Do you want to help our charity achieve its core purpose of enhancing the quality of life for people living with HIV?
We are keen to reach people of African and Caribbean heritage, as these experiences and perspectives need to be strengthened in our Board of Trustees to help shape the future of Brigstowe.
About us
For 30 years, Brigstowe has been a lifeline for people living with or affected by HIV, especially those facing barriers: refugees, asylum seekers, LGBTQ+ communities, as well as people with no safe place to disclose. We support people in Bristol and the surrounding areas through a comprehensive and holistic range of services, including advice and support, peer support groups and peer mentoring. We also provide sexual health promotion and outreach services, and we tackle HIV stigma through public campaigns and educating service providers, employers and community groups about HIV.
Why we’re recruiting
We are seeking skilled, committed people who can help govern our charity and strengthen our impact. On this occasion, we are looking for applicants of African and Caribbean heritage because these communities make up a significant proportion of the people we support and are currently underrepresented on our Board of Trustees (one of our nine trustees is of African heritage).
Around half of our clients and a third of those accessing the local HIV Clinic are of African or Caribbean heritage. These communities continue to experience inequalities which impact on their health and wellbeing. For our organisation to meaningfully address these inequalities, we need a Board that brings lived experience, cultural insight, and a broader range of perspectives to our leadership to ensure great outcomes for our beneficiaries.
As we are a charity that supports people living with or affected by HIV, we welcome applications from people living with HIV to increase lived experience representation. People living with HIV do not need to disclose their HIV status unless they would like to.
About you
Our trustees play a vital role in keeping our charity on track and making sure we achieve our core purpose. They ensure that we have a clear strategy aligned with our vision and support and challenge the executive team to enable us to grow and thrive. Trustees debate important decisions robustly, drawing on many different perspectives whilst prioritising the interests of our beneficiaries. We place a high value on respect, collaboration and mutual accountability.
You do not need previous Board or trustee experience to apply for this role; we welcome first-time trustees. Newly appointed trustees are assigned a “buddy”, a more experienced trustee who will offer support as you settle into the role. If you would like to have an informal chat with Rami Ghali, our CEO, or our current trustees before applying for this role, please ring us on 0117 955 5038.
Additional experience
We are currently seeking experience in the following specific areas to help build our collective expertise:
- Marketing strategy including business development
- Financial planning, budgeting and accounting
- Public relations
- Digital strategy and leadership, including cyber security
- Fundraising and income generation
- Change management and service improvement
- Legal sector experience
Whilst experience in one of the above areas would be beneficial, it’s not a requirement. There are many other skills and experience that would strengthen the board. We are looking for people willing to bring energy, enthusiasm and commitment to the role and who will broaden the diversity of thinking on our board.
Time commitment
Time commitment is moderate yet flexible, with most meetings taking place online. You can find full details in the role description in our Trustee Recruitment Pack.
How to apply
Please visit our website at https://www.brigstowe.org/vacancies/brigstowe-is-recruiting-trustees-voluntary-role and read our Trustee Recruitment Pack, which contains all the information you need about our charity and the role, including the full role description. Please then fill in the Trustee Application Form outlining your reasons for applying and how your skills and experience meet the requirements of the role. We welcome life experience as much as work experience (paid and voluntary) to demonstrate skills and abilities.
Please also complete our Equal Opportunities Form.
Please send your completed forms to: info@brigstowe.org.
Closing date: Please apply by 9am, Monday 12th October 2026
Interview date: Monday 19th October 2026 at The Old Co-op, Ground Floor, 40-42 Chelsea Road, Bristol, BS5 6AF