Cymraeg Dear Landworkers’ Alliance Members!
Are you interested in joining a dynamic group of farmers, growers, foresters and landworkers overseeing the work of the LWA as a Director of the organisation? The Coordinating Group (CG) is seeking new candidates for election before the 2024 AGM. You can nominate either yourself or a fellow member of the LWA to stand.
This role is an exciting opportunity to add your unique voice to the bellowing call for food sovereignty, agroecology and land justice. It’s your chance to help hone our vision, to represent the diversity, strength and dynamic power of our movement. It’s an invitation to make your mark on our grassroots union of landworkers as we try to break barriers, lobby as loud as we can for change and battle on behalf of our members. Will you join our circle of landworkers as we urge the Landworkers’ Alliance forth into the future?
If you are interested please read more below, the full role description here and get in touch with our Membership Secretary Lauren (lauren.simpson@
All expressions of interest and nominations need to be submitted by 9am on the 30th November.
There are currently five spaces available on the Coordinating Group as four amazing members are needing to stand down for personal reasons, with one existing Director (Beni Stewart) re-standing for election after coming to the end of their first three year term.
We are excited to welcome new members to the coordinating group for this important next stage of the Landworkers’ Alliance’s development. Come and join in the fun!
If you know of an LWA member that you think would be a great fit for the LWA Coordinating Group but perhaps they need some encouragement, or would be too shy to nominate themselves then we would love to hear your ideas. Get in touch!
WHAT CAN I EXPECT AS A DIRECTOR OF THE LWA?
“It’s really inspiring to be working for the membership and thinking about the long term direction of the organisation and how to build the strength of the movement”
Roz Corbett, Grower & Bee Keeper and LWA Coordinating Group member
You can expect to be part of an inspiring group of landworkers striving to “to improve the livelihoods of our members and create a better food and land-use system for everyone” at this exciting time of organisational development and consolidating our recent growth.
You’d join a friendly and committed team of coordinating group and staff that have served the LWA for varied terms: from 1 to 10 years.
Expenses are covered for all meetings and we are able to cover meeting time and certain hours of work spent on LWA CG responsibilities at the organisational flat rate of £14.43 per hour.
We are currently developing plans to provide ongoing capacity building for the CG to ensure our skills and experience develop along with the needs of our growing organisation. On joining the CG you will receive a comprehensive induction and offered ongoing support to settle in.
“It’s a great opportunity to help shape the organisation and get the voices of the membership heard”
Becca Stevenson, CSA Grower and LWA Coordinating Group member
WHAT ARE THE CRITERIA FOR STANDING FOR ELECTION TO THE LWA CG?
In order to have the required knowledge and understanding of the organisation and movement you must have been a landworking member of the LWA for at least two years. This is in accordance with our Articles of Association, clause 17 (2).
Prior experience of grassroots organising within the LWA and involvement in events and activities would be great, but not required.
Prior experience of this type of role, or specific relevant areas of work in other organisations is useful – in particular familiarity with collective decision making, organisational development at the strategic level, financial oversight and cooperative working practices. Although as landworkers, everyone has something to bring and your day-to-day experience on the land and your commitment to furthering our movement is the most important thing – so don’t be put off if you don’t have specific skills or experience – but get in touch for a chat.
In accordance with the Articles of Association, clause 17 (4) the LWA “shall endeavour to ensure that the composition of the board of directors reflects an inclusive balance of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, age, ability, background, sector and region of the UK.” You can see details of all current members of the Coordinating Group in this document. As such we particularly welcome applicants who identify themselves as from minority groups and those from geographic locations and landworking sectors not currently well represented.
“We are all landworkers. Don’t think ‘I can’t do this, I’m a farmer’. We’re all farmers. What we bring is a relationship between landworkers and democratic representation”
Kate McEvoy, Seed grower and LWA Coordinating Group member
The Landworkers Alliance is a dynamic, radical and evolving union of farmers, growers, foresters and land-based workers, with an ear tuned to the grassroots, shaped and inspired by our members – their stories, their struggles and their successes. We are a small, but growing organisation, and we’ve jostled for our place in the big conversations shaping our food and farming systems. We find strength in the partnerships we’ve forged, united by a vision for a future where producers can work with dignity to earn a decent living and everyone can access local, healthy and affordable food, fuel and fibre. We’re unwavering in our commitment to a food and land-use system based on agroecology, food sovereignty and the cause of social and environmental justice.
We are keen to bring new people into these organising roles within the LWA and support them to take an active role in the governance of the organisation. If you are interested and would like to find out more we really welcome you to get in touch and talk to us about what you would like to do and how you would like to get involved – we would love to hear from you! Or perhaps you’d like to nominate another member you think would do a great job?
For more information interested members should read this role description and either contact Membership Secretary Lauren on lauren.simpson@
“Be the voice of other growers and farmers and help the Landworkers Alliance to be a force for the future”
Gerald Miles, Farmer and LWA Coordinating Group member
