Visitor Co-ordinator for the Buckingham Archdeaconry Clergy Charity
The Archdeacon of Buckingham’s Clergy Charity is a small Charity set up to provide financial support to clergy in the Archdeaconry, also their widows in times of need. The Trustees comprise the Archdeacon of Buckingham, the Bishop of Buckingham and three Lay members. Whilst the needs of the clergy are generally well known to the Archdeacon, the clergy widows are personally visited by lay people in order to provide both pastoral support and to establish if the Charity can help with any specific significant financial issue.
Currently there are six visitors based in different parts of the county who have been co-ordinated on a voluntary basis by a Visitor Co-ordinator for more than a decade. The Co-odinator now wishes to relinquish the voluntary Co-ordinator’s role though will continue to visit a small number of clergy widows. The Trustees are therefore looking for someone to continue with this valuable work. Specifically, this entails the responsibility of ensuring the continued visiting of those who wish it by the pool of Visitors (there are currently 27 widows with 6 volunteer visitors) and to feed back to the Trustees any instances of financial need which could be supported by the Charity.
The Visitor Co-ordinator’s responsibilities include:
- To ensure there are enough lay visitors so that each widow receives a visit at least every three months (or more frequently according to need)
- To collate information from all the visitors, provide a report for the Trustees and advise of any specific financial need when attending their meetings three times a year.
- Co-ordinate the annual luncheon held for the widows and visitors, usually held in June at either the Bishop of Buckingham’s home or another venue within the Archdeaconry.
- Take on the visiting of a small number of widows.
The person the Trustees are looking for is someone who will predominantly provide a listening ear to the concerns of the widows and be able to empathise with their current situation which can vary from being very financially secure and/or physically independent to possibly housebound or in a Care Home and/or financially in need.
You will need to have the use of a car for which the Charity offers reimbursement for mileage. An honorarium will also be paid for this role. In addition you should have the use of a telephone and some expertise in the use of a computer in order to send and receive e mails and to produce written reports for the Archdeacon and the Trustees at their meetings.
For an informal discussion about the role please contact the Archdeacon of Buckingham. Telephone: 01865 208266 or email archdeacon.buckingham@oxford.anglican.org