As our new Chair, you will inspire and support a highly engaged Board, providing strategic leadership, strong governance and constructive challenge while working in close partnership with the Co-Directors to shape the charity’s future.
What will you be doing?
Sydenham Garden is a unique wellbeing centre utilising its gardens, nature reserve and activity rooms to help people in their recovery from mental and physical ill-health in Lewisham.
Above all, the Chair understands and champions the ethos and values of Sydenham Garden. The recovery journey of the people we support, whom we call co-workers, is at the heart of everything we do, and the Chair is a visible ambassador for that vision, both within the Board and externally. The Chair leads an effective Board, ensuring it provides strategic direction, accountability and inclusive decision-making, with meetings that are well prepared, well managed and productive. Working closely with the Vice-Chairs, Committee Chairs and Co-Directors, the Chair fosters strong relationships across the organisation, provides support and constructive challenge to the leadership team, and represents Sydenham Garden with funders, partners and the wider community.
What are we looking for?
We’re not looking for a perfect match on paper – we’re looking for someone who shares our values, believes in Sydenham Garden’s mission and can bring kindness, good judgement and steady leadership to our Board. Previous experience as a Chair isn’t essential; what matters most is your ability to build strong relationships, provide thoughtful strategic leadership and support and constructively challenge our Co-Directors as a trusted critical friend.
You’ll bring experience of leadership, governance or people management, together with an understanding of effective charity governance and the wider challenges facing charities, including funding and commissioning. An understanding of, or connection with, the London Borough of Lewisham and the communities we serve would be an advantage, as would knowledge of the mental health, health and wellbeing or local government landscape, but none of these are essential.
Above all, we’re looking for someone who is kind, empathetic, fair and inclusive, with the ability to bring people together and ensure every voice is heard. You’ll help the Board make well-informed decisions, stay focused on Sydenham Garden’s long-term direction and ensure that agreed priorities are followed through, while leaving the day-to-day running of the organisation to the executive team.
Our Commitment to Addressing Social Inequality
At Sydenham Garden, we value diversity and believe that a broad range of voices and experiences strengthens our Board, our decision-making and the work we do. We are committed to building a diverse, inclusive and welcoming Board that reflects the communities we serve, and particularly welcome applications from people with lived experience of mental health challenges, disabled people, LGBTQ+ people, and people from Black, Asian and other minoritised ethnic communities.
We recognise the impact of inequality and discrimination on people’s lives and are committed to embedding equity, diversity and inclusion throughout Sydenham Garden. We want everyone to feel respected, valued and able to contribute, and we are committed to making reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process to ensure everyone can participate fully.
What difference will you make?
As Chair, you will play a key role in helping Sydenham Garden build on its strengths and achieve its ambitions for the future. You’ll lead and support the Board to provide effective governance, deliver our strategy and make the most of the diverse skills and experience around the table, while working alongside our Co-Directors as a trusted critical friend.
This is an opportunity to make a real difference at an important time for Sydenham Garden, helping to shape our governance review and next three-year strategy from the outset. You’ll be supported through a comprehensive induction, opportunities to visit our projects and meet our co-workers, and a welcoming, collaborative Board where your contribution will be valued.
Additional information
You can download the following documents:
Before you apply
The TrusteeWorks team at Reach Volunteering is supporting Sydenham Garden with the recruitment of its new Chair.
To apply, please send your CV, including key achievements and two referees, together with a supporting statement of no more than 500 words explaining your interest in the role and the skills, experience and qualities you would bring.
We value authentic applications that reflect your own voice and experience. AI tools may be used for proofreading, grammar or word-count checks, but not to draft or substantially rewrite your statement.
If you’d like an informal conversation before applying, particularly if this would be your first Chair or Trustee role, please get in touch with TrusteeWorks at trusteeworks@reachskills.org.uk.
Deadline for applications: Friday the 11th of September 2026 by 5pm.
