Food service assistant volunteer roles

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. :)

Martlets Café offers a warm and welcoming environment for everyone to enjoy. Whether you are a member of staff, a patient, or a visitor, it’s a friendly place to enjoy a drink or a bite to eat. We also encourage members of the local community to stop by, learn about our hospice, and explore the range of services we provide.

We’re currently looking for volunteers to support our catering team. By assisting with serving customers and helping with day-to-day tasks, you can contribute to the smooth operation of the café and be part of a supportive environment that makes a positive impact. Shifts will be 2-3 hours in length.

 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) 

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. 

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

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.

FareShare Greater Manchester is looking for volunteer Driver's Assistants to join our busy friendly delivery team with redistributing tonnes of surplus food a month to charities and community initiatives across Greater Manchester.

FareShare is a national charity fighting food poverty and global warming by tackling food surplus. We source overstocked food from retailers and manufacturers and engage many volunteers to help re-distribute it to over 220 frontline charities and community groups across Greater Manchester. These groups, in turn, provide meals to vulnerable people experiencing food poverty, individuals who are homeless, families, and people who are unemployed or socially isolated. This food would otherwise have gone to waste, so we are simultaneously supporting people in need and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Key responsibilities

Working closely with the driver of a temperature-controlled 3.5 tonne Mercedes Sprinter van to deliver surplus food orders to the premises of the benevolent projects we support. 

Loading and unloading the vehicle and carrying out a range of tasks, from basic vehicle checks to delivery administration.

The required skills and attributes are:

• Reliability and ability to commit to pre-agreed volunteer shifts (ESSENTIAL)

• Physical fitness, to take on moving and handling of food orders

• Ability to follow procedures and instructions

• Good verbal communication skills

• Interest in the work of FareShare Greater Manchester and our values

• High respect for Health & Safety procedures and standards

In return you will gain:

Career and CV advice and support

A reference for future employers

Reimbursement of travel and lunch expenses 

The opportunity to give practical help to fight food poverty and reduce food waste (and associated CO2 emissions)

The opportunity to meet like-minded people and make new friends

Our operating hours are Monday - Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm. 

Driver and Driver’s Assistant shifts begin at 8:30am. 

We welcome volunteers who can commit to one day a week. 

The days and rota hours of volunteering are agreed around your availability.

​IMPORTANT NOTE:
You must be resident in the UK and living in Greater Manchester, or within easy commuting distance of our base, in order to volunteer with us. There are no exceptions to this rule. This is because we require volunteers to be able to reliably commit to regular shifts for some of 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. :)

Gatwick Aviation Museum is seeking enthusiastic and flexible Volunteers to join their coffee shop team on a regular basis, either Friday, Saturday or Sunday each week. Job share would be considered.

Location: Gatwick Aviation Museum, Charlwood, Surrey, RH6 0BT

Salary: Unremunerated.

Minimum age is 16.

Gatwick Aviation Museum is a registered Charity and welcomes a wide variety of visitors each year, who are able to enjoy the varied collection of incredible aircraft and exhibits on display.

The Museum is currently open to the public on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays 10am to 5pm, although we regularly welcome groups of all ages for tours and events during the week or in the evenings. We also host a number of different events throughout the year from car shows to cinema nights and open for extended periods during the School holidays. So additional cover in the coffee shop would be required to help out during those busy times.

We want every visit to our museum to be a very special one. As our visitor numbers increase, we need the support of additional volunteers to join our friendly team who go out of their way to ensure our customers have a memorable experience. Duties will include:-

• Welcoming customers with a friendly attitude;
• Serving hot and cold food and drinks to customers;
• Maintaining cleanliness and hygiene standards in all areas, including equipment;
• Using till and processing payments, handling card and cash transactions;
• Ensuring stock on display is replenished, maintaining inventory levels reporting any shortages to the Manager;

You don't need prior experience as training will be provided (including Level 2 Food Hygiene and Safety, First Aid, Fire Safety). Just bring your enthusiasm, be keen to learn and feel confident in a customer facing role. An enhanced DBS check will also be carried out.

We're looking for volunteers to assist with the day to day running of our shops located across north east Essex. Volunteer vacancies are available in various shop locations.

Duties of the role include the following:

(Note - Not all the tasks apply to every shop and will be dependent on which shop; type of tasks required for that area and your level of experience)

• Customer service
• Operating till & cash handling
• Signing customers up to Gift Aid scheme & inputting gift aid data if required
• Preparing donated goods for sale
• Ensuring recyclable goods are put in appropriate place
• Pricing as outlined by the shop manager
• Display and merchandising (may include transferring items from one display to another)
• Stock control
• Sorting donated goods (this may include lifting or moving moderately heavy items such as sacks of donated clothes or boxes containing books in some areas)
• Light cleaning duties and using an iron or steamer to press donated clothes

For coffee shops only:

• Operating coffee machines, serving customers and clearing and wiping down tables
• Ensure good food hygiene, health and safety and fire regulations are adhered to at all times

Training & supervision

• All required training, including till operation, gift aid and health & safety will be provided.
• For coffee shops you will be required to undertake online food hygiene training courses.

Knowledge & experience required

• Some customer service experience would be advantageous
• Ability to remain calm while listening to a customer complaint
• Ability to handle cash
• Excellent communication skills
• Previous experience of working or volunteering in a retail environment desirable
• Ability to use electronic tills and devices
• Friendly and approachable manner

Personal attributes

• Passionate about St Helena
• Attention to detail
• Comfortable handling cash
• Excellent communication skills
• Personable and approachable
• Reliable, trustworthy and flexible to meet the demands of the business
• Team player with a friendly outlook

FareShare Greater Manchester is looking for safe, confident drivers to join our busy, friendly delivery team. 

We re-distribute tonnes of surplus food a month to charities and community initiatives across Greater Manchester. This is an achievement of which we’re proud, and want to expand and is why we need your driving and delivery skills to support our growing operation, especially in these current times of increased need.

Key responsibilities

Driving a van to deliver surplus food orders to the premises of the various Community Food Members we support. 
Loading and unloading the vehicle and carrying out a range of tasks, from basic vehicle checks to delivery administration.

As a Delivery Driver at FareShare, you will be driving a temperature-controlled 3.5 tonnes Mercedes Sprinter van; working closely with a Driver’s Assistant to re-distribute food orders to the premises of a wide variety of Community Food Members. You will be involved with loading the vehicle and carrying out a range of tasks, from basic vehicle checks to delivery administration.

The required skills and attributes are as follows. You must:

Be aged 25 or over, with a clean driver's licence (or a maximum of 3 points).
(Experience of driving a van is desirable though not essential).

Be reliable and be able to commit to pre-agreed volunteer shifts.

Be physically fit to take on moving and handling of food orders.

Possess the ability to follow procedures and instructions.

Have good verbal communication skills.

Have a high respect for Health & Safety standards and procedures.

Have an interest in the work of FareShare Greater Manchester and our values.

In return you will gain:

Career, CV advice and support

A reference for future employers

Reimbursement of travel and lunch expenses 

The opportunity to give practical help to fight food poverty and reduce food waste (and associated CO2 emissions)

The opportunity to meet like-minded people and make new friends

Our operating hours are Monday - Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm. 

Drivers' 4 hour shifts begin at 8:30am. 

We especially welcome volunteers who can commit to one day a week. 

The days and rota hours of volunteering are agreed around your availability.

​IMPORTANT NOTE:
You must be resident in the UK and living in Greater Manchester, or within easy commuting distance of our base, in order to volunteer with us. There are no exceptions to this rule. This is because we require volunteers to be able to reliably commit to regular shifts for some of 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. :)

About CARAS: 

Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (CARAS) is a registered charity that has been supporting refugees and asylum-seekers since 2002 empowering them to integrate and engage in the local community. 

Arriving as an asylum seeker/refugee can be a disempowering experience. Difficulties with language, accessing services and overcoming prejudice are ever-present. As an organisation we are committed to work alongside refugees to overcome those challenges, and to help them build their lives. 

We offer group support and targeted support work. We offer a range of activities including: ESOL classes; social and recreational activities such as youth club, drama, trips, and family activities; educational support for young people; and casework and advocacy support.

Our values are at the centre of all our work: 

• Kindness: CARAS will nurture all who are part of our community, helping everyone to develop their skills, talents, and interests. 

• Justice: CARAS will strive for social justice following a rights-based approach in all our work and challenging instances when rights are not upheld in wider society. 

• Empowerment: CARAS works alongside people, recognising and respecting their skills and strengths and striving together for better outcomes. 

• ‘With’ not ‘for’: CARAS will put the voices, opinions, experiences and needs of its beneficiaries at the heart of all that we do. 

About Youth ESOL: 

Our award-winning ESOL project offers English language classes to young people at a wide range of levels. This provides vital skills, opportunities and social contact and is crucial for enabling young people to do well at school or college.

About the Role: 

CARAS is looking for volunteer ESOL Teaching Assistants to support our face-to-face study programme called ‘Get Ready for School.’

This programme is attended by young people out of education and is based in Streatham on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Core delivery of the programme includes English, Maths, Digital skills, complemented by Reading and Writing for Pleasure.

We also run Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon classes open to all existing CARAS youth community members, 4:30pm to 6pm. These classes tend to be larger and have a large range of language levels. 

Volunteers in this role are required to commit to at least one 2-hour session per week, during these times:

• Monday 10 am to 3pm

• Tuesday 2pm to 6pm 

• Wednesday 11am to 6pm

Please note that ESOL classes do not run during school holidays, and we follow Wandsworth Council term dates.

Volunteer Tasks and Responsibilities: 

• Providing learners with one-to-one or small group support within ESOL classes;

• Help young people to build confidence in digital literacy;

• Helping to set up the classroom and provide learners with classroom resources;

• Engaging learners in informal conversations or games during breaks to help them practice their conversational English.

• Checking the session plan aims with the lead teacher and assisting learners achieve them;

• Attending and contributing to volunteer debriefs after each session;

• Making use of any community languages you may know to help students during the class;

• Working collaboratively as a team and helping to shape the project;

• Supporting people to develop their knowledge and skills, encouraging and inspiring participants to reach their full potential;

• Assisting participants to recognise and celebrate their achievements;

• Following CARAS’ confidentiality, safeguarding, health & safety, equal opportunities, data management and all other policies as relevant.  

Requirements 

Essential: 

• To be 18 years or older;

• Able to travel to our community centre in Tooting (travel and food expenses can be reimbursed);

• An interest in education and English language teaching;

• To be non-judgemental and able to engage with people from diverse backgrounds;

• To be reliable and punctual. We ask volunteers to commit to at least one class every week for a minimum of 4 months. If you are unable to attend a class due to a planned holiday, you must inform the program lead in advance. 

• Excellent communication skills, especially with people who are new to English;

• The ability to volunteer on Monday mornings and Wednesday afternoons/evenings during Wandsworth term time for a minimum of four months;

• Currently resident in the UK; has asylum seeker or refugee status

• *Able to provide five years’ worth of addresses, and willing to undergo a DBS check (DBS and proof of residency is not necessary if you are a Caras community member who is more recently arrived in the UK);

• Able to attend volunteer induction training (online) prior to start of role 

*DBS and proof of residency is not necessary if you are a CARAS community member who is more recently arrived in the UK. 

Desirable: 

• Knowledge of community languages, such as Arabic, Tigrinya, Amharic, Pashto, Dari, Farsi, Kurdish, Somali or Spanish. 

Through volunteering with us you will: 

• Gain experience of English language teaching; 

• Meet new members of your local community; 

• Learn about different cultures; 

• Learn about issues relating to refugees and people seeking asylum; 

• Work as part of a friendly, welcoming team; 

• Develop your skills and competencies; 

• Be able to access relevant training, including safeguarding training. 

• Be able to obtain a reference from us relating to your placement after 3 months’ regular volunteering 
   

To Apply: 

Successful applicants will have an informal meeting with a member of the CARAS learning staff team and a community member. These meetings will be on a rolling basis so apply ASAP! 
 

 All volunteers must complete an enhanced DBS check for working with young people and attend training with us before starting. You will also receive training and support relevant to your specific role. 

ABOUT MARY’S

At Mary’s Youth Club, we’re not just a youth club – we’re a vibrant, inclusive community where young people aged 10–19 (up to 25 for those with disabilities) come together to share, grow, learn, and enjoy themselves. We believe in creating joyful and enriching experiences that empower every young person who walks through our doors. 

Our open access youth club runs exciting and diverse programmes Monday to Friday, including school holidays. Whether it’s the energy of drop-in activities like gaming, sports, and board games, or the focused buzz of creative arts, health and wellbeing sessions, life skills workshops, or youth-led social action – there’s always something happening at Mary’s. Young people help shape our programmes, and we champion their independence, creativity, and voice. 

Young people describe us as “like a family” – a safe, friendly, and welcoming space where they can be themselves. Our team is deeply rooted in youth work values: inclusion, equality, justice, reflection, and lifelong learning. Together, we work to support young people to navigate challenges and take steps toward brighter futures. 

VOLUNTEER WITH US! 

Volunteer role title: Volunteer Chef/Cook/Kitchen Staff

Hours: 2-3 hours on a Friday evening, from about 4.30/5pm

Help us to meet our goal of creating healthy meals for young people, by volunteering in our kitchen! 

We are looking for volunteers with a passion for cooking, nutrition and healthy eating, to assist in the kitchen independently, as a group, or alongside our youth workers and young people, preparing a warm meal for up to 40 young people.

You are welcome to come along as an assistant volunteering with the rest of the team, but we would also love volunteers who are interested in heathy eating to lead on this initiative, teaching those young people who choose to volunteer in the kitchen, food preparation skills, how to cook nutritious foods, as well as sharing the joy of eating together 

This role will include: 

• helping to prepare hot food by chopping vegetables, cooking etc 

• serving the young people during the Friday evening dinner service. 

• helping with cleaning up the dining room and the kitchen

If you are interested in taking a more active role/lead on this project then you would also lead on the menu planning and budgeting 

The commitment 

• We are looking for people who are able to commit 2-3 hours on a Friday, from 4.30/5pm

• This commitment is during term time (please note that additional volunteering in school holidays is beneficial to Youth Club delivery but not essential) 

Experience 

You do not need to have experience in catering, or to have volunteered before, as you will be well looked after by the team, but if you are interested in leading on this project then it would be beneficial to be able to demonstrate your knowledge/passion 

Training 

You will be given a full induction to Marys Youth Club.

This includes access to our training platform. The mandatory training for this role includes: 

• Food hygiene and safety 

• Safeguarding 

• Health and Safety 

• Equality and diversity 

Essential for This Role

Safer Recruitment Checks:

• DBS is essential for this role (we will provide this)

• Completion of mandatory training modules as outlined above 

• Interpersonal skills

• Time Management skills 

• Team Work

• Ability to get stuck in 

• Commitment to/ interest in, the work that we do 

In return 

You’ll be sharing your time and skills and gaining accreditations and valuable CV boosting skills

We will also provide, references and/or a volunteer certificate 

Reasonable travel expenses can be covered 

Note that we do also have other volunteer roles, both in the office and working directly with young people, so if you aren’t able to commit to Friday evenings, or have interests other than cooking/volunteering in the kitchen, then get in touch to discuss 

Application Process 

All potential volunteers are asked to first attend a volunteer intro call

After this intro call, potential volunteers are invited to come to the youth club to meet the young people and the youth workers, this is a chance to see if volunteering with us is a good fit 

If you are invited to progress with your application, you will be asked to complete a DBS, provide us with 2 references, and complete the mandatory training listed above. 

PLEASE NOTE THAT UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE SPONSORSHIP, THEREFORE YOU DO NEED TO HAVE THE RIGHT TO WORK IN THE UK

Join Richmond Foundation as a Non-Trustee Grants Committee Member and help shape a fairer, healthier future for our community.

Richmond Foundation is a long-established local charity with a proud history of supporting residents through grant-making, property management, and community initiatives. We are seeking new Non-Trustee (volunteer) members to join our Grants Committee and contribute to our vision: Everyone in Richmond has opportunities to build healthy and fulfilling lives.

Who We’re Looking For

We want to add Non-Trustee members to our Grants Committee to increase the breadth of knowledge and to provide different fresh perspectives into our grant making. We welcome applications from individuals who share our values of integrity, excellence, collaboration, agility, and ambition.

We are aiming to have six members of the Grants Committee with at least one being a non-trustee member, who will participate alongside our Trustees.

Our goal is to recruit people from a wide range of backgrounds, with different expertise, experience and knowledge. We want to make our committees more diverse and representative of the groups and people we support. You can read more about our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion here.

We are keen to receive applications from people who:

• Are aged between 16 and 35
• Are from lower-income socio-economic backgrounds
• Have lived experience relevant to our work
• Are disabled or have a long-term health condition
• Are from communities experiencing racial inequity

We are committed to creating an inclusive recruitment process and are happy to provide reasonable adjustments to support applicants at any stage.

The role of a Non-Trustee Grants Committee Member

This is an exciting opportunity to work closely with the Richmond Foundation team to participate in important decisions around awarding funding and to influence policy and strategic direction.

Terms of appointment

Appointments will be for a two-year term, with the possibility of renewing for an additional two-year term.

You will need to:

• Uphold Richmond Foundation’s vision, mission, objectives, and values
• Attend at least four Grants Committee meetings per year at our central Richmond location (1.5 hours from 5:00pm to 6:30pm)
• Prepare for meetings by reading all relevant documentation and reviewing minutes
• Attend relevant training and at least one event/visit hosted by a grant-funded organisation each year
• Attend our annual AGM meeting in November

Responsibilities include:

• Provide strategic direction and expert guidance on our developing grants portfolio
• Maintain oversight of grant giving activities to ensure: it is in line with our strategic objectives and within agreed budget; grant giving practices are in line with agreed policy, legislation and good practice
• Receive and feedback on impact and other reporting
• Provide support and challenge to the Grants Director and team
• Occasionally attending internal briefings and training and other relevant external events on behalf of Richmond Foundation
• Contribute relevant specialist experience

General experience:

• Contribute to the discussions and decision-making that take place during meetings from a general point of view, as someone who has knowledge and experience relevant to the work of the committee
• A keen interest and understanding of the charitable sector
• An understanding of, and commitment to, safeguarding and diversity, equity and inclusion in the charitable sector and how this relates to grant-making
• Ability to take an independent view which varies from that of other committee members
• Relevant knowledge, perspective, insight, and understanding gathered through lived experience

To support you, we will:

• Provide background information to be discussed in an introductory session and supported by the Trustee and Committee Member Handbook
• Give initial training about Richmond Foundation and our grantmaking, with further training and support to enable you to fully take part in committee meetings
• Ongoing annual training and access to document library
• Link you with a Richmond Foundation Trustee who will act as a buddy. Before each committee meeting, they will offer support with preparing for the meeting and discuss any key issues with you
• Cover reasonable childcare, carer and travel costs if these are required to enable you to attend committee meetings

How to Apply

If you are interested in making a difference in Richmond and can contribute your time and expertise to help us deliver our charitable objectives, we would love to hear from you.

Full details, person specification and requirements, and application instructions are available in the Non-Trustee Grants Committee Member Recruitment pack.

Richmond Foundation are hosting a Webinar and Q+A for interested applicants on 18 March 2026. This will be an opportunity to learn more from our CEO, Chair and Trustees and ask questions. Details will be posted on our website.

The application deadline is 10:00am on Monday 13 April 2026

Interviews: Scheduled in May/June 2026

Term Commences: 23 September 2026 (with a short induction period beforehand)

Join Richmond Foundation as a Trustee and help shape a fairer, healthier future for our community.

Richmond Foundation is a long-established local charity with a proud history of supporting residents through grant-making, property management, and community initiatives. We are seeking new Trustees to join our Board and contribute to our vision: Everyone in Richmond has opportunities to build healthy and fulfilling lives.

Who we’re looking for

We welcome applications from individuals who share our values of integrity, excellence, collaboration, agility, and ambition.

Our goal is to recruit people from a wide range of backgrounds, with different expertise, experience and knowledge. We want to make our committees more diverse and representative of the groups and people we support. You can read more about our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion on our website.

We are committed to creating an inclusive recruitment process and are happy to provide reasonable adjustments to support applicants at any stage. We will provide a buddy system for new trustees.

We are looking to recruit trustees who have experience and knowledge in one of the following areas:

• Charity Finance and Investment
• Our Grant Priorities
• Residential Property

We are also interested in expertise in:

• Safeguarding
• Social Housing
• Grantmaking (particularly within larger foundations)
• Managing grants from a range of funders
• Data and evidence
• Evaluation and impact reporting
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
• Communications and Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Human Resources (HR)

As a Trustee, you will:

• Uphold Richmond Foundation’s vision, mission, objectives, and values.
• Provide strategic oversight and governance for the charity.
• Act in the charity’s best interests and manage resources responsibly.
• Attend at least four Board meetings per year (3 hours each) and join at least one committee (further 4 meetings per year 90 mins to 2 hours each).
• Prepare for meetings by reading all relevant documentation and reviewing minutes.
• Attend relevant training and at least one event hosted by a grant-funded organisation annually.
• Serve a four-year term, with the possibility of renewal for an additional two-year term.
• Champion high standards of conduct, including respect, inclusivity, accountability, honesty, and confidentiality.
• Declare and manage any conflicts of interest.
• Act in accordance with our Trustee Code of Conduct
• Support safeguarding and ensure the charity is accountable and compliant with its governing documents.

To be eligible, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Not be disqualified under the Charities Act (including being disqualified as a company director, having unspent convictions for offences involving dishonesty or deception, being an undischarged bankrupt, having been removed as a trustee by the Charity Commission or a court, or being on the sex offenders’ register).
• Be willing to sign a declaration of eligibility upon appointment and annually thereafter.

How to Apply

If you are interested in making a difference in Richmond and can contribute your time and expertise to help us deliver our charitable objectives, we would love to hear from you.

Full details, person specification and requirements, and application instructions are available in the Trustee Recruitment pack.

The application deadline is 10:00am on Monday 13 April 2026

Richmond Foundation are hosting a Webinar and Q+A for interested applicants on 18 March 2026. This will be an opportunity to learn more from our CEO, Chair and Trustees and ask questions. Details can be found on our website.

Interviews: Scheduled in May/June 2026

Term Commences: September 2026