Food volunteer roles

Volunteer Collection & Delivery Driver -  Rescuing surplus food from supermarkets, shops and other growers/suppliers for local people in food insecuity. Up to 16 - 18 hours per week.

Potential to share this with one other volunteer

Sustenance is a local charity based in Hastings and St Leonards. We run a weekly food club and community kitchen at Concordia Hall, offering fresh meals and grocery bags/boxes to individuals and families navigating food insecurity - largely using surplus food collected from local supermarkets and businesses. 

This role isn’t just about getting behind the wheel, it’s about being part of a movement. You’ll be helping us rescue food, build relationships, and make sure it gets to the people who need it most. You’ll be collecting from familiar spots around Hastings, St Leonards, Bexhill and occasionally further into East Sussex & Kent. . You’ll be the friendly face of Sustenance on the road, connecting with food partners and charities along the way.

What You’ll Be Doing:

• Accept food collection alerts via Foodiverse (app) and Neighbourly (email)

• Pick up our electric van from our St Leonards base and check it’s roadworthy

• Follow the collection/delivery route and schedule

• Represent Sustenance with a smile - be courteous, safe, and professional

• Drive responsibly and legally, with care for volunteers who may join you

• Treat the food like it’s your own, handle it with care and respect

• Fill out any paperwork or checks needed to keep everything safe and smooth

• On return, unload and store food properly in fridges/freezers

• Update the records of the produce we have in stock, so our chefs can prepare for our guests.

• Clean the van and report any issues so it’s ready for the next driver

What We’re Looking For:

• Age 30+ ( for insurance purposes)

• Held a full UK/EU/EEA driving licence for at least 3 years, with no more than 3 penalty points

• Eligible to work in the UK

• Willing to complete a Level 2 Food Safety Qualification (we’ll help!)

• Friendly, reliable, and happy to work with others

• Committed to upholding our values of equality, diversity, and inclusion

• Able to pick up boxes up to 10kg

This is a brilliant way to get involved, meet great people, and make a real difference. Interested? Let’s chat! We’d love to welcome you to the team. 

Location: Aston/Witton, North Birmingham

Over 18s only

Come and save vegetables from being wasted at the wholesale markets, turn them into tasty nutritious meals, and help to fight food poverty and food waste.

This is a great chance to learn about the practicalities of sustainability, fight poverty, and of course taste lovely food (Lunch is included!)

We have 2 roles available: warehouse helper and kitchen helper

Warehouse helper:

What will I be doing?

• Either, picking and sorting through fresh produce at the Wholesale markets
• Some lifting and use of light machinery such as pallet trucks and a bit of data-entry

When?

8am – 2pm weekdays. You do not have to stay for the whole shift - even a couple of hours is helpful

Kitchen helper

What will I be doing?

• Sorting, prepping and chopping produce
• packaging meals and washing up

When?

Shifts are between 10am-3pm on weekdays. You do not have to stay for the whole shift - even a couple of hours is helpful

Why volunteer?

Learn practical and fun skills

Free lunch or free fruit/vegetables

Help to change the food system to feed more people

Travel expenses included

How to get involved?

Please give our volunteer lead Alex Doyle an email or a call, we'll then ensure you are properly trained in safeguarding and health and safety. Come along and join us putting surplus food to good use for those who need it, Thanks!

Would you like to help end food insecurity and tackle climate change in Greater Manchester, whilst gaining valuable experience and skills? Or perhaps you'd just like to keep busy and active and make new friends, whilst supporting a great cause.

WHAT WE OFFER YOU

Induction, training and support.
Practical experience and transferable skills in food redistribution and warehousing.
A reference (after 2 months with us).
An understanding of warehousing and logistics.
Expenses: Reimbursement of travel costs of up to £5 for public transport, and up to £6 for car drivers. Up to £3 towards lunch, if you have special dietary requirements. (We provide lunch, so will contribute towards the cost of a meal, should you bring your own, only if what we are offering isn't considered suitable; e.g. a diet that's restricted for health, ethics or religion).

ABOUT US

As a sustainability charity, we take donated surplus (over-stocked) food and redistribute it to people in need.
The initiatives we support include food banks, schools, community groups and charities.

Our vital work supports people experiencing extreme hardship and prevents good food going to landfill, where it would contribute to climate warming through greenhouse gas emissions. 

We need help in our warehouse to receive and record supplies, load and unload vans, and prepare orders for delivery.
In return, we offer training and support to help you obtain skills and experience if you are seeking work.
If you're not looking for a job, volunteering with us is rewarding in many other ways; offering an opportunity to make friends, keep physically active and support your community.

This role is vital to FareShare's work, ensuring that the food in our warehouse is sorted, labelled and organised into orders.
It is perfect for someone who is:

a) Looking for a practical activity to keep busy and physically fit.
b) Looking for experience and skills to gain employment in the food industry and warehousing.
c) Wanting to help their community and help tackle global warming.
d) Wanting to make new friends.

Our volunteer roles are available Monday to Friday, for a whole or half day, with shifts between 8:30-am-12:30pm and 12:30-4:30pm. 

Volunteers are typically involved on one day a week.

WHAT WILL I BE DOING?
Receiving, sorting, cataloguing and storing chilled and ambient food and preparing orders for delivery. 
Ensuring food quality and safety by checking ‘use by’ and ‘best before’ dates.
Unpacking deliveries, recording and categorising food.
Assembling food orders.
Maintaining health and safety and hygiene standards. 
Helping with cleaning and other routine tasks.

PERSON SPECIFICATION: You must...
Be reasonably physically fit to carry out tasks, including lifting and loading.
Be reliable and able to commit to an agreed session/day.
Speak English well in order to understand and follow instructions and health and safety rules. 
Have basic literacy and numeracy skills to record details of donated food.
Be able to work to Health and Safety standards.
Be happy to complete tasks independently according to instruction.
Be positive, friendly and enthusiastic about tackling food waste and food insecurity.

LOCATION
We are located in Maynard House, New Smithfield Market, Openshaw, M11 2WJ, which is easily reachable on public transport. We have free-onsite parking and secure storage for bicycles.

​IMPORTANT NOTE:
You must be a UK resident and living within easy commuting distance of our base in order to volunteer with us. This is because our volunteers must be able to reliably commit to regular shifts for our roles.
We are unable to offer sponsorship for overseas applicants.

Know someone else who might be interested in volunteering with us?
Please pass our details on to them as we always welcome new people on our teams. :)

Would you like to help end food insecurity and tackle climate change in Greater Manchester, whilst gaining valuable experience and skills? Or perhaps you'd just like to keep busy and active and make new friends, whilst supporting a great cause.

WHAT WE OFFER YOU

Induction, training and support.
Practical experience and transferable skills in food redistribution and warehousing.
A reference (after 2 months with us).
An understanding of warehousing and logistics.
Expenses:
Reimbursement of travel costs of up to £5 for public transport, and up to £6 for car drivers.
Up to £3 towards lunch, if you have special dietary requirements. (We provide lunch, so will contribute towards the cost of a meal, should you bring your own, if what we are offering isn't considered suitable; e.g. a diet that's restricted for health, ethics or religion).

ABOUT US
As a sustainability charity, we take donated surplus (over-stocked) food and redistribute it to people in need.
The initiatives we support include food banks, schools, community groups and charities.
Our vital work supports people experiencing extreme hardship and prevents good food going to landfill, where it would contribute to climate warming through greenhouse gas emissions. 
We need help in our warehouse to receive and record supplies, load and unload vans, and prepare orders for delivery. In return, we offer training and support to help you obtain skills and experience if you are seeking work. If you're not looking for a job, volunteering with us is rewarding in many other ways; offering an opportunity to make friends, keep physically active and support your community.

This role is vital to FareShare's work, ensuring that the food in our warehouse is sorted, labelled and organised into orders.
It is perfect for someone who is:

a) Looking for a practical activity to keep busy and physically fit.
b) Looking for experience and skills to gain employment in the food industry, warehousing or customer service.
c) Wanting to help their community and help tackle global warming.
d) Wanting to make new friends.

Our volunteer roles are available Monday to Friday, for a whole or half day, with shifts between 8:30-am-12:30pm and 12:30-4:30pm. 
Volunteers are typically involved on one day a week.

WHAT WILL I BE DOING?
Receiving, sorting, cataloguing and storing chilled and ambient food and preparing orders for delivery. 
Ensuring food quality and safety by checking ‘use by’ and ‘best before’ dates.
Unpacking deliveries, recording and categorising food.
Assembling food orders.
Assisting our Community Food Members with their order collections.
Maintaining health and safety and hygiene standards. 
Helping with cleaning and other routine tasks.

PERSON SPECIFICATION: You must...
Be reasonably physically fit to carry out tasks, including lifting and loading.
Speak English well in order to communicate clearly with our Community Food Members, and to understand and follow instructions and health and safety rules. 
Have basic literacy and numeracy skills to record details of donated food.
Be able to work to Health and Safety standards.
Be happy to complete tasks independently according to instruction.
Be positive, friendly and enthusiastic about tackling food waste and food insecurity.
Be reliable and able to commit to an agreed session/day.

LOCATION
We are located in Maynard House, New Smithfield Market, Openshaw, M11 2WJ, which is easily reachable on public transport. We have free-onsite parking and secure storage for bicycles.

​IMPORTANT NOTE:
You must be a UK resident and living within easy commuting distance of our base in order to volunteer with us. This is because our volunteers must be able to reliably commit to regular shifts for our roles.
We are unable to offer sponsorship for overseas applicants.

Know someone else who might be interested in volunteering with us?
Please pass our details on to them as we always welcome new people on our teams. :)

FareShare Midlands is the region’s largest food redistribution charity, tackling inequality, transforming lives and ensuring no good food goes to waste. We rescue surplus food and redistribute it to 650 local charities and community organisations, feeding 60,000 people every week. We also invest in communities, providing education, training and volunteering opportunities, helping over 700 individuals to date to build a better future. Together, we’re fighting hunger, reducing food waste and creating opportunities across the Midlands.

Fancy helping us transform surplus food into something delicious?

Join our kitchen team in Birmingham to help reduce food waste, while experimenting with new ideas and techniques to create tasty dishes!

Morning and afternoon shifts available.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist with possible lunch service and light food prep/supporting of learning activities.
• Clear tables and help with dishwashing.
• Ensure kitchen and dining areas are tidy and safe.
• Help pack away food and supplies at the end of service.
• Engage with guests in a respectful and supportive manner

Requirements

• No formal experience needed - just a willingness to learn.
• Ability to follow instructions and work as part of a team.
• Basic understanding of food hygiene (training provided).
• Reliable and punctual

Volunteer Drivers 

Enthusiastic, hands-on volunteers needed to help provide food to the community. Bounds Green Food Bank is fortunate in receiving food and other donations from local supermarkets, businesses and individuals. We are grateful to our team of volunteer drivers who both collect and deliver on the food bank’s behalf each week. 

Hours: At any time during the week - this is a very flexible role and there is no minimum time commitment, can choose deliveries to suit your own schedule.

Location: Around the Enfield and Haringey area

About Bounds Green Food Bank: 

Open since June 2020, we serve over 1,500 children and adults in the community. We are committed to improving lives by providing food and essential household items to build a healthy, hunger-free tomorrow. We strive to promote social inclusion by supporting people who find themselves in a crisis situation where they need assistance to feed themselves and their families.

Requirements:

• A driver's license and your own vehicle

• WhatsApp, as this is how deliveries are organised

The role: 

• Each week a timetable showing scheduled food donations by local stores and businesses is posted on the volunteer drivers’ WhatsApp group

• Drivers indicate to the group that they are able to make a particular collection, adding their name to the schedule (this is editable by all chat members)

• Once collected, the donation will need to be delivered either to the hall or to a nearby storage facility according to instructions

• The food bank also makes up parcels for guests unable to access the hall in person. Drivers collect from the hall and deliver  to guests, all of whom live within the surrounding area

Person specification: 

• Flexible

• Attend training as required (Zoom Induction)

• A patient and cheerful approach are helpful! 

Benefits:

• Flexible - book deliveries to suit your own schedule!

• Give back to the community - one of the NHS’ 5 Ways to Wellbeing!

• Gain access to free workshops for volunteers and upskill on a range of topics (conflict resolution, mental health first aid, arts and crafts, and more)

• Join free social events for volunteers (such as picnics, walks, games nights and celebration events)

• Gain a sense of community and meet the huge team of volunteers

FareShare Midlands is the region’s largest food redistribution charity, tackling inequality, transforming lives and ensuring no good food goes to waste. We rescue surplus food and redistribute it to 650 local charities and community organisations, feeding 60,000 people every week. We also invest in communities, providing education, training and volunteering opportunities, helping over 700 individuals to date to build a better future. Together, we’re fighting hunger, reducing food waste and creating opportunities across the Midlands

Help distribute food to thousands of people in your area! 

Join our warehouse teams in the vital role of Volunteer Warehouse Assistant, to help handle food deliveries and prepare orders for charities and community groups.

Duties may include

• Picking & packing food items ready for despatch or collection.
• Performing physical tasks including lifting, loading, moving and storing goods.
• Recording quantities and types of food.
• Checking labels and dates on food.
• Following instructions - adhering to Health & Safety and Food Safety procedures.
• Keeping work areas clean & tidy.

You will need to be

• Adaptable - managing surplus food can be unpredictable.
• Positive, friendly and enthusiastic about tackling food waste and food poverty.
• Numerate and literate.

FareShare Midlands is the region’s largest food redistribution charity, tackling inequality, transforming lives and ensuring no good food goes to waste. We rescue surplus food and redistribute it to 650 local charities and community organisations, feeding 60,000 people every week. We also invest in communities, providing education, training and volunteering opportunities, helping over 700 individuals to date to build a better future. Together, we’re fighting hunger, reducing food waste and creating opportunities across the Midlands

Be at the heart of our operations! 

Help ensure food is successfully collected from our suppliers and delivered safely to charities and community groups.

Duties may include

• Safely driving our vans to deliver food to charities and community groups.
• Loading and unloading food.
• Completing paperwork.
• Assisting with routine van checks & vehicle maintenance.
• Reporting any accidents or damage.
• Representing the Company in a courteous and professional manner.

You will need to be

• You must be confident driving and handling vans (Sprinter & Ford Transits) and feel comfortable driving them, we’d love to hear from you.
• You must be over 18, have a full licence and be confident driving a van.
• Able to read maps/ use Sat Nav.
• Able to commit to a shift pattern.
• Numerate and literate.

 Role summary

To work as part of a team and assist the manager/assistant manager to maximise income from the sale of cold food and beverages. 

Main duties of the role

• Customer service

• Operating till & cash handling

• Preparing beverages for sale

• Ensuring recyclable goods are put in appropriate place

• Pricing as outlined by the café manager/supervisor

• Light cleaning duties of the café serving and seating areas

• Operating coffee machine

• Ensure food hygiene, health and safety and fire regulations are always adhered to

Training & supervision

All required training, including till operation will be provided. Online health and safety training is mandatory and includes food hygiene level 2 for Café volunteering (renewed annually) 

FareShare Midlands is the region’s largest food redistribution charity, tackling inequality, transforming lives and ensuring no good food goes to waste. We rescue surplus food and redistribute it to 650 local charities and community organisations, feeding 60,000 people every week. We also invest in communities, providing education, training and volunteering opportunities, helping over 700 individuals to date to build a better future. Together, we’re fighting hunger, reducing food waste and creating opportunities across the Midlands.

Help ensure our Surplus Food doesn’t go to Waste!

Based at our depot in Birmingham, you will support our Member Services team with managing our surplus food supply and relationships with our Food Members.

Duties May Include

• Liaising with our Community Food Members (charities and community groups) by telephone and email
• Developing strong relationships with our Food Members to understand their specific needs
• Engaging and selling surplus food

You will need to be

• Adaptable - managing surplus food can be unpredictable
• Positive, friendly and enthusiastic about tackling food waste and food poverty
• Numerate and literate

Mind In Enfield and Barnet combines over 50 years of experience to improve peoples mental health in Enfield, Barnet and beyond. We are led by lived experience and driven by a passion to support and protect people’s mental health in ways that they want.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Volunteer Cafe Worker to assist with the day to day running of our community cafe! This volunteer role will include supporting the team to serve hot and cold drinks drinks and food from the kitchen, as well as some cleaning duties and handling card payments. The café serves as a safe space for individuals with mental health challenges. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Help create a friendly and inclusive community space in the café by greeting customers with a friendly attitude
• Operate the till with card transactions (training will be provided).
• Maintain excellent hygiene and health & safety standards, including clearing and wiping tables, washing up, and ensuring the kitchen and seating areas are clean and tidy.

No experience required. Food hygiene training is required. Full training will be provided. This volunteer opportunity would suit someone with a strong positive attitude who has effective communication skills. We also require the individual to be reliable and punctual with the ability to be a team player. A resilient and non-judgmental attitude, with a willingness to learn is also required to succeed in this role.

We welcome individuals with lived experience of mental health challenges to apply.

Within our organisation, volunteers are highly valued and essential to delivering our services effectively. We encourage applications from everyone, regardless of their background. This includes people who have personal or professional experience with mental health challenges. We focus on providing comprehensive training, guidance, and supervision to ensure volunteers feel confident and capable in their roles. We support our volunteers' success and offer opportunities to network and socialise with trustees, staff, and fellow volunteers. We are committed to recognising the meaningful contribution every volunteer makes to our community.

This is a part-time, volunteer non paid role across 20 hours per week, on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays between the hours of 10am - 3pm. Please see attached.

Up to £20 per month of travel expenses will be covered.

Please apply to the volunteering email address attached, with a current CV and covering letter explaining your interest in this role. 

Do you have a passion for cooking or interest in working in a kitchen environment? If so, you might be the perfect fit for our kitchen volunteer position at the hospice.

Good food is central to the care we provide, from catering for specialist dietary needs in the everyday, to special occasions such as our annual memorial event.

The kitchen is situated immediately off the main lounge, the central hub of the Hospice, where families come together to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner prepared by our talented head chef and his team.

For our children and their families, mealtimes provide comfort, a sense of normality and a chance to socialize. Without the stress of shopping, planning and clearing up - we take the pressure off.

Considerations:

Age requirement: 18+

Time commitment: Thursday, Friday and Sunday

.Location: This role will be based at the Tŷ Hafan Hospice in Sully assisting the kitchen staff. The kitchen is situated immediately off the lounge, the central hub of the Hospice, where families come together to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner prepared by our talented head chef and the team.

Activities you could be involved in:  

• Keeping the dining area neat and tidy by clearing away plates and crockery

• Help with food preparation

• For experienced chefs and bakers, there is an opportunity to get involved in cooking meals and baking goods

• Wash dishes and utensils with kitchen equipment

• Serve tea/coffee and food with a smile

• Chat with staff, families and children and make them feel welcome

 At Tŷ Hafan our people values are working together, demonstrating compassion, providing excellent service and taking ownership. We expect all colleagues and volunteers to behave with high levels of integrity and to represent our values as a core part of their role. 

What skills will you need?

• Ability to work as part of a team

• Ability to follow procedures and health and safety requirements

• Physical strength to lift, carry and stand for long periods of time

• Knowledge of Health and Safety and Food Hygiene Procedures

• Inclusive and non-judgmental attitude towards families, volunteers, staff and visitors

Here's what you can expect from our training:

• You will receive a comprehensive induction

• You will learn about health and safety in the kitchen

• You will have the opportunity to earn your food hygiene certificate

• You will work with friendly and supportive kitchen staff and volunteers

• Opportunities to complete relevant e-learning

Benefits of becoming a Kitchen Volunteer

• You can make a positive difference in the lives of children and their families by providing them with nutritious and delicious meals

• You can learn new skills and gain valuable experience in food preparation, service and safety

• You can meet new people and join a community of compassionate and dedicated volunteers who share your passion for cooking and helping others

• You can enjoy the satisfaction of knowing you are contributing to a meaningful cause

• You can express your creativity and personality through your cooking and baking

• You will receive feedback and appreciation from hospice staff and guests

We will ask you to provide us with the details of two referees and an Enhanced DBS check is required for this role. Tŷ Hafan will cover the costs of any background checks and we will contact you with details on completing a DBS, once your application is successful.

We can't wait to welcome you to the team!

This role is purely voluntary and this arrangement is not meant to be a legally binding one or an employment contract.

Why we want you
Food banks provide essential community services to people in crisis. At Brent Foodbank, our warehouse volunteers play a vital role in ensuring our distribution centres can provide food parcels to people in our community who are struggling to afford the essentials. By volunteering at our warehouse, you will help process food donations, sort items (ensuring they are in date), minimise wastage and pack food ready for distribution. Alongside being a voice for change in your community, you can make a real difference to people’s lives providing vital help and support in your local community. 

What you will be doing
Ensure that all Brent Foodbank warehousing procedures and processes are followed as per the foodbank operating manual. Receive food donations from members of the public and thank them. Ensure that incoming stock is checked, weighed and recorded. Sort food by date and type, removing any items that are damaged or outof-date and weighing these out separately. Keep warehouse area clean and tidy at all times. Prepare stock orders for the food bank centres and/or emergency food boxes, as appropriate. Assist in undertaking an annual stock take as detailed in the food bank operating manual. Report any health & safety or safeguarding concerns to the Foodbank and Warehouse Manager. Complete Brent Foodbank training modules.

The skills you need

• Strong team player
• Motivated and organised
• Happy with some heavy lifting

What's in it for you

• Using your existing skills to make a difference.
• Meet a fantastic, friendly team of people who share your passion to eradicate poverty in the community.
• Make a real difference to the running of your food bank.

At FareShare, we stop good food from going to waste and give it to people who need it in our local community. Our Volunteer Drivers deliver food to our Community Food Members which is vital to ensuring the donated food we receive gets to the right people, instead of going to landfill. 

What will I be doing? 

• Safely driving vans to deliver and collect food 

• Loading and unloading food orders, planning routes and completing paperwork 

• Responsibly driving the van, cleaning the van, reporting any issues or accidents 

• Representing FareShare in a courteous and professional manner and, where necessary, you will be accompanied by a Volunteer Driver’s Assistant. 

Why volunteer as a Driver with FareShare? 

• Gain skills such as route planning, manual handling, organisation, teamwork and communication skills 

• Meet new people, be part of a team and socialise with other volunteers and Community Food Members 

• Be physically active, keep fit and help vulnerable people in your community. 

Requirements for the role: 

• Hold a full driving licence with no or low points 

• Be over 21 with minimum 3 years driving experience 

• Have the confidence to drive a medium-sized van (training/support will be offered where needed) 

• Be able to perform physical manual handling tasks safely including loading/unloading food from the van 

• Have the ability to complete paperwork and follow directions via Sat Nav system/map 

• Be adaptable and flexible. Managing surplus food is unpredictable and tasks can vary 

• Be positive, friendly and personable 

• Be able to work well in a team and on your own 

• Follow health and safety policies & procedures 

We are committed to embracing diversity and promoting equality and inclusion. As part of your application, please let us know of any health conditions or access needs that might impact your volunteering with us.