Trustees

What are Horizon looking for?

We are looking for people who are passionate about health, sport, and leisure and enhancing health and wellbeing in the community, all in support of our values to continually improve and diversify our facilities in a financially secure way, while providing excellent customer service and recruiting the best staff, to provide an overall positive impact on the health and happiness of our communities.

We are seeking new members to join the Trustee Board to contribute to Horizon’s plans for providing new and improved facilities and a greater range of accessible and affordable activities that encourage a wide range of community members to lead healthier, happier lives.

New members do not have to have been trustees before, and no particular level of employment experience is required. We welcome new members from all backgrounds. The most important characteristics you should have are:

An enthusiastic interest in sports, leisure, fitness and wellbeing, particularly in improving community engagement in these areas.
A curiosity to ask questions about suggestions presented to you, in the interests of Horizon’s leisure centre users.
A willingness to listen to both sides of a discussion to weigh the advantages and disadvantages.
Personal qualities such as seeing the big picture (an ability to look at the impact of a project rather than focus on small details), or attention to detail (able to spot what’s missing), or personal experience with a community or activity that Horizon could increase their engagement with, for example.

What will you gain from the opportunity?

This is an exciting and very rewarding opportunity for individuals to contribute to a vibrant, community-focused organisation.

Becoming a trustee can be an option at all stages of your personal development or career, whether you are entry-level, mid-career, in a senior role, not in employment, or volunteering; it is your enthusiasm to become involved and support the charity that is key.

Develop your potential – your interest in supporting Horizon is the starting point, training can be provided on aspects of being a trustee such as attending meetings and making decisions. Online resources are available to support trustees on their own journey.

Network with internal departments such as People and Culture, Sales and Marketing, Operations, and Finance, or external contacts such as community groups, and sport and leisure networks.

How will you support Horizon?

The time commitment involves regular attendance at Board meetings that are typically held once a month, currently on a Thursday morning.
Trustees are encouraged to actively support the charity in ways that suit your areas of interest and availability. If you are not free to attend every monthly meeting, there may be other opportunities to contribute to the charity’s work in between meetings. For example:
- speaking to your network of contacts to highlight what Horizon does and ask for feedback;
- consulting with your community or network on new activities or ideas;
- researching potential partnership contacts such as community groups that Horizon could work with, and
- telling the other trustees the feedback and ideas.

How will Horizon support you?

You will be put in touch with a trustee ‘buddy’ for you to ask any questions and support you with your first meetings and activities.
You will be given information about how Horizon is run and trustee responsibilities by the Governance and Compliance Officer.
Horizon has an excellent Leadership Team headed by the Chief Executive, who deals with the daily operation of the leisure centres and keeps the Trustee Board updated. Trustees are not involved in the operational side, but support Horizon’s strategy and future direction.
Horizon can provide reasonable out-of-pocket expenses to assist trustees in attending meetings or other events.

How do you find out more and apply to be a Trustee?

If you have any questions about Horizon or becoming a Trustee, please contact our Governance and Compliance Officer on telephone 02392 488415 or email horizon@horizonlc.com.

To apply to be a trustee please send an email or letter (or if you prefer a video or slides presentation) describing why you want to be a trustee, what potential areas of interest in Horizon you have, and what personal qualities or experience you have that will be helpful in this role.

Please send your application by:

email to horizon@horizonlc.com
post to Havant Leisure Centre, Civic Centre Road, Havant PO9 2AY