effectiveness
• Ensure regular and pro-active liaison with Cheltenham Borough Council decision-makers, local organisations and other stakeholders to maximise awareness of FOLK activities and ensure FOLK’s involvement in all relevant activities
• Monitor on-going effectiveness of FOLK’s communications strategy and use of channels. Act as figurehead for local media to increase awareness of FOLK activities, and optimise PR opportunities to maintain FOLK’s profile & reputation
• Monitor external issues likely to impact the site, and FOLK & its members, and mobilise interventions to protect FOLK’s local standing as appropriate
• Leverage long-standing relationships with local organisations & individuals to participate in new partnership projects, and to identify potential funding sources
• Monitor FOLK’s relevance and appeal to existing & potential members and local site user groups, in particular FOLK’s offer to local schools
• Monitor FOLK’s performance against stated Aims & Objectives and initiate action to change FOLK’s structure and policies if appropriate
• Encourage enhancement of FOLK’s own capabilities, including wildlife identification & recording skills, survey & monitoring work, and data analysis, with regular reporting on the health of Priority Species against habitat improvement & biodiversity goals

Time Commitment

The description of duties listed above may appear challenging but have been listed to highlight the professional approach that FOLK aspires to, and the challenges that past successes have brought to a small conservation group! The reality is that the Committee is highly supportive and encouraging of its Members and Officers, and many of these tasks have already been delegated to Committee sub-group teams to reduce the need for Chair interventions.

The minimum commitment is a requirement to attend six Committee meetings spread across the year, the Annual General Meeting, and one on-site visit to view and discuss progress relating to land & habitat management, site infrastructure and site user issues.

The role is a voluntary position, but with the rare opportunity to influence the maintenance and improvement of a spectacular natural site of national importance. You will be involved with the owners of the site, partnership projects with other key stakeholder & volunteer groups, and a number of dedicated site users who remain fiercely protective of the natural treasures that the site provides to all-comers!

You will be guided by a Management Plan and Action Plan that has been created with expert inputs from users and experienced ecologists, and there is a regular calendar of highly popular work party events that are well-attended; work party participants are friendly and passionate, but also well-trained and equipped. Work party tasks are led by a WP Co-ordinator supported by a team of WP Leaders, ensuring that events are focused and effective, and all activities are closely supervised to ensure the safety of all participants.

You will also interact with Borough Council officers & land managers to maintain and develop a long-standing and effective dialogue, and with leading figures from local organisations such as Parish Councils, who provide much-valued support and funding.

About You

We are looking for an enthusiastic, self-driven individual who possesses a passion for conservation, and with good organisational and leadership skills. The role may appear daunting when committed to paper, but we recognise that it will take time for the successful candidate (as with all previous Chairs) to grow into the role.

A demonstration of the following experiences will be looked upon favourably

• Previous Chair roles
• Strong Organisational and Communication Skills
• Motivational / Interpersonal / Influencing Skills

whilst some of the following may also be desirable, but not critical

• Local knowledge
• PR and Media experience
• Strong interest in environment, heritage and working with the local community
• Previous engagements with wildlife
• Knowledge / experience of land management practices

About FOLK

FOLK is a not-for-profit, voluntary conservation group, formed in 2000 to represent the interests & needs of the many users of LH&CKC, and to act as an effective intermediary with Cheltenham Borough Council (as owners of the site) and its Green Space Team. FOLK also works closely and in partnership with voluntary groups (e.g. Cotswold Wardens) to support the widest possible recreational use of the land & to promote public awareness. FOLK’s activities deliver important habitat management, conservation projects and site improvements.

FOLK has been an integral driver of the site’s popularity in recent years, safeguarding a nationally-important SSSI (and also soon to be one of a handful of King’s Series of National Nature Reserves) & ensuring access to increasing parts of the site through scrub clearance, paths and mobility vehicle-friendly routes for the benefit of the local community & visitors.

FOLK performance measures include (i) positive feedback from key stakeholders, members & site users; recognition awards (ii) delivery against Key Performance Indicators linked to the Management Plan (iii) event attendance, membership numbers; other engagement scores (iv) Committee meeting attendance; number of Committee vacancies.