Trustee Opportunities at Corton House & Brewster Court

Corton House & Brewster Court is a charity which supports older people throughout Norfolk via its residential care home and two independent living schemes, as well as smaller scale community outreach projects.

Corton House was established in 1952 following a public appeal by the Free Church Council in Norwich, as one of the first purpose-built residential care homes for older people in England. Today it provides residential care for up to 42 residents, including those living with dementia.

In the same year, Josiah and Mary Brewster founded a charity in Blofield to provide affordable homes for retired farm workers. Brewster Court now offers 39 independent living properties for older people who are able to live independently within a supportive community.

Corton House later expanded in 1970 with the development of Brakendon Close, which provides 51 independent living homes next to the care home.

In 2025, Corton House Limited and the Josiah and Mary Brewster Charitable Fund merged to form Corton House & Brewster Court, bringing together two charitable organisations with closely aligned values and a significant history of supporting older people in Norfolk.

It is an exciting time to join Corton House & Brewster Court as a trustee. You will help a small but progressive-thinking charity shape its future while remaining true to its founding mission “to provide excellent, loving care and support” for older people in need.

About the Board of Trustees:

The Board consists of between 5 and 12 members.

It currently convenes every other month, with meetings typically held at our site in Norwich or sometimes Blofield / other suitable locations. Occasionally we hold remote (online) meetings.

Meetings are generally held in the late afternoon / evening on a Thursday, lasting 2 hrs +

As well as the main Board, there are also various sub-committees.  These cover specific areas:

• Care & People
• Finance
• Independent Living
• 4C’s (Charity, Church, Community, Culture)
• Property
• Health & Safety

The Board also has many other opportunities to support the work of the charity; for example engaging with residents and tenants, working with staff on projects, and meeting volunteers.

Person Specification:

Applications are encouraged from candidates with a diverse range of skills and backgrounds, and most importantly, an enthusiasm to assist the charity with its work.

For this particular role, the ideal candidate will have experience of the social housing sector preferably gained at senior level; either within a social housing provider; commissioning authority; regulator etc.

You will play a vital role in ensuring the charity is well-run, sustainable, and delivers maximum benefits for our community by:

• Supporting and promoting Corton House & Brewster Court’s charitable objectives and values.
• Using your strong interpersonal and relationship-building abilities to assist the Board in developing future strategy and deliver our mission effectively.
• Ensuring we comply with charity and company law.
• Ensuring the effective and efficient administration of the organisation; constructively challenging as well as supporting the executive team as required.
• Promoting the wellbeing and safety of our employees, residents, tenants and volunteers.

Please note: Corton House & Brewster Court is open to residents of all faiths and none and does not discriminate on religious grounds. Many staff, residents and trustees are not active in any faith. However, the charity does ask that you can demonstrate sympathy for the values of our founding Christian ethos – kindness, service to the community, and honouring the dignity and worth of older people.