Volunteer roles in bedford, england

Our vision for volunteering

Volunteering is and always will be at the heart of Cats Protection. It is joyful and inclusive. As a charity, working in partnership, together we transform the lives of cats, people and communities.

The difference you will make to cats and people

From elderly moggies to energic kittens, every day across the UK cats and kittens are in need of a temporary place to stay, and lots of love and TLC! We need more fosterers like you to provide a safe, temporary haven for cats and kittens and provide them with everything they need before they get their chance to land on their four paws and make a house a home.

You can expect us to

· Make you feel welcome, included and respected in line with our values and behaviours

· Support you in having a positive and impactful experience at Cats Protection

· Ensure you have all you need in place to foster the cat(s) in your care, for example equipment and food

· Cover all your foster cats’ expenses and agreed out-of-pocket expenses in line with our Expenses Policy

· Provide you with access to learning, development and engagement opportunities

What we need from you

● A stable, safe and compassionate environment in your home or in a purpose-built pen in your garden provided by us

● Enrich the cats’ experience in care including play, exercise and appropriate handling/interaction

● A willingness to complete some training in order to provide high standards of cat welfare

● Introduce cats to prospective adopters so they can find their forever home ● You can find out more about being a Fosterer on our website

Time expectation

Our volunteer fosterers usually spend around one and a half hours per day (around 10 to 13 hours per week) in this role, but this might vary depending on the number of cats or kittens in care.

Our vision for volunteering

Volunteering is and always will be at the heart of Cats Protection. It is joyful and inclusive. As a charity, working in partnership, together we transform the lives of cats, people and communities.

The difference you will make to cats and people

From elderly moggies to energic kittens, every day across the UK cats and kittens are in need of a temporary place to stay, and lots of love and TLC! We need more fosterers like you to provide a safe, temporary haven for cats and kittens and provide them with everything they need before they get their chance to land on their four paws and make a house a home.

You can expect us to

· Make you feel welcome, included and respected in line with our values and behaviours

· Support you in having a positive and impactful experience at Cats Protection

· Ensure you have all you need in place to foster the cat(s) in your care, for example equipment and food

· Cover all your foster cats’ expenses and agreed out-of-pocket expenses in line with our Expenses Policy

· Provide you with access to learning, development and engagement opportunities

What we need from you

● A stable, safe and compassionate environment in your home or in a purpose-built pen in your garden provided by us

● Enrich the cats’ experience in care including play, exercise and appropriate handling/interaction

● A willingness to complete some training in order to provide high standards of cat welfare

● Introduce cats to prospective adopters so they can find their forever home ● You can find out more about being a Fosterer on our website

Time expectation

Our volunteer fosterers usually spend around one and a half hours per day (around 10 to 13 hours per week) in this role, but this might vary depending on the number of cats or kittens in care.

African Development Choices (ADC) is a UK-based Social Enterprise on a mission to reduce poverty by empowering communities to make more informed choices in the management of public resources.

ADC’s purpose is to enable communities to independently meet their needs for essential services, such as clean water and safe sanitation and improve lives in Africa.

At ADC we encourage a working culture of seeking and giving input, showing and taking initiative, and commitment to the organisation and its purpose.

We now have an exciting opportunity for a volunteer Social & Content Manager to join ADC

Main purpose of job (brief summary): Develop and implement our social media & content strategy in order to increase our online presence and drive stakeholder engagement.

Division: Operations

Department: Marketing & Communications

Position reports to: Head of Marketing & Communications

Who reports to this position: N/A
 

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develop a content calendar across all social platforms ensuring a constant supply of relevant content (1 post per week on LinkedIn, Facebook & Instagram – initially) 

• Collate content for, prepare and publish the monthly volunteer newsletter through MailChimp 

• Identify and engage with key social influencers to create beneficial relationships and strong networks and grow the ADC brand 

• Perform social listening across all social platforms by monitoring and responding to relevant brand mentions and identifying opportunities for engaging in related topics/discussions 

• Define social media KPIs, measure and optimize social media performance metrics, and develop enhanced reporting 

• Manage and oversee social media content

• Develop and implement E2E fundraising campaigns in collaboration with the fundraising team

​Knowledge, Skills, and Experience

Essential 

• 3+ years of experience in social and content management 

• Experience using MailChimp or similar software 

• Experience in designing, managing and executing successful fundraising campaigns 

• Excellent knowledge of Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and other social media platforms 

• Experience of forming relationships with key influencers on social media 

• Good understanding of SEO metrics and social media KPIs 

• Ability to come up with creative content (text, image and video) 

• Available to volunteer at least 7 hours a week 

• Ability to actively take initiative and help set things up in a start-up environment 

• Ability to actively seek and give input in a collaborative team environment 

• A committed team player with good communication skills. 

Desirable 

• Experience of establishing online communities on social media 

• Experience working in an early stage start-up and gone through a scaling phase 

• Passion for the start-up life and comfortable in a role with a little ambiguity 

What ADC Offers You

This is a volunteer, remote and unpaid position with the following benefits: 

• Professional learning and career development opportunities 

• An opportunity to build on your work experience within your profession 

• An opportunity to be part of a diverse team representing different parts of the world that is helping to deliver systemic social change in Africa 

• An opportunity to help shape a start-up social enterprise 

• We provide work reference

This job description is a written statement of the essential characteristics of the job, with its principal ccountabilities, incorporating a note of the skills, knowledge and experience required for a satisfactory level of performance. This is not intended to be a complete, detailed account of all aspects of the duties involved. 

Here at African Development Choices, we celebrate diversity, equity, and inclusion. Our teams are made up of people from all over the world and we welcome all applications. If you are disabled or have a long-term health condition, and you require any reasonable adjustments for your application with us, please let us know by contacting recruitment(at)africandevelopmentchoices(dot)org.

Our vision for volunteering

Volunteering is and always will be at the heart of Cats Protection. It is joyful and inclusive. As a charity, working in partnership, together we transform the lives of cats, people and communities.

The difference you will make to cats and people

Thousands of cats each year rely on the help of animal charities because they have been abandoned, they have strayed or because there has been a change in their owner’s circumstances. Becoming an administration volunteer is just one way you can help improve the lives of cats in your local community. Our administration volunteers help provide vital admin support to our volunteer groups and teams across Cats Protection. They help keep up to date records of the number of cats that have been rehomed, collate supporter details and send out newsletters. This could be the perfect volunteer role if you have administrative experience, a passion for cats, or both!

You can expect us to

· Make you feel welcome, included and respected in line with our values and behaviours

· Support you in having a positive and impactful experience at Cats Protection

· Cover agreed out-of-pocket expenses in line with our Expenses Policy

· Provide you with access to learning, development and engagement opportunities

What we need from you

You’ll be:

· Recording relevant information related to your volunteer group

· Signposting enquiries to the relevant teams within Cats Protection

· Sending information to supporters, volunteers and to our Head Office

· Distributing information leaflets if required

Time expectation

Our administration volunteers usually spend 2 to 3 hours per week in this role, which is flexible and can be shared by more than one volunteer if needed.

Can you commit to volunteering for a minimum of 2 years? 

Do you have 2 to 4 hours spare a month? 

Do you live in Milton Keynes?

Would you like to befriend a child or young person in care and make a long-term friendship with them? 

If yes, then volunteering for Reconstruct may suit you.

An Independent Visitor is an adult volunteer who befriends a young person in care and develops a long-term friendship with them. This often involves helping young people develop new interests, skills and hobbies or going on outings such as to the cinema, bowling or just a walk in the park.

You must be 21+, available for flexible working and able to commit to a minimum of 2 years. As a volunteer, you would spend about 2-4 hours every month with your allocated child.

Each volunteer is carefully matched with a child or young person in care in their local area who shares similar interests.

WHAT DO INDEPENDENT VISITORS DO?

• Visit a child monthly and becomes a trusted adult friend to them.
• Provide a consistent and reliable adult with a view to building a trusting and positive relationship with the child.
• Provide a child with the opportunity to try new activities and spend time with them away from their placement. This in turn can enhance progress and resilience of children, by building self-esteem, strengthening mental health, and opening new social relationships outside of the care system.

WHAT SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE DO YOU NEED?

• Interpersonal Skills – Ability to easily build rapport an identify with children and young people.
• Communication – Excellent communication skills, good report writing skills.
• Committed – Willing to commit to a child for at least one year and preferably two years.
• Role Model – A good role model for a child or young person who may have experienced difficult times during their childhood.
• DBS Check – We will carry out safer recruitment checks and you will be required to have an Enhanced DBS check.

Examples of activities can include:

• Sports
• Play football 
• Cinema
• Bowling
• Go to the library

You will be allocated a budget for each visit for your activity, and payment of your expenses, are paid so you are not out of pocket. These include, travel costs, and parking.

As part of the recruitment process, candidates will be required to attend necessary training for the role. Interviews will be arranged in due course thereafter.

Our vision for volunteering

Volunteering is and always will be at the heart of Cats Protection. It is joyful and inclusive. As a charity, working in partnership, together we transform the lives of cats, people and communities.

The difference you will make to cats and people

Thousands of cats each year rely on the help of animal charities because they have been abandoned, they have strayed or because there has been a change in their owner’s circumstances. Becoming an administration volunteer is just one way you can help improve the lives of cats in your local community. Our administration volunteers help provide vital admin support to our volunteer groups and teams across Cats Protection. They help keep up to date records of the number of cats that have been rehomed, collate supporter details and send out newsletters. This could be the perfect volunteer role if you have administrative experience, a passion for cats, or both!

You can expect us to

· Make you feel welcome, included and respected in line with our values and behaviours

· Support you in having a positive and impactful experience at Cats Protection

· Cover agreed out-of-pocket expenses in line with our Expenses Policy

· Provide you with access to learning, development and engagement opportunities

What we need from you

You’ll be:

· Recording relevant information related to your volunteer group

· Signposting enquiries to the relevant teams within Cats Protection

· Sending information to supporters, volunteers and to our Head Office

· Distributing information leaflets if required

Time expectation

Our administration volunteers usually spend 2 to 3 hours per week in this role, which is flexible and can be shared by more than one volunteer if needed.

Could you help a troubled teenager thrive?

Are you the kind of person who feels helpless when you see negative news stories about young people, or perhaps when you watched the new Adolescence drama series about teenagers and the pressures they face from social media?

The fact that you care when you see or hear these things and feel the need to help could mean that you would make a perfect volunteer mentor for a young person struggling with life as a teenager. 

At Hope After Harm our New Leaf Young Peoples’ project offers a lifeline to vulnerable young people in the Thames Valley Area through our trained volunteers who offer support and guidance when they need it.

All we ask of you is your time. Just commit to one or two hours a week to meet the young person at their school for up to 16 weeks, and to be available to them by telephone at hours agreed between you and them. 

About Roots Academy 

At Roots Academy, we’ve built a learning experience that’s changing the lives of the ummah’s future leaders, change-makers and visionaries.

Our vision is enabling university students to live God-centred lives, so we teach structured, engaging and transformative face-to-face foundational Islamic education to over 1,800 students across the UK.

Role Summary

As part of teaching at Roots, instructors are supplied with many teaching resources to help them teach the Roots way, such as instructor slides, teaching notes and walk-through videos.
Your role at Roots is to produce well-curated teaching notes, to ensure instructors understand the content and know exactly what is being taught.

Key tasks

• Assessing the current standard of teacher note 

• Taking on the role of editor/proofreader of all academic content

• Have a keen eye for detail such as grammar, language and punctuation

What we’re looking for

• Has a keen eye for detail

• Has experience in copy editing 

• Able to prioritise and organise workload

• Has some experience in assessing the quality of educational material

What we have to offer

• Be part of a team of 100+ dedicated volunteers from across the country.

• Receive continuous rewards for those that seek Islamic knowledge from the Roots platform. 

• Be a part of a growing organisation that aims to revive and educate Muslims from a grassroots perspective.

• Receive in-house tarbiyah sessions to develop your deen. 

Please note this is an unpaid volunteer position. 

Volunteers are entitled to claim expenses incurred for food, travel and equipment, in line with our Expenses policy. 

Help us to grow brand-new online charity platform A Good Thing! Come on board to help us manage relationships with the businesses that have joined us: use your communications skills to drive more businesses to engage with the platform and to make donations of things they no longer need.

A Good Thing is a not-for-profit set up with one mission: to send less to landfill, and more to a good cause. We're rolling out fast across the UK, momentum is building, and we're growing a network of passionate local volunteer champions right across the country to drive our growth.

You’ll be using both your communications skills and your project management expertise to help us grow the number of businesses engaging with the platform and giving things away.

Come with us on our journey towards reducing waste and boosting wonderful local charities at the same time.

Would you like to use your skills and experience in organisational finance and strategy to help some of the most vulnerable children in the UK? And to help a small user-led charity that has become reputationally successful and punches way above its weight to grow sustainably, yet at speed, into its next iteration and be able to serve more families?

Founded in June 2020 , The Belay Foundation was created to fill an urgent need for practical ‘in-home’ support to families whose children have previously been in local authority care. We were awarded charity registration in December 2020 and were soon working with families and Local Authorities across the UK. Our main areas of focus are: finding, training and supporting people who can offer trauma-responsive childcare and respite; disability benefits advice to families and young people; training professionals and parents to understand and respond to the impact of early-life trauma. 

Currently, The Belay Foundation has an income of £120k and has supported over 400 families. Feedback from those families is very positive and reflects the change from crisis to coping. We are currently conducting a major review of our services and business model to enable us to relaunch services which can be scaled to the next level and respond to an ever-expanding need. This review is being led by our new CEO, Libby McVeigh, who looks forward to working with our new Treasurer to ensure that our financial systems and processes match our ambition.

Role Description

As a trustee you will:

• Meet regularly (mostly online and in the evening) with the other trustees to shape, drive and monitor the charity’s strategy
• Scrutinise the proper management and administration of the charity
• Champion the charity’s core values
• Help develop the financial sustainability of the charity
• Consider further service delivery in line with the charity’s aims
• Promote the work of the charity and develop contacts externally

As Treasurer you will:

• Support the development of operational financial processes, working creatively and supportively with the CEO and Chair to choose the right financial frameworks and tools for our needs
• Present financial reports to the board so all trustees understand the charity’s financial position
• Advise the board on how to carry out its financial responsibilities
• Oversee the preparation and scrutiny of annual accounts

Person specification

Essential:

• Qualified accountant (ICAEW, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA) or experienced senior finance professional
• Some experience of charity finance and fundraising, with an understanding of core accounting principles and charity reporting requirements
• Excellent financial acumen, with the ability to present financial information clearly to non-finance trustees
• Ability to scrutinise financial processes and budgets, and a willingness and ability to support with operational financial tasks
• An interest in good governance and strategy
• Experience of providing oversight of operations in an organisation
• Excellent communication skills
• Collaborative, enthusiastic and empathetic
• Able to offer 6+ hours per month in Trustee and other meetings and in small group/1:1 support; and attend one in-person away day each year.

Preferable but not essential: 

• Experience of a trustee role
• Personal or professional interest in adoption, special guardianship and/or kinship care
• Experience in supporting the growth of a small organisation from its origins to its next stage 

In accordance with our commitment to equal opportunities and improving the diversity of our Board, we 
particularly welcome applications from people from Black, Asian, and other minority ethnic backgrounds, 
who are currently under-represented in our governance structure.

Click on the 'How to Apply' link for more information, including on how to apply by the deadline of midnight on Sunday 9th November. 

Company Description

Vision for Access CIC is a social enterprise led by people with lived experience of sight loss. We work to break down barriers and make the world more inclusive by promoting accessibility in practical, achievable ways. Through projects, training, and community collaboration, we help organisations understand and remove the barriers that people with sight loss and other disabilities face every day.

Our work is guided by empathy, real-world experience, and a commitment to creating positive social change.

Role Description

We are looking for Non-Executive Directors to join our small and passionate board at Vision for Access CIC.

This is a remote, voluntary role suitable for individuals who share our values and are eager to contribute to shaping the future direction of our work. You don’t need to have previous board experience or formal qualifications - we’re more interested in your ideas, enthusiasm, and commitment to accessibility and inclusion.

As a Non-Executive Director, you’ll:

• Take part in regular board meetings (held online)
• Help guide Vision for Access’s strategy and priorities
• Offer insight, challenge, and support to ensure good governance
• Act as an ambassador for our mission and help us build connections
• Contribute your lived experience, professional knowledge, or community perspective to strengthen our work

This role is ideal for individuals who want to leverage their experience, passion, or perspective to drive positive change in accessibility and inclusion.

What We’re Looking For

We welcome applications from individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences. You might bring:

• An interest in accessibility, inclusion, or social impact
• Experience (professional or personal) connected to disability, sight loss, or community work
• Strategic thinking, creative ideas, or problem-solving skills
• A willingness to learn, listen, and contribute as part of a supportive team

You don’t need to have been on a board before - we’ll provide guidance and a warm welcome.

Key Details

• Role type: Voluntary
• Location: Remote (meetings via video call)
• Commitment: Approx. 4–6 meetings per year, plus occasional input between meetings
• Start date: Flexible

The Maritime Archaeology Sea Trust is seeking a new trustee to support our exceptional Board of existing trustees.

About Us

MAST is a registered UK charity, founded in 2011 by maritime archaeologist and author Jessica Berry, to address the gulf in the way our maritime Underwater Cultural Heritage is protected in contrast to land-based archaeology. We are considered the foremost maritime archaeological organisation in the UK, providing full-cycle maritime archaeological services, from discovery, recording, excavation and conservation of the artefacts for the public to enjoy and understand. We exist to fill a long overdue void in our understanding of our nation’s rich maritime heritage, to ensure that there is a sustainable future for such sites, through archaeology, research, study and dissemination. 

MAST is accredited to the Governing Bodies of the UNESCO Convention on Underwater Cultural Heritage 2001.

Desired skills and experience

• Strategic and business development
• Familiarity with the management of large projects
• Leadership skills, commercial acumen and integrity
• Willing to work closely with our fundraiser
• Has a strong network of business associates and the ability to build relationships with organisations and potential donors including high net worth individuals
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills to represent MAST to government bodies, the public, stakeholders, and other organisations
• Previous experience of being a trustee is not necessary, but an understanding of the charity and voluntary sector will be an advantage

The role

• To work with fellow Board members to build on MAST’s reputational standing nationally and internationally, and to assist in fundraising for MAST’s Centre of Excellence in Maritime Archaeology and ongoing work
• To play a pivotal role in raising MAST’s profile and defining our long term future 

La Suzy

We provide reusable period bed mats and menstrual education empowering girls while reducing waste.

La Suzy addresses period poverty, lack of menstrual health education, and gender inequality by providing reusable period bed mats and educational programs. Environmentally, it reduces reliance on disposable products, cutting plastic waste and resource-intensive consumption. Through partnerships with schools, shelters, and CSR initiatives, La Suzy empowers girls and women while promoting sustainable menstrual care.

La Suzy provides reusable, eco-friendly period bed mats designed for comfort, reliability, and sustainability. Unlike traditional solutions, these mats prevent messy stains on beds/mattresses and giving girls and women peace of mind during their periods. They are easy to clean and quick to dry, reducing the time, effort, and water used compared with constant washing of sheets or reliance on towels/ multiple disposable products. it is also travel-friendly. Millions of sheets and mattresses are also disposed of due to period stains, all preventable with our bed mat.

Paired with educational webinars and resources, La Suzy empowers girls with knowledge about menstrual health and hygiene. By distributing mats through schools, shelters, and CSR partnerships, La Suzy ensures girls stay in school, build confidence, and adopt sustainable menstrual care practices—all while minimizing environmental impact and waste from single-use products.

Content Creator (Social Media)

La Suzy is a social impact start-up tackling period poverty and promoting sustainable period care. Our hero product — a Reusable Period Bed Mat is a travel-friendly solution that protects beddings/mattresses from period leaks/overflows and helps girls and women manage their periods with dignity and comfort. We’re building a movement around being #PeriodProud and are on a mission to reach 100,000 girls across the UK with free period webinars and access to our La Suzy Mat. We’re looking for a creative Content Creator to help grow our online presence across LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.
You’ll create authentic, engaging content that amplifies our brand and movement. 
Responsibilities:

• Create and schedule daily posts, reels, and stories across LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.
• Develop content ideas and campaigns aligned with La Suzy’s mission.
• Work closely with the founder to build community engagement and brand storytelling.
• Track performance and suggest ideas to boost reach and impact.

Ideal For:
Someone creative, social-media savvy, and passionate about women’s health, sustainability, and storytelling. Role can last longer than 3-5 months if suits all parties:-).

Minimum Hours per Week:

4-6 hours per week

Duration:

3-5 months

La Suzy

We provide reusable period bed mats and menstrual education empowering girls while reducing waste.

La Suzy addresses period poverty, lack of menstrual health education, and gender inequality by providing reusable period bed mats and educational programs. Environmentally, it reduces reliance on disposable products, cutting plastic waste and resource-intensive consumption. Through partnerships with schools, shelters, and CSR initiatives, La Suzy empowers girls and women while promoting sustainable menstrual care.

La Suzy provides reusable, eco-friendly period bed mats designed for comfort, reliability, and sustainability. Unlike traditional solutions, these mats prevent messy stains on beds/mattresses and giving girls and women peace of mind during their periods. They are easy to clean and quick to dry, reducing the time, effort, and water used compared with constant washing of sheets or reliance on towels/ multiple disposable products. it is also travel-friendly. Millions of sheets and mattresses are also disposed of due to period stains, all preventable with our bed mat.

Paired with educational webinars and resources, La Suzy empowers girls with knowledge about menstrual health and hygiene. By distributing mats through schools, shelters, and CSR partnerships, La Suzy ensures girls stay in school, build confidence, and adopt sustainable menstrual care practices—all while minimizing environmental impact and waste from single-use products.

PR & Media Outreach Volunteer

La Suzy is a social impact start-up tackling period poverty and promoting sustainable period care. Our hero product — a Reusable Period Bed Mat is a travel-friendly solution that protects beddings/mattresses from period leaks/overflows and helps girls and women manage their periods with dignity and comfort. We’re building a movement around being #PeriodProud and are on a mission to reach 100,000 girls across the UK with free period webinars and access to our La Suzy Mat.

We’re looking for a passionate PR & Media Outreach Volunteer to help La Suzy share its story with the world. You’ll help us reach journalists, bloggers, and podcasts that align with women’s health, social impact, and sustainability.

Responsibilities:

• Research and build media contact lists.
• Draft and send press releases and founder stories.
• Identify and pitch newsworthy stories about La Suzy’s mission and milestones.
• Support PR for key campaigns and partnerships (like our #PeriodProud initiative).

Ideal For:
Someone with strong communication skills who enjoys connecting with journalists, crafting compelling stories, and supporting women-led impact ventures.

*Role can last longer than 3-5 months if suits all parties:-)*

Minimum Hours per Week:

4-6 hours per week

Duration:

3-5 months