trustee elections 2025

We are looking for new Trustees

Established in 1594, the Box Moor Trust aims to “Preserve Heritage, Enrich Community & Protect Nature”

Are you passionate about preserving and enhancing our local green spaces?

The Box Moor Trust is seeking dedicated new Trustees to join our Board and help shape the future of our cherished lands and community projects.

If you care about Hemel Hempstead and Bovingdon, the Trust’s “Area of Benefit”, and you recognise the vital contribution that the local landscape makes to the community’s quality of life and mental wellbeing, then we would love for you to consider joining our Board.

As a Trustee, you will play a key role in overseeing the Trust’s strategic direction; safeguarding the beautiful woodlands, chalk meadows, amenity land and watercourses under our care, ensuring these spaces continue to benefit the local community.

This is a fantastic opportunity to bring your skills and knowledge to a cause that impacts thousands of people each year.

Join the Box Moor Trust as a Trustee and be a part of something amazing!

Help shape the future of our natural heritage and create invaluable experiences for our community.

Together, we can leave a lasting legacy for both people and the environment.

Criteria for Prospective Trustees

Area of Benefit

The Box Moor Trust’s ‘Area of Benefit’ is comprised of the old ward boundaries of Bovingdon and Hemel Hempstead. For the best part, the below areas are included in the Trust’s ‘Area of Benefit’.

Adeyfield
Apsley
Bennets End
Bovingdon
Boxmoor
Chaulden
Corner Hall
Felden
Gadebridge
Grovehill
Highfield
Leverstock Green
Maylands Area
Nash Mills
Warners End
Woodhall Farm

If you are unsure whether you reside in the Trust’s Area of Benefit, and would like to become a Trustee, please get in touch.

We will be pleased to verify your address.

Heritage. Community. Nature

The Box Moor Trust is a small, local, multi-faceted charitable organisation, overseen by a Board of up to 12 Trustees. The Trust has a small team of employees and a great wealth of volunteers. The Box Moor Trust is a registered charity and is governed by its charitable scheme.

What Does The Box Moor Trust Do?

The Trust has a range of roles and responsibilities within the community including (but not limited to):

Land Management

The Trust’s estate team cares for the diverse habitats within its ownership, including woodland, chalk meadows, a wetland reserve, River Bulbourne and amenity land.

We manage the land in an environmentally friendly way and use conservation grazing; the Trust has its own livestock for this purpose; a herd of Belted Galloway cattle, a flock of Norfolk Horn/Charollais sheep and Old English goats. Ensuring the animals are all well looked after is a top priority for the Trust.

Community Events

Our environment and community team organise a quarterly programme of events incorporating environmental awareness. We also plan activity fun days for families during the school holidays and host Youth and Mini Rangers on the first Saturday of the month.

In addition we organise three large public events every year – the Autumn Festival, Meet the Cows, and our popular Lambing Weekend.

Educational Activities

The Box Moor Trust offers a variety of courses for schools, youth and uniform groups and adult learners.

Our facilities include indoor classrooms at Gadespring and The Old Barn. We have the use of woods, meadows, wetland areas and specifically designed outdoor areas for educational activities, including pond dipping, meadow sweeping and nature walks.

Sport

The Box Moor Trust estate is home to three local sports clubs (Boxmoor Cricket Club, Hemel Hempstead (Camelot) Rugby Union Football Club, and Hemel Hempstead Town Cricket Club), which each have a licence to play on Trust land.

Community Outreach

Our staff and Trustees regularly give presentations and group talks, covering various aspects of the Box Moor Trust, including history, wildlife and nature and estate management, to organisations within our Area of Benefit.

We also produce a quarterly newsletter, keeping the community updated with exciting news and projects.

Community and Corporate Event Space

The Box Moor Trust Centre is situated on London Road in Hemel Hempstead and offers three event spaces. Money generated through corporate events is used to subsidise community events.

Volunteering

The Trust offers opportunities for volunteering in many aspects of its work. Our Trustees are all volunteers, and we have almost 200 regular supporters that help across the Estate and with administrative tasks.

We also welcome corporate volunteers, offering both standard work parties and bespoke opportunities such as conservation and nature recovery projects.

Property Management

The Trust has a number of sites across its estate, ranging from farm buildings, educational facilities, to the Box Moor Trust Centre. We ensure these are maintained to a high standard, and are all used over the course of the year.

Income for the Trust is largely generated through commercial and residential property lettings. The Trust works with a local estate agent to maintain and administer the majority of the properties.

Preserve. Enrich. Protect

What could you contribute to the Box Moor Trust?

How could you influence the strategic direction of the Trust?

The Trust is looking for new Trustees who have a keen interest in the Box Moor Trust and are passionate about the Trust’s role within the local community.

Are you a beneficiary that enjoys using the Box Moor Trust land?

Would you like to do your bit to safeguard the Trust for future generations to come?

There are many ways in which you could support our charity, including, but not limited to:

Community Engagement

Do you have experience in directing/programming community activities or event planning/management?

What would you like to see the Box Moor Trust offer to the local community?

Are you passionate about the community utilising the Box Moor Trust estate for recreation and leisure activities? Do you have ideas on how to diversify the use of the land?

Environmental Awareness and Nature Recovery

Do you have an interest in the natural world?

Are you passionate about nature recovery?

Would you like to be part of an organisation that works hard to improve the environment and support nature in our local area?

Income Generation and Finance

Have you got experience of running a business? Are you skilled in financial planning and the interpretation of figures?

Do you have innovative ideas on how we can grow our income to ensure a sustainable income for our charity?

Do you enjoy networking? Maybe you can help us to generate income through corporate partnerships?

Promotion and Marketing

What catches your eye? How could we do better?

Do you have marketing skills or ideas that could benefit the Trust and the community?

Asset Management

Are you a forward thinker; do you see the big picture?

Do you have a view on how the Trust should manage its assets?

Do you have a background in investment management or strategic planning?

Estate Management and Land Stewardship

The Trust strives to be an exemplar of estate management – how could you drive this further?

Are you experienced in stewardship schemes and grants? Could you help the Trust secure further funding?

Do you have a background in Health and Safety Management? With your support could the Trust be more proactive?

Charity Governance

Do you have experience in charity legislation and governance?

Do you have skills that could apply to directing policy and process?

Do you have an understanding of employment law or charity law?

Have you experience of managing documents and records, including archive documents?

Enthusiastic Visitor

Are you a regular visitor to the Box Moor Trust estate who wants to improve it for the community.

Do you want to help secure the land and the charity for the next generation?

Are you an existing volunteer looking to increase your involvement with the Trust?

Preserve Heritage. Enrich Community. Protect Nature.

Shape the future. Make a difference.

Click here – do not delay – nominate yourself to be a Trustee today!

Click here for more information

If you would like any further information before making your nomination, please get in touch with us using our contact details below.

"I feel privileged to be part of a charity that has been caring for our beautiful open spaces for centuries. A wonderful aspect about being a Trustee is seeing the real impact of our work—whether it's supporting biodiversity, providing access to nature for everyone, or helping young people learn about the environment. If you're interested in nature, conservation, or giving back to our local community, I highly recommend getting involved!"

“Contributing to enhancing and protecting our shared environment is immensely satisfying. I have seen in the last 25 years great steps forward in our encouraging access to the Trust’s Estate and to the quality of what we provide. Outstanding examples have been the acquisition of the former Gadespring Cressbeds, which now demonstrate a remarkable range of flora and fauna, and the Restoration of the Bulbourne Project, which has greatly enhanced its value as a local example of a rare natural chalk stream. As a Trustee, I experience joy of being part of a community coming together in a meaningful shared enterprise. Also deserving mention is that new Trustees will find themselves enthusiastically supported by all of our ever-helpful staff. They are always keen to listen and to advise, be it in estate matters, finance or admin. That support, together with that of other Trustees, makes BMT a great place to be.”

"I stood for election as a Trustee for Box Moor Trust in 2020. I’m not sure what I expected, but I felt that I’d spent enough time moaning about what the Trust did and didn’t do, that the time for me to stand up and be counted had arrived. I saw the advert for Trustee elections on the billboard at London Road “We’ve got some big boots to fill.” Rather boastful I thought, after all wasn’t it just the ‘Old boys Box Moor Trust network club?” So, I stood for election. No great deal of work involved, a little biography, some forms and a photo. No Grandstanding electioneering promises. I just said who I was, and that I wanted to help protect the land, and make sure it stayed available for us all. I had no great environmental or naturalist knowledge or skills. I could tell the difference between a robin and a blackbird, and I knew that you laid grass green side up. Other than that, I was a complete novice, and unsure how my life and work experiences would be of benefit. I soon found that I was gaining knowledge about countryside matters very quickly. Not just that, but my skills from my previous employment were infinitely transferable to the work of the Trust. I devote as much time as I need to. There is no pressure on any Trustee to take on anymore, or spend anymore time on Trust business, than they can afford to give. After all, we’re all volunteers. There are no rewards from being a Trustee, apart from the satisfaction of knowing that you are helping to preserve the 430 year history of The Box Moor Trust, helping to maintain its original purpose of maintaining the land for the benefit of the beneficiaries. Whilst we now have a few more beneficiaries than there were in 1594, the ethos remains the same. So, if you’ve got some spare time, love the land we all enjoy, want to help why not stand for election? I walk the Trust land twice a day, everyday; if you see me out walking my Viszlas, come and have a chat.

"Serving as Chair of the Box Moor Trust is both an honour and a privilege. The Trust plays a vital role in preserving and enhancing nearly 500 acres of historic land for both wildlife and the local community, and I am incredibly proud to be part of this legacy. One of the most rewarding aspects of my role is working alongside a dedicated team of trustees, staff, and volunteers who share a deep commitment to conservation, education, land management and community. Together, we have made significant strides in improving habitat management, increasing public engagement, and ensuring that the Trust remains financially and environmentally resilient for future generations. As someone with a long-standing passion for biodiversity and sustainability, I take great pride in the Trust’s efforts to balance ecological restoration with responsible land stewardship. Seeing the positive impact of our work—whether it’s the return of key wildlife species, the success of our educational programs, or the enjoyment of visitors exploring the land—reinforces the importance of what we do. Looking ahead, I am excited about the opportunities to further enhance the Trust’s role in the community. Whether through expanding future conservation initiatives, strengthening partnerships, or improving access to nature, my focus remains on ensuring that the Box Moor Trust continues to thrive as a model of sustainable land management for our future generations. Being Chair is not just a position; it’s a responsibility I deeply value, and I look forward to continuing to work with my fellow Trustees to support our mission to protect and nurture this cherished part of the country for the benefit of the residents of Hemel Hempstead and Bovingdon."

Having lived in Hemel Hempstead since 1954, I was well aware of the existence of the Box Moor Trust but had little knowledge of its history and how it was currently organised. On retiring from my career as a geography teacher I felt that I was in a position to give some time, as well as my experience, to the Trust. I was particularly interested in the environmental work which the Trust was increasingly developing across the estate. I was therefore delighted to be elected to become a Trustee in Autumn 2020. Since then, and despite the difficult times that we all experienced during the height of the Covid-19 epidemic, I have had the opportunity to work with a dedicated group of staff and volunteers. The role of the Trustees is to ensure that the Trust is run efficiently, within budget and in the interests of its beneficiaries. Trustees establish a clear set of values within which the Trust should operate. Aims are set so as to ensure that the Trust is in a good position to continue its excellent work, well into the future. Each Trustee is able to bring a different career and life experience to the Trust, enabling the Board to tackle the great variety of issues which come before it. I have found the Trustees to be extremely professional and reliable in giving their time freely to the Trust. In my fifth year as a Trustee, I can reflect on what I hope is an increasing emphasis on teamwork between staff, volunteers and Trustees. It has been a good opportunity to develop new friendships and indeed working friendships. I hope that my particular experience in teaching about the natural world has helped increase environmental awareness at the Trust and contributed to a number of projects across the estate designed to increase biodiversity, so as to ensure that our estate is the envy of many, for years to come.

The Box Moor Trust’s election process is determined by The Charities (Boxmoor Estate, Hemel Hempstead) Order 2000, “The Scheme”.

The Box Moor Trust reserves the right to change or suspend the nomination and election process at any time.