Volunteer roles in east of england

Join FARA, a charity with over 30 years of experience and 40 charity shops across London. Our Chiswick Kids store is looking for a dedicated Retail Volunteer to assist us a minimum of 4 hours per week. By volunteering with us, you'll not only support our charitable work but also contribute to creating a positive experience for our community of customers. You'll also play a key role in ensuring that items FARA cannot sell are responsibly redirected, helping us further our commitment to a sustainable economy.

The Role:

As a volunteer, your responsibilities will include (but are not limited to):

• Tagging clothes
• Pricing books
• Assisting with the placement of merchandise on shelves
• Creating engaging displays
• Greeting and assisting customers

The Volunteer:

We’re looking for someone who:

• Has a genuine passion for volunteering
• Is friendly, approachable, and enthusiastic
• Ideally connected with the local area
• Has a minimum of 4 hours per week to volunteer with us

What’s in it for You?

At FARA, our shops are run by welcoming, collaborative teams where everyone works together. You'll gain valuable experience, working alongside supportive colleagues who help each other develop, challenge, and celebrate each other's contributions. Full training will be provided, and we offer a positive and safe environment where you can learn and enhance your skills.

Your Time:

Our shop operates from 09:30 to 17:30, and we're looking for someone who can volunteer for a minimum of 4 hours per week. We are happy to accommodate flexible hours to fit your schedule.

If this sounds like the role for you, please click the "Apply" button.

FARA is committed to creating an inclusive environment. If you need any reasonable adjustments during the application process, please don't hesitate to let us know.

About Long Covid Support

Long Covid Support is a UK-based charity providing peer support, information, and advocacy for people living with Long Covid. We also campaign for better recognition, research, and care.

What will you be doing (role overview)?:

We’re looking for an experienced Volunteer Website Manager to maintain and develop our online presence. You’ll ensure our website is accurate, accessible, user-friendly, and aligned with our brand. The role involves regular updates to content, troubleshooting basic technical issues, and working with the team to improve user experience.

What are we looking for (about you)?

• Experience: Minimum 3–5 years’ professional experience managing websites, ideally with WordPress or a similar CMS.
• Knowledge: Strong understanding of accessibility best practices and SEO principles.
• Technical Skills: Experience with basic image editing and formatting for web.
• Personal Qualities: Ability to work independently, prioritise tasks, and meet deadlines.
• Approach: Comfortable managing updates and improvements with minimal supervision.
• Application requirement: Please include links to 2–3 websites you have managed or worked on, along with a brief description of your role in each.

What difference will you make:

• The opportunity to take ownership of the digital front door for a national health charity.
• Experience delivering high-quality online content that directly benefits our community.
• Flexible, remote volunteering alongside a collaborative and supportive team.

Key Responsibilities:

• Update and maintain website content, structure, and functionality.
• Upload new resources, blog posts, and campaign materials.
• Optimise pages for accessibility, SEO, and usability.
• Troubleshoot basic technical issues, liaising with developers when needed.
• Implement design and content improvements in collaboration with the team.

Equal ops statement:

We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse environment where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. We provide equal opportunities for all, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. We actively encourage applications from all individuals of all backgrounds, particularly those with lived experience of Long Covid.

Who we are

The Molly Huggins Foundation is a newly launched charity with a bold mission: to drive long-term, place-based investment in communities that are too often overlooked. We’re a subsidiary of Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing (MTVH), with a vision to raise £75 million through fundraising, partnerships, and internal contributions by 2035.

Our work centres on homelessness prevention, youth opportunity, employment support, and community capacity building. In 2025, we’ll merge with the established MTVH Migration Foundation, bringing 15 years of grant-making experience supporting migrants and refugees, into one powerful, national platform for change.

Lady Molly Huggins founded Metropolitan in 1957 to create stable homes and strong communities. Today, her name lives on in a foundation committed to profound, lasting impact, fuelled by the lived experiences of residents and delivered in collaboration with the people who know their communities best.

About the role

As our first Chair, you’ll help shape the strategic direction of this charity at a pivotal moment. You’ll lead our Board, guide the integration of two foundations, and provide high-level oversight on finance, governance, and risk. Just as crucially, you’ll act as a visible ambassador, bringing credibility, networks, and a deep belief in our mission.

This is a voluntary role with a time commitment of approximately two days per month and a three-year term (renewable up to six years). You’ll work closely with the MTVH Executive team and stakeholders across housing, social justice, and philanthropy to help unlock the potential of communities across the UK.

Who we’re looking for

We’re seeking a values-driven, strategic leader with significant board experience—ideally as Chair or senior trustee. You’ll have:

• A strong understanding of governance and charity compliance.
• Credibility and confidence to influence at senior levels across sectors.
• A commitment to tackling inequality and advancing social justice.
• Experience in strategy, financial oversight, and partnership development.
• Knowledge of housing, community development, or migration issues is welcome, as is experience in fundraising or philanthropy at scale.

We especially encourage applications from those with lived experience of social housing, migration, or community marginalisation. More than anything, we’re looking for someone with vision, integrity, and a passion for building better futures—with communities, not just for them.

About Long Covid Support

Long Covid Support is a UK-based charity providing peer support, information, and advocacy for people living with Long Covid. We also campaign for better recognition, research, and care.

What will you be doing (role overview)?:

We’re seeking an experienced Volunteer Designer to create engaging, accessible designs that help us communicate effectively with our community and wider audiences. Most projects will focus on social media, but you’ll also support with website content, newsletters, and digital/print resources. Working closely with the Communications Lead, you’ll ensure our materials are clear, consistent, and visually compelling.

What are we looking for (about you)?

· Experience: Minimum 3–5 years’ professional design experience, ideally with a focus on social media and digital communications.

· Technical Skills: Proficiency in design tools such as Canva, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, or similar.

· Knowledge: Strong understanding of brand identity and accessible design principles.

· Personal Qualities: Ability to work independently, respond constructively to feedback, and meet deadlines.

· Approach: Comfortable delivering high-quality work from a brief with minimal supervision.

· Application requirement: Please include 3–5 examples of your design work (portfolio links, social media campaigns, or other relevant projects).

What difference will you make:

· The opportunity to create portfolio-worthy work for a national health charity.

· A chance to shape the visual identity of campaigns with real impact.

· Flexible, remote volunteering alongside a collaborative and supportive team.

Key Responsibilities:

· Design high-quality graphics for social media campaigns, events, and awareness days.

· Create visual assets for newsletters, website content, and downloadable resources.

· Maintain brand consistency and accessibility across all designs.

· Translate complex health information into clear, audience-friendly visuals.

· Collaborate on creative concepts, bringing fresh and innovative ideas.

Equal ops statement:

We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse environment where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. We provide equal opportunities for all, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. We actively encourage applications from all individuals of all backgrounds, particularly those with lived experience of Long Covid.

Connection Support has a range of services providing support to people at risk of homelessness or on the edge of needing social care. We work with people made vulnerable through debt, mental health issues, substance misuse, learning disability, and physical disabilities.

Volunteers play a key role in the provision of vital services to our clients.

Are you a reliable handyperson who can undertake, upkeep, and repair a range of tasks for our housing support clients?

• Do you have 1-2 hours a week to make basic home improvements to client’s accommodation?
• Are you a dab hand at DIY and want to put your handyperson skills to good use?
• Do you have an interest in motivating people to make positive changes in their lives through acquiring new skills?

If you can answer ‘yes’ to these questions, then we would love to hear from you!

Key responsibilities

Your role will include carrying out basic household repairs and alterations such as:

• Gardening work
• Flat pack furniture assembly
• Putting up curtain rails/blinds
• Hanging pictures and shelves

Skills required

No volunteering experience is required however the below skills are essential:

• Practical skills in DIY and/or gardening
• Good listening and communication skills
• Excellent people skills to enable you to work with a range of individuals with complex backgrounds

• Reliable and trustworthy
• Respect confidentiality
• Ability to build effective working relationships with clients in a non-patronising way

Join FARA, a charity with over 30 years of experience and 40 charity shops across London. Our Fulham store is looking for a dedicated Book Volunteer to assist us on a Sunday. By volunteering with us, you'll not only support our charitable work but also contribute to creating a positive experience for our community of customers. You'll also play a key role in ensuring that items FARA cannot sell are responsibly redirected, helping us further our commitment to a sustainable economy.

The Role:

As a volunteer, your responsibilities will include (but are not limited to):

• Sorting book donations
• Pricing books
• Assisting with the placement of books on shelves
• Identifying valuable and collectable books
• Creating engaging book displays
• Greeting and assisting customers
• Till operations

The Volunteer:

We’re looking for someone who:

• Has a genuine passion for books (and perhaps belongs to a book club)
• Is friendly, approachable, and enthusiastic
• Previous experience working with books is a plus, but not essential
• Ideally connected with the local area

What’s in it for You?

At FARA, our shops are run by welcoming, collaborative teams where everyone works together. You'll gain valuable experience, working alongside supportive colleagues who help each other develop, challenge, and celebrate each other's contributions. Full training will be provided, and we offer a positive and safe environment where you can learn and enhance your skills.

Your Time:

Our shop operates from 10:00 to 18:00, and we're looking for someone who can volunteer for a minimum of 4 hours on a Sunday.

If this sounds like the role for you, please click the "Apply" button.

FARA is committed to creating an inclusive environment. If you need any reasonable adjustments during the application process, please don't hesitate to let us know.

Connection Support has a range of services providing support to people at risk of homelessness or on the edge of needing social care. We work with people made vulnerable through debt, mental health issues, substance misuse, learning disability, and physical disabilities.

Volunteers play a key role in the provision of vital services to our clients.

Are you a reliable handyperson who can undertake, upkeep, and repair a range of tasks for our housing support clients?

• Do you have 1-2 hours a week to make basic home improvements to client’s accommodation?
• Are you a dab hand at DIY and want to put your handyperson skills to good use?
• Do you have an interest in motivating people to make positive changes in their lives through acquiring new skills?

If you can answer ‘yes’ to these questions, then we would love to hear from you!

Key responsibilities

Your role will include carrying out basic household repairs and alterations such as:

• Gardening work
• Flat pack furniture assembly
• Putting up curtain rails/blinds
• Hanging pictures and shelves

Skills required

No volunteering experience is required however the below skills are essential:

• Practical skills in DIY and/or gardening
• Good listening and communication skills
• Excellent people skills to enable you to work with a range of individuals with complex backgrounds

• Reliable and trustworthy
• Respect confidentiality
• Ability to build effective working relationships with clients in a non-patronising way

Join FARA, a charity with over 30 years of experience and 40 charity shops across London. Our New Kings Road store is looking for a dedicated Book Volunteer to assist us on a Wednesday. By volunteering with us, you'll not only support our charitable work but also contribute to creating a positive experience for our community of customers. You'll also play a key role in ensuring that items FARA cannot sell are responsibly redirected, helping us further our commitment to a sustainable economy.

The Role:

As a volunteer, your responsibilities will include (but are not limited to):

• Sorting book donations
• Pricing books
• Assisting with the placement of books on shelves
• Identifying valuable and collectable books
• Creating engaging book displays
• Greeting and assisting customers
• Till operations

The Volunteer:

We’re looking for someone who:

• Has a genuine passion for books (and perhaps belongs to a book club)
• Is friendly, approachable, and enthusiastic
• Previous experience working with books is a plus, but not essential
• Ideally connected with the local area

What’s in it for You?

At FARA, our shops are run by welcoming, collaborative teams where everyone works together. You'll gain valuable experience, working alongside supportive colleagues who help each other develop, challenge, and celebrate each other's contributions. Full training will be provided, and we offer a positive and safe environment where you can learn and enhance your skills.

Your Time:

Our shop operates from 10:00 to 18:00, and we're looking for someone who can volunteer for a minimum of 4 hours on a Wednesday.

If this sounds like the role for you, please click the "Apply" button.

FARA is committed to creating an inclusive environment. If you need any reasonable adjustments during the application process, please don't hesitate to let us know.

AHO Head of Fundraising (unpaid, Volunteer role)

Responsibilities and Duties

The Volunteer Head of Fundraising assists the Director of Fundraising in developing and implementing a comprehensive multi-year funding strategy that encompasses diverse income streams, working collaboratively with senior leadership to coordinate efforts and maintain an up-to-date funding pipeline. 

The Volunteer Grants Head assists the Director of Fundraising to:

• Develop and drive a multi-year fundraising strategy to support the organisation's growth ambitions.  To include a mix of both existing and new income streams and the resources needed to reach the goals.
• Work with the CEO, Director of Fundraising, and Grant Managers to implement the strategy in a coordinated and effective way.
• Create and maintain the fundraising pipeline, keeping it up to date in the CRM, in collaboration with other Volunteers and staff members.
• Lead on fortnightly Business Development meetings to keep everyone aligned and updated.
• Lead the development of new income streams, including government procurement opportunities and individual donations.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to ensure alignment between income generation and programme delivery.
• Work closely with the Board of Directors to establish and leverage networks and opportunities.

Essential Skills, knowledge, and behaviours:

• Proven track record of developing and delivering successful fundraising strategies at a senior level.
• Proven track record of meeting or exceeding income targets across multiple income streams.
• Experience managing multiple income streams, including statutory income, individual, corporate, and grant fundraising
• Strong leadership and people management skills with experience developing high-performing teams
• Excellent relationship-building skills with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders
• Financial acumen, including budgeting, reporting, and performance analysis
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including bid writing and donor presentations
• Strategic thinker with a proactive, innovative, and resilient approach
• Knowledge of fundraising regulation, GDPR, and best practice in supporter stewardship

Please note that this is an unpaid role. Don't apply if you plan to negotiate a pay or deal.  Volunteering allows people to give their time for free to society while gaining the experience they need when applying for future paid jobs.

For the full role description and other volunteer opportunities, please visit our website.

How to apply

Please apply by submitting your CV and cover letter using the Charity Job system.  If you use any method other than the one specified, we will not review your application.

A Peer Mentor is a volunteer who has experienced similar challenges and experiences as the person they are supporting. Being a peer mentor is seen as a positive and secure way to progress towards education, work, or employment.

Volunteers who take on peer support roles can feel empowered, have a greater confidence and a more positive sense of identity.

Could you provide an authentic voice that our clients can relate to?

· Do you have 1-2 hours a week to support a client

· Can you inspire others, give them hope through self-disclosure and by being an example of recovery?

· Build relationships based on trust, acceptance, understanding and an empathy from a shared lived experience?

· Can we rely on you to tap into your own experiences to help us identify barriers and gaps in our services and how we can be improving and identify good practice?

If you can answer ‘yes’ to these questions, then we would love to hear from you!

Key Responsibilities:

· Inspiring service users by using your own life experiences and by being a positive role model

· Providing a safe sounding space, listen in a non-judgemental way

· Helping to improve wellbeing, confidence, and independence by exploring activities that promote this

· Assist service users to engage with formalised support

· Attend appropriate training and development opportunities as required

Who are we?

We are Buttons & Bubbles CIC. We are dedicated to increasing inclusion and representation across society for disabled families.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for volunteers to help with our social media. We want to massively improve and increase our content from TikTok to You Tube. So much goes into social media from the physical filming and scripts to making the small everyday promotional posts to bigger videos, editing and posting them. We need people to help with every aspect of social media  But don’t panic we are not asking one person to do all of this! So keep reading....

Who are we looking for?

• Somebody who is fun loving
• Be creative. Content creation is all about being creative.
• Knowledge or willingness to research algorithms and social media trends.
• Willing to learn or has knowledge of editing and posting videos
• Enjoy building online community
• No previous experience is necessary but a willingness to learn is essential.

What do we expect?

• Must be willing to undertake our training programme which will be done virtually and at a time to suit you.
• Have a basic DBS check (preferably be on the update system)
• Sign our volunteer contract. (If you disagree with anything in it please do discuss it with us and we will be happy to have a conversation and make small changes if appropriate).
• A positive attitude to disability and illness. We are happy to answer questions on this.

Interested? 

Get in touch and we can chat. Please note we are looking for volunteers who are based in the UK and ideally located around Berkshire, Outskirts of London, Surrey and Hampshire. 

A Peer Mentor is a volunteer who has experienced similar challenges and experiences as the person they are supporting. Being a peer mentor is seen as a positive and secure way to progress towards education, work, or employment.

Volunteers who take on peer support roles can feel empowered, have a greater confidence and a more positive sense of identity.

Could you provide an authentic voice that our clients can relate to?

· Do you have 1-2 hours a week to support a client

· Can you inspire others, give them hope through self-disclosure and by being an example of recovery?

· Build relationships based on trust, acceptance, understanding and an empathy from a shared lived experience?

· Can we rely on you to tap into your own experiences to help us identify barriers and gaps in our services and how we can be improving and identify good practice?

If you can answer ‘yes’ to these questions, then we would love to hear from you!

Key Responsibilities:

· Inspiring service users by using your own life experiences and by being a positive role model

· Providing a safe sounding space, listen in a non-judgemental way

· Helping to improve wellbeing, confidence, and independence by exploring activities that promote this

· Assist service users to engage with formalised support

· Attend appropriate training and development opportunities as required

EMPLOYMENT COACH

Connection Support has a range of services providing support to people at risk of homelessness or on the edge of needing social care. We work with people made vulnerable through debt, family circumstances, mental health issues, substance misuse, care leavers, learning disability, age, and physical disabilities.

Volunteers play a key role in the provision of vital services to our clients f

Would you like the opportunity to apply your experience in a meaningful role to help vulnerable clients?

· Do you have 1 hour a week to give to a vulnerable client

· Can we rely and depend on you to commit to a period of up to 12 weeks?

· Can you create and maintain positive, professional, and trusting relationships with a non-judgmental approach?

If you can answer ‘yes’ to these questions, then we would love to hear from you!

Role summary:

To encourage and support clients on a one-to-one basis to find suitable employment or volunteering.

To assess each individual and help prepare them for meaningful and suitable employment.

Key Responsibilities

· To support clients to identify their skills and readiness for employment and training

· To communicate with clients to understand their strengths and assisting with personal barriers

· To research and match suitable employment, work placements, volunteering or training opportunities based on client preferences

· To identify any initial support needs/adjustments that the service user may need to work successfully

· To assist with CV’s, applications and support for interviews

Become a trustee for your local Mind in Wales

Mind, the mental health charity and national organisation provides information, advice and support to anyone experiencing poor mental health. Minds also campaigns to improve services, change policy, raise awareness and promote understanding of mental health.

Mind Cymru is Mind in Wales. We aim to make sure everyone in Wales has access to the mental health information, support and services they need. We are here to make sure no-one in Wales faces a mental health problem alone.

We are currently working with our network of 16 local minds in Wales to recruit new trustees. Local Minds provide support and services at the heart of their communities, reaching almost 37,000 people a year in Wales.

Trustees are our most senior leaders. They set our strategic direction, make sure we are using our resources effectively and ensure we are having the greatest possible impact on our community. As part of a federated structure, trustees are expected to undertake duties in a manner that reflects Mind’s values and ethos.

We are looking for dedicated, empathetic and ambitious candidates to help make our mission a reality and lead us closer towards our ultimate ambition: a society where everyone experiencing a mental health problem gets both support and respect.

As a trustee you will:

• Think strategically and creatively.
• Lead the organisation towards fully achieving its commitment and ambition.
• Scrutinise the impact we’re having.
• Communicate clearly and sensitively in large group discussions.
• Use independent judgement to make decisions on behalf of the organisation. Be committed to our mission, vision and values.

Diversity is critical for a board to be effective, enabling varied discussions and active debate and decision making so that together we can have the greatest impact. We encourage applications from people with lived experience of mental health problems and from all ethnic, socio-economic, religious and professional and personal backgrounds. Whether you’re an experienced trustee or taking your first steps into governance, if you have the commitment, values, and skills, we want to hear from you!

As a trustee, you will receive:

• Induction and training into the role.
• Opportunities to develop new skills.
• An annual appraisal to help support your development.

Time commitment

The trustee role is voluntary with expenses paid and a typical commitment of approximately 4-8 hours per month. Six board meetings per year take place -both in person or virtually via video conference. Plese note these numbers are a guide and may vary between local Minds.

To Apply

Below is a list of the local Minds in Wales who are currently recruiting. Please contact them for follow up information and a guide to their process please follow the link to their local Mind website.

· Brecon & District Mind 

· Caerphilly Borough Mind

· Mind in Gwent 

· North East Wales Mind 

· Pembrokeshire and Carmarthen Mind 

Find out more about the Federation in Wales at our latest impact report HERE and find your nearest local Mind in Wales HERE.

Find out more about being a trustee as part of the Mind Federation

If you would like to find out more about the role of trustee and the support / personal development available to you contact Stuart Thomason