Volunteer with us
“The smallest act of kindness is worth
more than the grandest intention.”
Oscar Wilde
Volunteers are at the heart of our charity. Over 130 individuals give a few hours of their time each week.
We have a variety of volunteering roles all of which are vital to our work. So whether you're collecting donations, making up food packs, or greeting clients, we couldn't open the doors each day without volunteers like you.
- We offer full training for all of our roles
- Due to the nature of some of our volunteering roles, a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check may be required to take up the role.
- We have 2 shifts a day for volunteers: mornings 9:45 am - 1:00 pm & afternoons 1:00 pm - 4:15 pm
- Due to the nature of our work, we can only recruit volunteers who are highly proficient in both spoken and written English
Fresh volunteers
Our fresh volunteers are responsible for retrieving packs for collection when clients arrive in the building and adding fresh items ready for the pack to be handed over to the client. Additionally, fresh volunteers are responsible for sorting and decanting fresh produce. This role is based at our Lord Street offices.
To do this role, you must
- be physically able to cope with regular manual handling and have a solid understanding of health and safety
- highly proficient in both spoken and written English
- be comfortable following food hygiene procedures be confident working as a team in what can be a fast-paced environment
- apply here
**We are looking for volunteers for Friday morning 9:45am - 1 pm and Thursday afternoons 12:45pm- 4:15pm**
Pack Making volunteers
Our Pack Making volunteers are responsible for sorting through dried goods and fresh produce to put together crisis packs of food, toiletries, and other essential items for our clients. These packs are tailored to meet individual needs. Additional duties include sorting and decanting food. This role is based at our warehouse at Queens Mill Industrial Estate, Lockwood.
To do this role you must be
- able to follow instructions and show attention to detail
- be physically able to manage some light manual handling
- highly proficient in both spoken and written English
- able to understand basic food hygiene
- considerate of individual needs when preparing food packs
- apply here
**We are looking for volunteers for Monday and Thursday mornings 9:45am - 1pm and Tuesday afternoons 1pm - 4:15pm**
Phone referral volunteers
Our phone referral volunteers take incoming referrals for client support from more than 100 local agencies. Phone referral volunteers need to take calls and record the referral information concisely and accurately using our referral software system. This role is based at our Lord Street offices.
To do this role, you must be
- an excellent communicator, both verbally and written, with a good phone manner, and computer skills
- highly proficient in both spoken and written English
- comfortable hearing and handling sensitive situations over the phone
**We are looking for volunteers for Monday am 9:45- 13:00**
We are not recruiting for the volunteer roles below at present.
Distribution volunteers
Our distribution volunteers are responsible for organising our packs into our designation collection and delivery area. This includes checking all information is visible and correct e.g. addresses, dietary or allergy requirements so clients receive the correct packs. This also includes making sure that every referral gets paired with an appropriate picking list before being made up by the packing volunteers. This role is based at our warehouse at Queens Mill Industrial Estate, Lockwood.
To do this role you must:
- Be physically able to cope with regular manual handling and understand health and safety
- Be an excellent organiser with the ability to work independently
- Have a consistently high level of attention to detail when communicating information from referrals to the packing volunteers
- apply here
Advice, Guidance and Support service (AGS) volunteer
Our advice, guidance and support service volunteers support the AGS staff team. The role involves welcoming clients, signposting them to additional services and arranging support sessions. This role is based at our Lord Street office.
- this role requires a people person with good verbal communication skills
- highly proficient in both spoken and written English
- the role will require some computer skills
- full training for this role is provided
Driver volunteers and buddies
Our delivery volunteers work in pairs to collect surplus donations from local businesses and transport packs between our warehouse and office. You would also be an ambassador for The Welcome Centre when dealing with our corporate food donors. Working in pairs means driving and buddy roles can be alternated as required.
To do this role you must
- have a clean driving licence
- have good physical health for lifting and carrying
- be able to commit to a regular weekly slot for one morning per week, Monday to Friday
Donation sorters
Our donation sorters receive donations of goods directly from members of the public and other supporters, sorting incoming donations through our stock systems, and assisting our drivers to load and unload vehicles. This role is based at our warehouse at Queens Mill Industrial Estate, Lockwood.
- this role requires manual handling of stock and acting as a positive ambassador for the Welcome Centre when interacting with supporters making donations
- full training for the role is provided
- we require a commitment to a regular shift, ideally one morning per week, Monday to Friday
Decanting volunteers
Our decanting volunteers break down larger packs of food and non-food items to go out in individual packs. This role is based at our warehouse at Queens Mill Industrial Estate, Lockwood.
To do this role you must be
- able to follow instructions and show attention to detail
- be physically able to manage some light manual handling
- able to understand basic food hygiene
- highly proficient in both spoken and written English
- able to volunteer one morning ( 10:15 am - 1.15 pm) a week
