Charity shop volunteer volunteer roles in woolwich, greater london

Job description

We need dedicated volunteers to work at our Chiswick High Road store. If you have a passion for fashion (especially second-hand), amazing customer service skills and you are keen to learn new skills, then this opportunity is for you. As a volunteer you will also be involved in receiving, sorting, steaming, and pricing our lovely donations, serving at the till, and using your creativity to create displays around the shop. Training will be provided. As a volunteer, you will be helping to raise money for the Octavia Foundation and support the work we do in the local community.

About Octavia Foundation Shops

We are Octavia. Founded by the Victorian philanthropist Octavia Hill in the 1860s, our work today covers three areas: homes, support, and care. We provide Londoners with quality, affordable housing, allowing many people to remain in the city who otherwise would have been priced out. We empower people, connecting them with opportunities for a better life. And we look after the elderly and vulnerable, with tailored and personalized care. We are for hope, for communities, and for connections. For the common good.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for friendly volunteers who adhere to our values of being reliable, respectful, responsible, and resourceful. You will be a good team member who we can expect to volunteer in our shops for a minimum of 4 hours a week.

Practical Considerations
We do reimburse Travel and Lunch expenses in line with our policy.

Job Type: Volunteer

Pay: n/a

Benefits:

• Travel Expenses claimable
• Store discount

Flexible language requirement:

• English not required

Schedule:

• Day shift
• Monday to Friday
• Weekend availability
• Weekends only

Work Location: In person

***Please note that this is an opportunity based in Nottingham (shire) in the United Kingdom and we don’t offer sponsorship or accept overseas applicants***

Age UK Notts are seeking individuals who would like to be considered as a volunteer for our Companion Service.

Volunteers will be supporting people remotely, in their own homes and in the community within Nottingham and Nottinghamshire and ideally, we ask all applicants to provide a minimum of 1 hour volunteering a week.

The companion service volunteer can choose to be:

• A companion telephone/video caller                                                               

• A companion within the person’s home

• A companion outside the person’s home

• Or a combination of all three.

Examples of the type of support the service offers include:

• Telephone / video calls for an older person/s on a regular basis at a mutually agreed time for a friendly chat. 

• Supporting an older person/s hobbies and interests or simply chatting with them in their own home on a regular basis.

• Supporting with digital access & building confidence skills & motivation to access the opportunities of the internet.

• Supporting the person outside of their home e.g., by accompanying them on a walk, to the shops, to a café, garden centre, theatre or cinema or other social activities / community groups. 

• Where appropriate, supporting the older person to access other services through information and signposting or referring to the Companion Service Coordinator for support.

We are looking for the following skills/interests:

• Individuals with a genuine interest in the wellbeing of older people who are committed to volunteering on a regular basis.

• Commitment to complete our Volunteer Report Form accurately and regularly. 

• Ability to travel for visits in the local community either by car or public transport for those volunteers who choose to participate in this type of activity.

• Digital literacy for those volunteers who choose to participate in this type of activity.

Please do note, however, that at the moment we are not looking for Volunteer Telephone Companions.

We are looking for volunteers with good daytime availability in specific areas of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.

Please contact the volunteering team for further information on where specifically in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.

EBAY COORDINATOR (CHARITY SHOP)

eBay Coordinator (RSPCA Finchley, Golders Green, Hendon & District Branch - based at the North Finchley Charity Shop & remote)

Are you an eBay top-rated seller? We are looking for volunteers skilled in online selling and photography to help turn donations into funds. You will have fun, contribute to making our eBay business a big success, and enable us to help more animals!

Overview of opportunity

This is an excellent opportunity if you are interested in collectables, researching unusual items, and love photographing objects to look their best! The time you dedicate would ensure that we made the most of the incredible donations to our charity shops, which means more funds can go towards our vital animal welfare work.

About the RSPCA

Founded in 1824 we have been saving animals for almost 200 years and are proud to be the oldest welfare charity around. It has always been our vision to live in a world where all animals are respected and treated with compassion, so our volunteers and employees work tirelessly to ensure that all animals can live free from pain and suffering.

Our Charity Shops in East & North Finchley

Our shops play an essential role in raising the profile of the RSPCA in our local community and funds for our branch so that we can continue our vital animal welfare work. Our shops sell a mixture of donated items, including clothes, books, bric-a-brac and collectables, and a selection of new items.

Volunteer eBay Coordinator responsibilities

•  Researching and listing the items for sale in our dedicated eBay store.
•  A picture is worth 1,000 words so ensuring that attractive photographs are taken to boost eBay sales.
•  Packaging items appropriately before posting them to the buyer.
•  Maintaining accurate records of listed and sold items.

What we are looking for in a volunteer eBay Coordinator:

•  Ideally, you would have experience in selling items on eBay.
• Can create attractive listings for a wide variety of items.
•  Someone who is flexible and can offer an ongoing commitment.

What we can offer you as a volunteer eBay Coordinator

•  You will be making a massive difference to the welfare of the animals in your area.
• Join a community which will enable you to meet new people and make new friends.
•  Learning new skills through our comprehensive induction and training programme.
•  Enhance your CV by adding your volunteering experience and newly acquired skills.

If you’ve got the drive and compassion to volunteer with the RSPCA and are passionate about improving animal welfare, we’d love to hear from you!

Join us in making a real difference to the lives of animals in need.

Our voluntary roles are subject to an informal interview and trial period. We will ask you to provide contact details for two referees, and dependent on the position, you may need to sign an agreement and undergo specific training before starting the role.

Jumble Sales Organiser Volunteer

Would you like to raise funds, have fun and join a super team of volunteers who together make our Jumble Sales in Thatcham a great success?  As Jumble Sales Organiser you would be helping to make everything run smoothly for the team.

Time Expectations:  1 Saturday every other month (plus preparations)

This could be a shared role and tasks may include:

· Booking the hall for future Jumbles

· Contacting the Jumble team before events to check availability

· Set up stalls, running a stall and packing away at the end

· Collecting any items/resources needed from the centre the day before

Without volunteers, Cats Protection Berkshire Cat Centre simply wouldn't exist. Our amazing, friendly volunteers are a diverse group with a shared love of cats who fit volunteering around their home lives and personal commitments.

We're often looking to welcome new volunteers to join our brilliant team. As well as meeting great people and making an incredible difference to the cats of Berkshire.

Please note:  Although we do welcome everyone, unfortunately our centre is not set up to accommodate young volunteers under the age of 18, including those on the Duke of Edinburgh programme.

Full training and support will be given for all roles.  We look forward to hearing from you!

Fundraising Events Organiser Volunteer

Would you like to be part of a dedicated and friendly team of volunteers and make a real difference to the lives of cats and kittens in our care?  Do you enjoy planning and organising for events?  Maybe you have a particular skill that you would like to put to use?
 
Then this could be the role for you! 
 
Our Fundraising Events Team are at the heart of what we do, raising essential funds for the cats. 

Our Fundraising Events Organisers share ideas, tasks and inspiration, planning and delivering local events, with the support of the Fundraising events helpers, such as Open Days (usually 2 per year) at the centre and our annual Christmas Bazaar. 

Time Expectation:  This role can be varied and time commitment can be flexible. 

Without volunteers, Cats Protection Berkshire Cat Centre simply wouldn't exist. Our amazing, friendly volunteers are a diverse group with a shared love of cats who fit volunteering around their home lives and personal commitments.

We're often looking to welcome new volunteers to join our brilliant team. As well as meeting great people and making an incredible difference to the cats of Berkshire.

Please note:  Although we do welcome everyone, unfortunately our centre is not set up to accommodate young volunteers under the age of 18, including those on the Duke of Edinburgh programme.

Full training and support will be given for all roles.  We look forward to hearing from you!

Our small friendly Charity Shop in South Westminster

As well as being an important source of revenue for the Centre, the shop on Horseferry Road is the public face of the Cardinal Hume Centre to the residents and workers of Westminster. It can be a very busy environment with lots of regular customers. You will be part of a friendly, international team!  You will receive excellent support and opportunities to learn team skills and customer service.  You can obtain a reference for future employers.

How does this role make a difference?

You will be part of the fundraising team, raising funds to support the work of the Cardinal Hume Centre and promoting the work of the Centre to the public. Typically, the Charity Shop raises in the region of £50,000 per year.

What will you be doing?

Flexibility will be given where possible, but in general, volunteers will undertake the following tasks as part of this role:

· Customer service on the till

· Cashing up at the end of the day and walking the takings round to the reception and handing in to Finance Team

· Greeting and helping customers

· Replenishing the stock on the shop floor

· Sorting donations

· Helping present top items in window display and around the shop

· Promoting the work of the Centre to the public

Want to increase your skills in retail?

If you want to develop in this role, we are keen to support you.  There are more responsibilities you can take on in the shop, for example; opening and closing the shop, cashing up at the end of the day and helping with the induction of new volunteers.  Let us know if this interests you.  We also have employment advisors who can provide employment support.  Furthermore, if you want to expand your experience in the voluntary sector, you can combine your role in the shop with a volunteer role elsewhere in the organisation.

What are we looking for?

No special qualifications are needed to work in our shop, as relevant training will be given, however, we will be asking for the following qualities:

· Over 16+

· Good spoken English needed – at least Entry Level 3

· The ability to contribute to a positive team culture and atmosphere

· Be able to provide a friendly, high-quality service to customers

· A commitment to equal opportunities and to treating all individuals who visit or work in the shop with dignity and respect

· Physically fit - able to lift light bags and boxes and to comfortably use the stairs between the shop floor and the stock room.  Manual handling training will be given.

What is the time commitment?

The shop opening hours are 10am – 4.30pm, Monday – Friday.  A full or half day (10 – 1pm or 1 – 4.30pm) is ideal, but we are flexible and are grateful for even a couple of hours help each week. Ideally, volunteers will commit to a period of at least 4 months.

How will you be supported?

· You will be supported and trained in all areas of retail and customer service by the Charity Shop Manager and the Assistant Shop Manager.

· You will receive a Centre induction from a Volunteer Coordinator

· You will be reimbursed for reasonable and agreed ‘out-of-pocket’ expenses such as travel and also lunch if working a full day.

· For volunteers who stay for more than three months, we are happy to provide a reference.

Branch Trustees

RSPCA Stort Valley Branch – multiple opportunities

Help us make the world a better place for animals

RSPCA Branches rescue, rehabilitate and rehome those animals most at risk through clinics, animal centres, boarding and fostering facilities; offer advice and education on animal welfare; and support with microchipping, neutering and subsidised animal treatments for animals owned by people in financial difficulty.

Each RSPCA branch (of which there are approx. 150) is a separately registered charity, operating at a local level across England and Wales. Branches did 78% of the rehoming activity across the RSPCA network in 2020 and took more than 31,000 animals into their care. There are also over 300 RSPCA charity shops, all of which are run by RSPCA branches. The RSPCA has been at the forefront of animal welfare since 1824 when we were founded in a London coffee shop, and we’re proud to be the oldest animal welfare charity around.

What does RSPCA Stort Valley Branch do?

We cover an area either side of the M11 from Saffron Walden in the north to Harlow in the south and fundraise and offer welfare services within this area.

The animal welfare services that we offer are centred around our busy clinic in Harlow and include:

•  Subsidised routine veterinary treatment and microchipping for owned animals - in 2024, we made over 2,200 consultations at our Harlow clinic and administered more than 500 vaccinations and 250 microchips.
•  Advice and education
• Community outreach

We operate a charity shop in Bishops Stortford town centre, selling clothes, books, games and other items to help with our fundraising.

In addition to our Harlow clinic, we work closely with RSPCA animal centres and inspectors to support their work and to look after and re-home animals rescued in our branch area. We also support neighbouring branches by seeing some owned animals from their nearby towns at our clinic. We are working to improve our fostering network to help with rehoming, and are keen to step up our fundraising work to enable us to provide additional welfare support to the community.

What do RSPCA branch trustees do?

RSPCA branch trustees are volunteers who shape the work that the branch does, and are collectively responsible for governing and managing the affairs of the branch. “Trustees have overall control of a charity and are responsible for making sure it’s doing what it was set up to do.” “Trustees are the people who lead the charity and decide how it is run.” “They may be known by other titles, such as: directors, board members, governors, committee members” - Charity Commission. At Stort Valley, we have a lovely team of staff and volunteers with experienced, capable people managing our shop and clinic day-to-day. Trustees will set the strategy, make the big decisions and lead on new initiatives.

To find out more about being a Trustee, visit the Goverment Trustee - What's involved which explains what trustees do. There is some information on the RSPCA website about Branch Trustees, and we have an online session about becoming a Branch Trustee, which should hopefully give you more of an idea of what the RSPCA Branch Trustee role will involve.

Stort Valley Branch is presently in the process of converting to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (‘CIO’), the modern legal form for many charities - loosely equivalent to a Limited Company. We expect to complete the change in the second half of this year (2025).

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for applications from people from all social and cultural backgrounds, who are passionate about improving animal welfare. It doesn’t matter whether you are an experienced trustee or not, as trustee training and induction will be provided. If you can bring relevant skills and experience from other aspects of your life, that’s great, and we’re pretty sure you’ll learn some new ones here!

Right now, we would like to recruit several additional Trustees. We’ll define and re-balance the roles of all the Trustees once our new Trustees have settled in, so we’re not necessarily looking for you to select a specific role at this stage. The opportunities could include taking the lead on fundraising, overseeing our clinic or shop, increasing our local outreach and education activities, enhancing our online presence and recognition, and more. Ideally, for some of the roles, you’ll be relatively local to the branch area; others can be done remotely.

We hold monthly Trustees’ meetings, which last 1.5~2 hours. We ask for Trustees to join as many of these meetings as possible. You’ll also need to allow time to prepare for meetings - creating or reading through any relevant documents in advance – and of course, for the specific activities you take on. We normally meet in the evening, online (Google Meet), at times chosen to suit Trustees’ availability.

Trustees are elected or re-elected for a 12-month term at the branch’s Annual General Meeting (AGM). Between AGMs, branches have the ability to co-opt an additional three trustees who serve until the next AGM and can then be elected.

What’s in it for you?

There are lots of benefits to becoming an RSPCA Branch Trustee, including:

•  induction and trustee training
•  the chance to meet like-minded people who share your enthusiasm for animal welfare
•  the opportunity to gain new skills and develop existing ones
• the ability to use your skills to improve the wellbeing of animals in your local area, and make a real difference to the lives of animals
•  the capacity to shape innovative projects, and be part of the RSPCA’s ten-year strategy - “Together for animal welfare”
•  access to our learning hub, which contains training materials and courses on a variety of subjects
•  the chance to shape the services in your local area
•  volunteering is good for your wellbeing.

Join us in making a real difference to the lives of animals in need.

Our voluntary roles are subject to an informal interview and trial period. We will ask you to provide contact details for two referees, and dependent on the position, you may need to sign an agreement and undergo specific training before starting the role.

This is an opportunity to become Chair of a Charity which has recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. If you are someone who is looking to make a “real difference” for mothers/birthing people and their families facing one of the most challenging and unexpected periods of their lives, then we would like to hear from you.  We are also looking for a Chair who can lead and “harness” the range of skills present within our existing Board members, who come with a range of experience.

Now into our second decade as a charity, it is exciting time to join Mummy’s Star as the Chairperson. We have broadened the conversation about cancer and pregnancy nationwide, and internationally too despite our small stature. We now must sustain what we have built and help take the charity to that next level where we can elevate the voices of those we support, so that their needs are not only understood, but are also prioritised and used to inform policy and planning.

Our amazing team of vibrant & diverse volunteers helps us run over 600 shops. Our stores sell lots of great donated & new goods to help raise vital funds to make a real difference to disadvantaged children, young people and families across the UK.

Our retail stores are the face of our charity on the high-street and in local communities. We have loads of amazing stock donated to us every week, and this all needs to be sorted, tagged and put on the shop-floor for sale!

Making sure our shops look fantastic is another task you can get involved with. You may also be required to help out on the till too, but we will show you how that works during your time volunteering with us. We value the contribution of everyone who supports Barnardo’s.

You will be a friendly face of Barnardo’s by volunteering in one of our shops. It would be great if you could volunteer one shift a week (or even more if you want) but we’re always happy to be flexible to work around your availability.

Why we want you

Our amazing team of vibrant & diverse volunteers helps us run over 700 stores. Our stores sell lots of great donated and new goods to help raise vital funds to make a real difference to disadvantaged children, young people and families across the UK.

What you will be doing

• Work on the till processing sales and returns
• Prepare stock, including sorting, steaming and pricing
• Create stylish window displays
• Replenish stock on the shop floor
• Stock-take and other administrative tasks

The skills you need

• Friendly and helpful
• Happy to be part of an amazing team of staff and volunteers
• Enthusiastic about the work of Barnardo’s
• Flexible and willing to do a variety of the shop tasks

What's in it for you

• Have fun and meet new people
• Develop skills for your CV including confidence, teamwork and problem solving
• Make a difference to the lives of children, young people and their families
• Learning and development opportunities through our Volunteer Academy which includes access to Level 2 Qualifications and other accredited courses
• Full training and experience of working in retail as a volunteer

Location:

2 Broadway Parade, Crouch End, Greater London, N8 9DE, United Kingdom

Minimum age: 14 years

Please note: we only accept applications from those residing in the UK

Join us as Dog A.I.D.'s new Honorary Secretary and you would be joining the Board at an exciting time as we have launched the charity’s Strategic Plan with a new CEO supported by a small but strong team, which we will be building further this year. As Honorary Secretary you would be using your skills and experience to support the leadership and strategic direction of our charity as we look to achieve ambitious strategic growth targets over the coming years, becoming a larger, more robust charity with increased profile and reach.

Dog A.I.D. empowers physically disabled people by coaching them to train their own pet dog to become an accredited Assistance Dog. By focusing on the existing pet/owner bond, outcomes for our clients include:

 · increased independence and self-confidence

· improved mental well-being

· reduction in social isolation

· reduced reliance on family members and/or carers.

· increased opportunities, with many of our clients being able to return to work or education, supported by their accredited Assistance Dog.

We are looking for an active and well-organised Secretary who can provide support for our governance functions. You will be required to attend and minute online quarterly Board meetings and other ad-hoc meetings and strategic discussions.

Become our Trustee Tresurer and chair our Finance Committee.We need a Trustees with energy, enthusiasm and commitment to help accelerate our influcence on wildlife and nature recovery issues in the country and beyond.

With a refreshed 3-year strategy (23-26), “A Wilder Herefordshire, More Nature Everywhere” we’re working hard to recover nature at scale through deeper collaborations, working with local community organisations and networks to develop a clear plan for nature’s recovery. We are also working with neighbouring Wildlife Trusts, river partnerships and national partners such as the Woodland Trust, National Trust, and Duchy of Cornwall.

So, with lots happening, it’s an exciting if challenging time for the Trust.  Urgent action is needed to address the decline of wildlife in our beautiful county – and we need to muster all the resources and skills we can to succeed.

We are a welcoming board who support and challenge each other to do better for wildlife.

We look to recruit trustees from a range of backgrounds, life stages and skills to join us.

At this time, we wish to recruit someone to take on the role of Treasurer, and chair our Finance Committee. You would need the following skills and qualities:

· A strong commitment to wildlife conservation and the Vision of the Trust;

· Demonstrable experience of financial management;

· The skills to analyse proposals and examine their financial consequences;

· A good understanding of governance, gained either as a Trustee of another charity, a director of a company, or as a manager who has worked with Boards;

· The ability to apply clear logical thinking and creativity to developing our strategy

If you are successful, you will be welcomed and supported by a talented and committed board of trustees, a strong and experienced staff team and an active and expanding band of volunteers and by the wider Wildlife Trust movement. We hope you are inspired to apply, and we look forward to hearing from you.

Alison McLean OBE, Chair, March 2025

FUNDRAISING VOLUNTEER

Fundraising Volunteer (RSPCA Finchley, Golders Green, Hendon & District Branch)

Do you have bags of enthusiasm and are good at organising events? If yes, volunteer for the RSPCA as a Fundraiser and have fun and meet new people whilst raising vital funds for animals in need in your area!

Overview of opportunity

As a Fundraising Volunteer, you will play a vital part in organising and assisting with our fundraising activities. All the proceeds from these activities go directly towards the essential animal welfare work that we do at branch level.

About the RSPCA

Founded in 1824 we have been saving animals for almost 200 years and are proud to be the oldest welfare charity around. It has always been our vision to live in a world where all animals are respected and treated with compassion, so our volunteers and employees work tirelessly to ensure that all animals can live free from pain and suffering.

Through our numerous campaigns, we seek to raise standards of care, and awareness of issues affecting animals today. We rely heavily on our volunteers who play a significant role in enabling us to carry out this important animal welfare work every day!

The RSPCA Finchley, Golders Green, Hendon & District Branch

The RSPCA Finchley, Golders Green, Hendon & District Branch is one of the branches of RSPCA, but we are also a separately registered charity looking after animals in our local area. Much of the animal welfare work of RSPCA is carried out through local branches, which is run by volunteers who have the support of the National Society of RSPCA.

The main activity of our branch is local animal welfare. We take in neglected, abandoned & vulnerable animals locally, via our own animal welfare officer, as well as the national RSPCA Inspectorate officers. Our funds are mostly raised through our 2 charity shops.

Fundraising Volunteer responsibilities

• Organise, advertise, and promote fundraising activities to raise vital funds to improve animal welfare.
• Plan and participate in organised events for fundraising over an agreed period.
• Communicate all planned activities with staff and other volunteers.
•  Work alongside other volunteers, staff, and members of the public, ensuring excellent customer service at all times.
• Ensure best practice in fundraising and that it is legally compliant.

What we are looking for in a Fundraising Volunteer

•  Someone who is flexible and can offer an ongoing commitment.
•  Lots of enthusiasm to help us raise much needed funds
•  Good communication and organisational skills
• Friendly and approachable
• Ability to work on own initiative

What we can offer you as a Fundraising Volunteer

• You will be making a massive difference to the welfare of the animals in your area.
• Join a community which will enable you to meet new people and make new friends.
•  Learning new skills through our comprehensive induction and training programme.
• Enhance your CV by adding your volunteering experience and newly acquired skills.

If you’ve got the drive and compassion to volunteer with the RSPCA and are passionate about improving animal welfare, we’d love to hear from you!

Join us in making a real difference to the lives of animals in need.

Our voluntary roles are subject to an informal interview and trial period. We will ask you to provide contact details for two referees, and dependent on the position, you may need to sign an agreement and undergo specific training before starting the role

Ganddee

The app to find second-hand shops, car boot sales, flea markets and pop-ups.

We're fixing the climate crisis by addressing the underlying consumption crisis. Our mission is to help people shop local and 2nd-hand.

We're the marketplace connecting shoppers to 2nd-hand shops and thrifting events in the UK.

Content Creator

Volunteer Role Description (remote, unpaid)

Ganddee is London's discovery platform connecting shoppers to local second-hand shops, car boot sales, flea markets and thrifting events - think 'google maps for thrifting'.

We're building London's biggest thrifting community. To that end, we're looking for volunteers who share our love for thrifting and circularity.

Living in London (or the UK) would be ideal for the role given that we're mostly active there. However, if you live somewhere else and love what we do, we're happy to chat to see how you can join the team and help out!

The time commitment and "duration of the role" aren't set in stone! Happy to chat and see what works for you if you're excited by this opportunity!

The role entails:

Creating content for our Tiktok & Insta You're perfect for the role if you love (and often go) thrifting to charity shops, vintage shops, car boot sales etc. We're not necessarily looking for someone with a big following base or "professional influencer skills". But, you should be comfortable in front of a camera, and willing to share your thrifting adventures with our community of thrifters! :)

We love authentic content of people sharing their thrift hauls, and thrifting adventures.

Keen to chat if you love what we do and want to be part of the journey

Weekly Time Commitment

4-6 hours per week

Duration of Volunteer Role (remote)

3-5 months