Volunteer roles in south west

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. 

Haig Housing Trust provides housing for veterans and their families. We’re looking for a passionate, experienced individual to join our Board of Trustees and help us drive real change.

What will you be doing?

Our purpose is to provide quality homes to improve the lives of veterans and their families. We have a long and proud history of supporting our beneficiaries. We have over 1,500 properties across the UK on small well-managed estates, ranging from six houses to 360 homes on our largest estate in Morden. Homes are available at an affordable rent. We also offer extensive support, advice and signposting to assist those in housing need. We believe housing is fundamental to building thriving communities.

This is an exciting time to join our board. Now under the recent Patronage of HRH The Princess Royal we have ambitious plans to improve our housing stock, grow the support we offer our beneficiaries and ensure they remain at the core of everything we do. We have a strong leadership team, a robust financial base and are confident about our future.

Due to planned retirement we want to strengthen the Board. We want to stress that no board experience is necessary to apply – we will help you to learn and grow. What we do ask is that you are committed, curious and collaborative.  If you have a legal background, that would be of particular interest.

We are on an important journey to improve our impact, growing investment in our properties over the next five years. We froze rents in 2022, allowing us to keep increases to below inflation over the last four years. We want to build our profile, thinking creatively about the needs of the veteran community and on how to innovate our service delivery for their benefit. With our new chair, the Board will shape our strategic goals, ensuring that we continue to deliver housing that is fit for the future.  

We are in a strong financial position. Total income in FY 23/24 was £12M.  We are debt-free with a strong balance sheet. We own our properties, have strong reserves and are diversifying our income, growing fundraising so that we can modernise our homes and increase our impact.

We are governed by a diverse Board of independent, non-executive trustees with a wealth of professional, charity and Armed Forces experience. Trustees meet formally every quarter and delegate specific issues to three committees (Finance and Risk, Estates and People) that report to the Board. Overall, we have c60 staff, based in Victoria, led by the Chief Executive and a Senior Leadership Team of four.

What are we looking for?

Person Specification

Essential

• Clear empathy for Armed Forces veterans and their families and a passion for our mission.
• A collaborative, engaging style that promotes positive relationships at all levels and with partners.
• A willingness to help us develop and deliver better customer service.
• Commitment to help us grow our standing with public, private and civil society organisations.
• Willing to learn about those areas of running a charity with which you are not familiar
• Personal integrity and credibility that grows confidence at all levels with everyone you meet.

Able to make the time commitments of the role.

Desirable

• Experience of operating in the charitable sector.
• Connections within the military and veterans’ sectors.
• Legal experience (in a relevant sector)

What difference will you make?

Trustees bring their own experience to a Board, using their skill and judgement to enable good decision-making and deliver impact.  If you share our passion for helping those who have served in the Armed Forces and their families and want to play your part in delivering a better future for them, we’d love to hear from you.

We do ask that candidates commit to:

• Attending four board meetings, a strategy offsite and four sub-committee meetings a year.
• Developing a good understanding of our operations and the environment in which we operate.
• Meeting the people we help and the teams that support them.
• Helping the board ensure the highest standards of governance and strategic focus.
• Monitoring the performance of Haig’s activities in a constructive and collaborative way.
• Making time, skills, and experience available (in and outside of regular board meetings).

The overall time commitment is around 1 day a month on average. Board usually meets in person in London each quarter; committee meetings are remote. Trustees are appointed for renewable terms of office of three years. The role is unremunerated, although expenses are reimbursed.

Before you apply

To express interest please contact us via Reach. Applications by CV and covering letter (max 2-sides A4).  Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

We are looking for a highly motivated, values driven, senior professional strategist who is passionate about social justice for young people through arts, culture and creativity. Our Trustees bring specific skills and expertise, including in HR, finance, legal, fundraising, digital, capital development and artistic development. We are seeking a Vice-Chair with broad strategic skills along with a legal background to provide support to the Chair and additional leadership to the Board of Trustees.

BioBright

BioBright helps the maritime industry to reduce CO2 and water pollution by using algae cultivation and monitoring systems.

The maritime industry is a significant contributor to global environmental challenges, particularly regarding CO2 emissions and water pollution. BioBright is committed to tackling these urgent issues through its innovative algae-based technologies designed to reduce emissions and improve water quality within ports.

Algae-Based Technology for CO2 Absorption BioBright cultivates algae inside ports, which naturally absorbs CO2 from the surrounding environment. Only 400 grams of algae can absorb 800 grams of CO2 every hour, making it a highly effective solution for carbon reduction in maritime ecosystems. By scaling algae installations in key port areas, BioBright helps ports significantly reduce their carbon footprint.

Marketing & Communications

Volunteer Role Description (remote, unpaid)

Purpose: Lead BioBright’s marketing strategy for B2B channels, grow our visibility, and turn interest into partnerships, customers, and real-world impact. With your help, we can accelerate the maritime industry's transition to net zero and protect marine life by raising awareness about the power of algae-based solutions. This is an opportunity to apply your marketing skills to something that truly matters.

Why Join Us: At BioBright, we’re building cutting-edge algae technologies to reduce CO₂ emissions, restore water quality, and support marine biodiversity. By joining our team, you’ll be part of a mission-driven startup tackling urgent environmental challenges in ports and coastal ecosystems. Your voice and creativity will directly contribute to positive change.

Responsibilities:

Develop and execute marketing campaigns across digital and offline channels. Manage BioBright’s social media presence (LinkedIn, Instagram, etc.). Create engaging content: posts, newsletters, case studies, press releases, investor updates. Support branding and messaging across pitches, events, and product launches. Work with the web team to keep the site updated with clear, compelling content.

Key Skills:

Strong writing and storytelling skills, especially for science/tech topics. Experience with digital marketing tools (Mailchimp, Meta Ads, Google Analytics, Canva, etc.). Comfortable with both strategy and hands-on execution. Understanding of sustainability, tech, or marine/environmental topics is a plus. Video editing or visual content creation is a bonus.

Weekly Time Commitment

4-6 hours per week

Duration of Volunteer Role (remote)

3-5 months

The Chapter of Winchester Cathedral, with the approval of the Bishop of Winchester, wishes to appoint two additional Non-Executive Members of Chapter and Lay Canons.

What will you be doing?

Members of Chapter and Lay Canons duties include:

• Trustee responsibility for the governance and strategic direction of the Cathedral
• Involvement as a Lay Canon in the worshipping, ceremonial and social life of the Cathedral

Chapter meetings have a bi-monthly pattern on a Thursday during working hours.  There is also an annual Chapter to allow wider discussion of strategic plans, with other community meetings during the year.

This unremunerated role is open to all who meet the criteria in the person specification. This appointment will initially be for three years but shall be eligible for up to two further terms of office.

What are we looking for?

To expand the current skill-set among Chapter members we are particularly interested to hear from people with expertise and experience in music and the choral tradition, communications, heritage, property and estates management.

What difference will you make?

Chapter is looking for two people of experience, expertise and wisdom who can make a significant contribution to the governance of the Cathedral. 

Before you apply

The closing date for this role is Friday 30th May 2025 at 3.00pm, with interviews held in person on Thursday 19th June 2025.  If you are considering this role and would like an informal conversation with the Interim Dean, Canon Dr Roland Riem, please contact Emma Sajo, via Reach.

To apply, please send a copy of your CV and a covering letter.

 All successful candidates will be subject to pre-employment checks.

Are you passionate about nurturing future leaders and enhancing global leadership skills? The

International Humanity Foundation (IHF) is looking for dedicated volunteers to manage and

support our Global Leadership Development (GLD) program.

Role: GLD Management Volunteer (Part-Time)

Responsibilities:

- Oversee the implementation and progress of the GLD program.

- Ensure that volunteers and participants receive the correct training materials and 

MOUs.

- Monitor the signing and submission of MOUs by all participants.

- Maintain accurate records of participant progress and compliance.

- Coordinate with the HR and training teams to address any issues or improvements.

- Provide regular updates and reports on the status of the GLD program.

Requirements:

- Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.

- Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities.

- Experience in leadership development or training programs is a plus.

- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

- Commitment to IHF’s mission and values.

- Ability to dedicate a few hours per week to this volunteer role.

What We Offer:

- An opportunity to support global leadership and development efforts.

- Experience in managing and implementing leadership programs.

- Personal and professional growth opportunities.

- A supportive and collaborative team environment.

Join us in developing the leaders of tomorrow and making a global impact!

We look forward to welcoming you to our team!

Across the UK, our 270 local groups play a vital part in supporting people affected by MS. They provide sense of belonging, unity and friendship. And they deliver services and support for their local MS community.

We are looking to recruit an Administration Volunteer for the Yeovil and Sherborne District Group. Our Administration Volunteers are the linchpin for our local groups’ activities. They act as the first point of contact and they make sure all relevant information is circulated to other volunteers and members. And they play an important role in keeping our data and details up to date to comply with data protection legislation.

In this role you’ll develop your administration and organisation skills. Most importantly you’ll be help your local group run efficiently, so they can keep providing valuable services to our MS community. 

Time Commitment

We estimate this role will need around 2 hours a week. Our roles are flexible and aim to fit around you. Time commitments for this role may vary depending on your activities. This is an ongoing role.

This is a great opportunity to gain experience within a large charity and develop your existing skills and learn new ones. We need you to get involved and help make positive changes to the lives of people affected by MS.

About you

You’ll have an interest in the MS Society and the work that we do, as well as the enthusiasm to represent both us and our values locally. You will understand the needs of people affected by MS in your area and be sympathetic to the needs and motivations of volunteers. You’ll be confident using Microsoft Office, the internet and email. You’ll be able to apply disability, equality and inclusion practices and understand and apply our risk management system. Ideally you’ll understand the local area and organisations that provide local services.

You will be reliable and easy to contact and you need to live in or near the area the group to carry out this role.

Please apply online.

The MS Society is committed to promoting diversity. We can only offer roles to over 18s.

Across the UK, our 270 local groups play a vital part in supporting people affected by MS. They provide sense of belonging, unity and friendship. And they deliver services and support for their local MS community.

We are looking to recruit a Support Volunteer for the Yeovil and Sherborne District Group. As our local group Support Volunteer you’ll help people affected by MS find information about local and national services. That could be helping someone access local information about the care or benefits they need or giving them a hand with a grant application. See a video about one of our Support Volunteers here.

In this role you’ll be able to develop your listening and communication skills, as well as your knowledge of local services. Most importantly you’ll help people affected by MS to access the help they need.

Time commitment

We estimate this role will need around 2 hours a week. Our roles are flexible and aim to fit around you. Time commitments for this role may vary depending on your activities. This is an ongoing role.

This is a great opportunity to gain experience within a large charity and develop your existing skills and learn new ones. We need you to get involved and help make positive changes to the lives of people affected by MS.

About you

You’ll have an interest in the MS Society and the work that we do, as well as the enthusiasm to represent both us and our values locally. You will understand the needs of people affected by MS in your area and be sympathetic to the needs and motivations of volunteers. You’ll be confident using Microsoft Office, the internet and email. You’ll be able to apply disability, equality and inclusion practices and understand and apply our risk management system. Ideally you’ll understand the local area and organisations that provide local services.

You will be reliable and easy to contact and you need to live in or near the local area the group to carry out this role.

Apply 

1. Read through the role description carefully

2. Please apply online

The MS Society is committed to promoting diversity. We can only offer roles to over 18s.

Help us grow our young charity to get more children learning about germinating, nurturing, cooking and tasting food grown in nature, together with outdoor woodland activities.  This important part of learning is not yet in the national curriculum and school budgets are tight, so we need to fundraise.  Your help with this and the general develpment of the charity will be greatly valued..

We have three other trustees and three executive staff including the two founders. We hold at least quarterly virtual meetings which we'd wish you to attend. 

Most of our work is in West London schools but we also plant large numbers of trees, recenty in a London Park, involving local community volunteers and children from the local schools..

Please get in touch if this of interest.  We'd love to hear from you. .

We are looking for individuals to join our Board in 2025. In recent years we’ve increased and diversified the membership of the Board including the launch of our Associate Board Member programme in 2023. We are looking to continue this work with dynamic and committed people to support further growth and development, building on our achievements.

We want to recruit new Board Members, alongside an opportunity for two Associate Board Members.

Being a Board Member

Board Members play an integral role in providing robust governance and stewardship, in externally supporting future development through advocacy with regional, national and international stakeholders, potential funders and partners from the public and private sectors. Board Members benefit from working with a small, creative and enthusiastic team on the strategic development of the organisation.

What is an AND Associate Board Member?

We have developed a 12 month programme for two Associate Board Members. These roles will work alongside the AND Board of Trustees, and have been designed as a development  programme aimed to support potential candidates who do not yet have (sufficient) board-level experience, or the required availability, but have the passion and potential to be a future AND Board member.

The Associate Board Member roles have been created to support individuals who are currently under-represented in the cultural sector, providing greater access to training opportunities, and to add further diversity and richness of perspective to the organisation.

Associate Board Members will:

• bring unique experience from their field of expertise 
• share our passion for new ideas and artforms
• place inclusion and engagement at the heart of our culture and vision
• be provided with relevant shadowing, mentoring or training opportunities to support their skills development over 12 months
• attend quarterly AND Board meetings (without legal responsibility or voting rights) 
• have the opportunity to apply to become a Board Member after 12 months

It is not necessary to have governance/board-level exposure or experience, but a general understanding of how boards work is required.

If you feel that you don’t quite meet the person specification in the recruitment pack but you’re excited and interested in the opportunity, please get in touch following the application process outlined below.

Joining the AND Board as a Trustee

We are currently looking for individuals to join the AND Board with experience in the following areas: 

• Strategic Regional Public Sector Knowledge
• Environmental Sustainability
• Charity Finance 
• PR / Digital Communications
• Regional commercial business knowledge across the creative sector, immersive and digital technologies

This isn’t an exhaustive list, and we’re interested in hearing from anyone who believes they have skills or experience to positively contribute to the organisation. We’re also looking for candidates interested in exploring a Vice Chair role with a view to future succession planning for AND Chair. We’re committed to opening up opportunities to people who are currently under-represented in the cultural sector, and we particularly welcome applications from candidates from ethnically diverse backgrounds, Disabled candidates and candidates under 30.

What is it like to be on the AND Board?

Read an interview with our Trustees Sam Bompass and Katie Moffat about being on the AND Board.

About AND

AND is an arts organisation known for creating radical, site-responsive projects at the intersection of art, technology and digital culture.

Working across the UK and internationally, AND commissions artists to explore the social, environmental and ethical implications of emerging technologies. Our portfolio includes large-scale outdoor artworks, exhibitions, research programmes, residencies, online projects and our flagship AND Festival — a nomadic biennial bringing cutting-edge digital experiences to diverse locations.

Our work often takes place in unexpected settings, from post-industrial towns to natural landscapes, creating space for bold experimentation and critical reflection. At our core, we champion interdisciplinary collaboration and are committed to inclusive, sustainable practices that challenge what is considered ‘normal’ in culture today

Practical Details

AND’s Board currently meets for a minimum of four times a year, through a mix of online, and in person meetings in Manchester (UK). There are additional, occasional meetings and sub-committee groups which can be attended via video call. We are particularly interested in hearing from North-based candidates, especially those with regional public sector or commercial business expertise, although we are open to applications from candidates from across the UK.

This is an unpaid role. You’ll need to commit around a day a month to the role. AND will reimburse reasonable travel expenses to meetings in full.

How to apply

• Read our AND Board Membership Recruitment Pack or our AND Associate Board Membership Pack
• If you’d like to speak informally about becoming an AND Board Member or Associate Board Member, you are welcome to request a conversation by Friday 30 May 2025
• Following this, we ask for a CV along with a short written statement (max 1 page) / video (max 3 minutes) to be submitted by Midnight Sunday 22 June 2025 with AND BOARD MEMBER ROLE or AND ASSOCIATE BOARD MEMBER ROLE as the subject field.
• Complete an Equal Opportunities Form (submitted anonymously)

Role purpose:
To contribute to the board’s role by...

• Acting in the best interest of Hospiscare and its beneficiaries
• Acting as an ambassador and spokesperson for the charity.
• Providing strategic direction, setting overall policy, defining desired outcomes, setting targets, and evaluating performance against targets
• Working closely with the Executive Team, whilst retaining independent oversight of activities
• Holding the Executive Team to account
• Ensuring that Hospiscare complies with its governing document, charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations
• Ensuring that Hospiscare pursues its objectives as defined in its governing document.
• Ensuring that resources are used exclusively in pursuance of its objectives, charitable purposes, long-term financial viability, and the safeguarding of assets.

Role details:

Time commitment/location:
Trustees will be expected to attend four board meetings, circa four
committee meetings and one to two away days a year and be fully
prepared for these meetings. These meetings start at 4pm on a
Tuesday and are held at Searle House in Exeter. We also have sub-
committees and trustees are encouraged to join where their
skills/experience will had specific value.
Trustees are expected to travel within the area served by
Hospiscare and occasionally out of area.
Term:
Trustees are appointed for a three-year term and may serve a
maximum of three terms.
 

International Aid for the Protection & Welfare of Animals (IAPWA) is a UK-registered animal welfare charity dedicated to creating a better future for animals in need.

IAPWA are currently seeking an Event Co-ordinator to join their UK team to support their ‘Dip for Dogs’ fundraising initiative.

From identifying locations to host a charity ice bath event, to recruiting and supporting volunteers to assist on the day, you will be part of a charity who are passionate about making a difference to the lives of animals in need.

International Aid for the Protection & Welfare of Animals (IAPWA) is a UK-registered animal welfare charity dedicated to creating a better future for animals in need.

IAPWA are currently seeking an Adventure Co-ordinator to join their UK team to support their ‘Adventures for Animals’ fundraising initiative.

From helping to create exciting adventures in the UK and overseas to promoting them and supporting trip participants, the Adventure Co-ordinator will be part of a team who are passionate about developing incredible adventures worldwide to make a difference to the lives of animals in need.

Although this is a voluntary role, there are extensive travel benefits available. Please note: the majority of the adventures offered by the charity involve hiking, mountaineering and cycling, among other active pursuits and so all applicants need to be comfortable taking part in these kinds of activities.

International Aid for the Protection & Welfare of Animals (IAPWA) is a UK-registered animal welfare charity dedicated to creating a better future for animals in need.

IAPWA are currently seeking a Graphic Designer to join their UK team to create a range of marketing materials to assist their ‘Adventures for Animals’ fundraising initiative.

From glossy fundraising adventure itineraries to support with assets for social media, your creative skills will provide much-needed support to help the charity develop this key area of their fundraising to provide a lifeline to thousands of animals a year.