Join the LAS Committee
Help shape the future of our society
The Lewes Astronomical Society is run by its members for the benefit of its membership and the local community. We are a friendly team of volunteers who give our time freely on the committee to help organise the Society, run events and keep everything working behind the scenes.
We welcome enquiries from members who would like to get more involved. You don't need to be an expert in astronomy – enthusiasm, reliability and a willingness to help are much more important.
Whether you're interested in organising events, communicating with members, working with schools, managing our finances, maintaining the website or simply helping things happen, there's probably a way you can contribute. We recognise that everyone brings different skills to our team.
Make a difference
Help shape the future of the Society and support our membership.
Develop your skills
Gain experience in areas such as events, communications, finance, and outreach.
Meet new people
Work with enthusiastic colleagues and make new connections.
What does being on the committee involve?
Committee members exchange emails, use an online chat group, and meet occasionally to discuss LAS activities, make decisions and share the work of running the Society.
The time commitment varies between roles. Some roles require regular involvement, while others are less frequent. Nobody is expected to do everything – we work as a team and share tasks wherever possible.
Committee members are expected to be LAS members and to take an active part in the Society. This includes attending committee meetings, helping at events where appropriate, taking responsibility for agreed roles, working cooperatively with others and responding to committee communications. We also ask members to let us know if circumstances make it difficult to fulfil a commitment.
Committee roles
Our constitution provides for four core positions: President, Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. Additional roles enable the Society to run effectively and efficiently.
The roles below describe the main areas of responsibility within the committee; they are not necessarily current vacancies. However, roles can be combined, shared or adapted to match the specific skills and experience of each committee member. You can apply for an existing role, a new role to suit your skillset, or a generic position of 'committee member' with no specific role.
President
Represents LAS and acts as an ambassador for the Society. This is an honorary position. The President does not have day-to-day responsibility for running the Society.
Chair
Provides leadership and helps the committee work effectively as a team.
- Chairs committee meetings and the AGM.
- Helps set priorities and agree activities.
- Coordinates responsibilities between committee members.
- Supports the committee and helps resolve issues.
Secretary
Keeps the committee's administration and communications running smoothly.
- Organises committee meetings and the AGM.
- Prepares agendas and minutes.
- Maintains committee records.
- Handles general correspondence and enquiries.
- Acts as Vice Chair unless the role is assigned to another committee member.
Treasurer
Looks after LAS's finances and financial records.
- Maintains the accounts and financial records.
- Monitors income and expenditure.
- Makes approved payments.
- Prepares financial reports and annual accounts.
- Advises the committee on budgets and expenditure.
Membership Secretary
Looks after membership administration and welcomes new members.
- Processes new memberships and renewals.
- Keeps membership records up-to-date.
- Manages membership payments.
- Welcomes new members and provides information.
- Helps administer member communications.
Programme Manager
Creates and coordinates our annual programme of talks and activities.
- Finds and books speakers for the Society's annual programme.
- Helps arrange other activities.
- Liaises with speakers on behalf of the Society.
- Coordinates the programme with the committee.
Outreach Officer
Develops LAS's links with schools, youth organisations and the wider community.
- Organises our astronomy outreach activities.
- Liaises with schools and community organisations.
- Recruits volunteers for outreach events.
- Helps ensure appropriate safeguarding and safety arrangements.
Universities Liaison Officer
Builds links between LAS, universities and the professional astronomy community.
- Develops relationships with universities and astronomy departments.
- Identifies potential speakers and collaboration opportunities.
- Encourages links between astronomers, students and LAS members.
Web Developer
Keeps the LAS website and IT infrastructure working effectively.
- Regularly updates the website content and design.
- Publishes information about our programme of meetings and events.
- Oversees the web hosting arrangements and email system.
- Ensures online security and privacy comply with legal requirements.
Newsletter Editor
Produces the LAS monthly newsletter to keep members informed of our activities.
- Gathers and edits contributions.
- Produces and publishes the monthly newsletter.
- Promotes recent and upcoming events.
- Includes relevant astronomy news, photographs and member contributions.
Publicity Officer
Helps promote LAS and its activities to the wider community.
- Produces publicity for meetings and events.
- Liaises with local media.
- Promotes LAS activities and public events.
Social Media Manager
Keeps LAS active and engaging on social media.
- Creates and curates suitable content.
- Promotes meetings, events and astronomy activities.
- Maintains an appropriate posting schedule.
- Works with other committee members on publicity.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Officer
Helps ensure LAS remains a friendly and welcoming group for everyone.
- Promotes an inclusive environment.
- Listens to members' concerns and suggestions.
- Advises the committee on accessibility and inclusion.
- Helps identify ways to make participation easier for everyone.
Prefer to volunteer without joining the committee?
That's absolutely fine.
We also need occasional help with:
- Welcoming members and visitors.
- Refreshments and meeting arrangements.
- Public events and outreach.
- Stargazing activities.
- Setting up and clearing away.
- Publicity and distributing information.
Even an occasional contribution makes a difference.
Interested?
If you're interested in helping LAS, talk to any committee member or email us. There's no obligation – we'd be very happy to have an informal chat about how you might like to get involved. You don't need to take on a specific role or compete for an existing role.