West Horsley Place Trust

West Horsley Place Trust is a charitable organisation dedicated to the preservation, restoration, and sustainable use of West Horsley Place, a historic Grade I listed manor house and estate in Surrey. After being left in disrepair for many years, the property came into the spotlight when it was unexpectedly inherited by author and presenter Bamber Gascoigne, formerly of University Challenge, from his great aunt Mary Innes-Ker, Duchess of Roxburghe, in 2014. Bamber’s vision was to restore the manor and its 380-acre estate and transform it into a hub where arts, history, education and nature thrive together, and the West Horsley Place Trust was established in 2017 to enable this. Today, the restoration of the house and estate is still very much ongoing, but West Horsley Place offers a wide range of activities and experiences including private event hire, educational workshops and community events, and is the home base for Grange Park Opera.

The Board of Trustees at West Horsley Place Trust are now seeking candidates for the role of Chair to succeed Giles Reid, who has served as an exceptional Chair since December 2022. The next Chair of West Horsley Place Trust will join at an exciting time; the charity is in its 8th year and is looking to its longer-term sustainability. There are some major fundraising campaigns required to achieve the Trust’s mission of removing the manor house from the Heritage At Risk Register, and there is a great deal of potential across the estate to continue developing it as a centre for creativity and learning. Candidates will be expected to effectively lead the Board of Trustees and provide support and mentorship to the Director, as well as serving as an ambassador for West Horsley Place, representing its mission and values to key stakeholders and playing a key role in fundraising. The successful candidate will have excellent communication and advocacy skills, strong financial literacy and an understanding of charity governance, as well as a passion for the Trust’s mission and a commitment to preserving its legacy for future generations.

Saxton Bampfylde Ltd is acting as an employment agency advisor to West Horsley Place Trust on this appointment. For further information about the role, including details about how to apply, please visit www.saxbam.com/appointments using reference BBQNB. Alternatively email Belinda.beck@saxbam.com. Applications should be received by noon on Monday 18^th November.