Older people volunteer roles

***Please note that this is an opportunity based in Nottingham (shire) in the United Kingdom and we don’t offer sponsorship or accept overseas applicants***

Age UK Notts are seeking individuals who would like to be considered as a volunteer for our Companion Service.

Volunteers will be supporting people in their own homes and in the community within Nottingham and Nottinghamshire and ideally, we ask all applicants to provide a minimum of 1 hour volunteering a week.

The companion service volunteer can choose to be:                                                           

• A companion within the person’s home

• A companion outside the person’s home

Examples of the type of support the service offers include:

• Supporting an older person/s hobbies and interests or simply chatting with them in their own home on a regular basis.

• Supporting with digital access & building confidence skills & motivation to access the opportunities of the internet.

• Supporting the person outside of their home e.g., by accompanying them on a walk, to the shops, to a café, garden centre, theatre or cinema or other social activities / community groups. 

• Where appropriate, supporting the older person to access other services through information and signposting or referring to the Companion Service Coordinator for support.

We are looking for the following skills/interests:

• Individuals with a genuine interest in the wellbeing of older people who are committed to volunteering on a regular basis.

• Commitment to complete our Volunteer Report Form accurately and regularly. 

• Ability to travel for visits in the local community either by car or public transport for those volunteers who choose to participate in this type of activity.

• Digital literacy for those volunteers who choose to participate in this type of activity.

We are looking for volunteers with good daytime availability in specific areas of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.

Please contact the volunteering team for further information on where specifically in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.

Are you a legal expert who could use your strengths, skills or experience to make a positive difference to Age UK Hertfordshire – a successful charity with the simple, yet vital, mission: “To support older people by delivering services that help make later life fulfilling and enjoyable experience”?

Age UK Hertfordshire (AUKH) is a large charity that every year reaches thousands of older people and their carers, and has a high level of recognition across the County’s statutory authorities, voluntary sector and the public.  Our services – some developed and delivered in productive partnerships – include “active ageing” day clubs, help in the home, dementia support, befriending and in-touch telephone support, nutrition and dietetics service, hospital and community “navigation”, information and advice.

To build and grow from our current strong position, we need to expand our Trustee Board - to complement the skills of our present Trustees and broaden our Board’s diversity.

We welcome applications from all age groups and backgrounds, and we are particularly looking for legal skills.

In addition, the following areas of expertise are also welcome:

• fundraising and income generation;
• financial management;
• communications and social media;
• building local stakeholder relationships; 

Board and/or senior experience would be a valuable bonus.

Time commitment is one day per month during working hours.

This is a volunteer role, offering the opportunity to contribute actively to the lives of older people in our communities, and gain leadership and Board experience with a collaborative team of committed Trustees.

Please take a look at Age UK Hertfordshire's website for further information. 

Closing date for applications:Friday 20 February 2026.

 The selection process will be in two stages involving interviews with existing Trustees, plus a meeting with the Chair of Trustees and CEO for candidates on the final shortlist.

The provisional dates for first interviews are week commencing 2 March 2026

Do you want to volunteer and make a real difference to the lives of older people within your community in East Sussex?

 We’re looking for volunteers to support our work in a variety of ways. Whether you would enjoy helping customers in one of our shops, or become a Befriender either chatting on the telephone or meeting people face to face, there are roles to suit every interest and availability.

 By volunteering with us, you’ll help reduce loneliness, provide vital support, and bring smiles to older people across East Sussex.

Volunteer with Homeline - Make a Difference 

Homeline is a befriending project supporting older people in Hammersmith & Fulham. We’re looking for enthusiastic, committed volunteers who live in or near H&F, or work locally, and can spare just one hour a week.

What you might do:

• Offer a listening ear and friendly conversation

• Read to someone with visual impairment

• Accompany an older person on a walk to a local park or to appointments

By joining our friendly team, you’ll receive full role training, a DBS check, and ongoing support throughout your volunteering journey.

Your time can make a real difference - get in touch today!

THE OPPORTUNITY

Have you got finance or adult social care knowledge and experience that you would like to use as a way of giving back to your local community? Then your experience will be valuable as a Trustee here at the Harrison and Potter Trust.

This is a great opportunity to get involved with a charity that focuses its work on the provision of housing. You'll support those in need of decent homes across Leeds, while learning and building on your governance skills. Your professional know-how will make a difference where it matters.

So, can you lead in collaboration with your fellow Trustees to ensure that the vision and mission of our charity are achieved? Then, we'd like to learn more about how your financial or social care knowledge and experience can support our Trust.

WHO ARE HARRISON AND POTTER TRUST?

Harrison and Potter Trust is a Leeds-based charity supporting people to live well. We have almshouses on Lovell Park Road and Raglan Road, and offer safe and secure housing. We also give grants to local groups, supporting people facing financial hardship. Our focus is especially on housing needs and social isolation.

WHAT MATTERS TO US

Securing a decent home in Leeds continues to be a challenge for a great number of people, young and old. Housing stock is limited, particularly for people on limited means. We’re proud to be supporting the people who live in our houses who might otherwise have struggled to find good, safe, and clean housing.

IF YOU JOIN US…

You'll join a Board that is keen to welcome new Trustees who will bring energy as well as broader experience. Your knowledge and skills will enhance and support our important work as a charity.

Sharing our commitment to honour our settlors’ legacies will be a focal point for you. Providing housing for older people and supporting local charities will be your shared mission.

The strategic experience gained through a trustee role can have a powerful impact on your career. You'll grow in personal development through a role that is flexible around other commitments.

WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR

All Trustees need certain qualities such as integrity and commitment. You'll also learn about the importance of effective governance.

We are particularly seeking:

• a Finance Trustee with knowledge of charity accounts and managing investment portfolio
• a Trustee with Adult Social Care experience within a Local Authority or Housing Association

Please make sure you read our Candidate Information Pack before applying. It contains important details about the role and our organisation.

Don’t think you quite meet all the specifications? Please don’t count yourself out. We’d still love to learn more about your interest in joining the Harrison and Potter Trust.

What’s next?

Eastside People is supporting Harrison Potter and Trust in the recruitment of these roles. You can click here to apply today.

The closing date for applications is Wednesday 25th February. Shortlisting interviews will take place shortly after. Shortlisted candidates will then have an interview with Harrison and Potter shortly after this.

We acknowledge every application. You’ll always hear from us after taking the time to apply - we look forward to hearing from you!

Our Friends Ageing Better (FAB) project is looking for volunteer hosts for our FAB cafés around Bristol. In this volunteer role, you’ll be part of creating vibrant, welcoming community spaces that build relationships and connect people with activities in their local community.

At Age UK Bristol, we want to change the way we age. We aim to keep people aged 55+ well and active, encouraging Bristol to be an Age Friendly city. We do this in 3 ways - through providing practical help and supporting people’s emotional and physical wellbeing in a range of ways depending on their needs.  In addition, we want to prevent people from needing our help wherever possible.  We do this in our strategic work, where we aim to create the conditions for older adults to remain healthy and independent.

We are looking for FAB Cafe Host Volunteers for the following cafes

• Avonmouth - Mondays, 2:30-4:30
• Southville - Tuesdays 10:00-12:00
• Withywood - Tuesdays 11:00-1:00
• St Werburghs LGBT+ - Thursdays, 10:00-12:00
• Fishponds - Fridays 2:00-4:00

The role involves

• Welcoming older people who are new to the FAB café
• Facilitating conversation and activities in the group
• Promoting your local FAB café and the FAB membership card scheme
• Keeping sign-up sheets for attendees at cafes
• Providing information about events and activities happening in the local area with the support of the FAB team

The qualities and skills required for this role are

• Welcoming and friendly disposition, with the ability to include people.
• Reliability.
• Ability to communicate well with a diverse range of people.
• Ability to respond to people’s varied access needs (such as hearing loss) to make sure each individual can participate well.
• Ability to work cooperatively in a busy community setting.
• An understanding of the needs of older people.

Trustee of Sandhurst Day Centre Association, with a focus on strategic oversight of facilities & building management 

Do you want to support and improve the running of our services for older people, with an oversight of our building?

You could be a trustee for Sandhurst Day Centre Association, our charity that provides activities and social time for local older people, in our bespoke Centre.

Developed in the 1970s and first Registered in 1983, the charity is an unincorporated Association, with work in progress to become a Charitable Incorporated Organisation.

In 2024, the Centre turned over ~£300k, an increase from previous years, with a small surplus made. The Centre Manager, employees and volunteers are responsible for day-to-day running, while trustees offer strategic oversight of operations, planning for the future.

The role and what we are looking for in a new trustee

Trustees are the people who make the top-level decisions for our charity. Our Board includes people with experience in services for older people, and we’d expect all trustees to have empathy with our cause and our beneficiaries. 

We are looking for a new trustee to add additional professional input to the running of the building and its facilities. The role will aid the Centre Manager by offering analyses of Health & Safety, building management and the physical environment. You will bring relevant knowledge, skills and experience in these and associated areas.

You don’t necessarily need prior experience of charity trusteeship, as full induction to our organisation will be provided, plus specialist support as a new trustee including access to external training.

If you can think strategically and plan long-term, you have the primary skills needed by our trustees; you’ll also need to be able to work collectively with other Board members. Support from our paid employees is always available, as they will be dealing with the day-to-day running of the organisation.

We are a charity not a business, but we apply business principles to governing our organisation. We are looking for people from a variety of backgrounds to join our charity. We want to expand the diversity of our board, in all meanings of the word, and strongly welcome applications from people from less-represented groups. 

The focus of a trustee role is strategic, and trustees will not be expected to get involved in the organisation’s operations on a day-to-day basis; however, contact and liaison with other trustees, volunteers and employees is expected.   

We ask for about five hours per month, which includes all meetings, discussions, etc.  You will need access to digital communications, as much of our charity’s business is run that way.

How to apply  

A detailed Role Description and Skills Specification is attached to this advert, with more further information and application to Brian Wilson, SDCA trustee, via Apply Now, below.

Your CV (or similar) and Cover Letter will be read by our existing trustees, and an interview offered as soon as mutually convenient.

Volunteer Trustee Opportunities at BD4 Community Trust – Make a Difference in Bradford

Are you passionate about making a positive impact in your community? BD4 Community Trust is looking for dedicated and enthusiastic individuals to join our Board of Trustees. As a volunteer trustee, you will play a key role in shaping the future of our community-focused charity, ensuring that we continue to deliver vital services and support for the people of East Bowling and beyond.

About BD4 Community Trust

Supporting and Restoring Community across the Generations. BD4 Community Trust is a local charity committed to improving the lives of individuals and families in the BD4 area. We provide a range of services, including support for vulnerable groups, community events, educational programmes, and initiatives to tackle social isolation and disadvantage. Our mission is to create a thriving, inclusive, and resilient community for all.

Our BD4 Family project works to help families to come together to learn, share and grow, where they can feel safe to enjoy quality time together and access encouragement and support when needed. The groups we run support the needs of our ever-expanding community by really listening to families and encouraging them to be part of our decision making and offering opportunities to volunteer and get involved.  

Gems has been running since 1983 and works with the older members of our community delivering a variety of activities each week with additional activities at times throughout the year. The project provides opportunities for older people to make friends, participate in healthy activities, enjoy a nutritional meal, and enjoy the occasional day trip out.

Role of a Trustee

As a trustee, you will:

- Contribute to the strategic direction of the charity.

- Ensure that BD4 Community Trust remains financially sustainable.

- Provide support and oversight to the charity’s staff and volunteers.

- Help build partnerships with other community organisations, local authorities, and stakeholders.

- Ensure that the charity complies with all legal and regulatory requirements.

- Bring your skills, experience, and enthusiasm to help us grow and achieve our mission.

Who We're Looking For

We are seeking individuals with a variety of skills and experiences, including (but not limited to):

- Leadership and governance experience.

- Knowledge of community development or charitable work.

- Financial or legal expertise.

- Strong communication, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.

- Passion for improving the lives of those in the BD4 community.

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and encourage diversity in our board. Whether you have experience in the third sector, business, education, or other fields, your unique perspective will be invaluable to our work.

Time Commitment

- Trustees are expected to attend quarterly Board meetings (approximately 2 hours per meeting on an evening).

- Additional time may be required for training and community events.

- The role is voluntary, and reasonable out-of-pocket expenses will be reimbursed.

What We Offer

- An opportunity to make a tangible difference in your local community.

- The chance to gain experience in governance and charity leadership.

- A collaborative and supportive environment where your contributions are valued.

- Training and development opportunities to help you thrive in your role.

Could you spend an hour a week sharing a friendly chat over a cup of tea and helping someone feel valued and connected? Our Befrienders offer regular visits or calls to local older people, bringing warmth, companionship and a welcoming presence.

We match people thoughtfully, building genuine friendships that make a lasting difference to everyone involved.

We have volunteers from a wide range of backgrounds and communities fulfilling various different roles. We wouldn’t be able to deliver our services without the help of these amazing volunteers who generously give their time, energy and skills to enable us to provide our clients with the services, care and support they deserve. 

Our volunteers form a vital and integral part of the work we do at CHEER. Like you, they’re people who want to make an impact on a local level in their community. By joining us you’ll discover new friends, new skills and be able to share your passion and experience to support local people. No matter how much time you can commit, we can help you find a role that works for you. 

Ready to Make a Difference in 2026? Then come and Volunteer with Us.....

We are thrilled to be opening a brand-new Charity Shop in Langney Road, Eastbourne – and we are looking for volunteers to come and join our Team…

Our shops are a hive of activity and the heart of the local community. They raise funds to support our vital work and provide a place for local people to find out more about how we help older people in their area. Our volunteers always enjoy being part of our shop teams; chatting to our customers about the fabulous items we sell and telling them about the fantastic work that we do.

As a Customer Service Volunteer you will get the chance to meet new people and make friends, plus play a vital role in helping to raise funds to support local older people.

You will be working on the shop floor as the welcoming face of our charity. Serving customers with a smile, using the till (don't worry, we will show you how) and handling money and sales.

When people come in to donate items you will be thanking them for their support and helping them to complete Gift Aid signups on our Gift Aid system.

You will help to make our shops look amazing; putting out items that the sorting teams have prepared, helping with merchandising, labelling and ensuring the shop is clean and always looking its' best.

You will need to be ok using a touch screen device as our tills run on a tablet, though we will always provide full training and some time for you to get used to using this first.

Lastly, you may have people enquiring about our work, or asking for help and we will provide you with all the details of where to refer them to within the charity.

It would be ideal if you could volunteer one shift a week, which is about four hours but we're also happy to have more flexible times. No special skills are needed as we will show you what to do and will provide all the training you need.

It’s really easy to get your volunteering started, if you're over 16 years old please apply now.

Do you want to make a difference? Can you spare 2 hours a week?

We are currently looking for Befriender Volunteers in East Sussex.

(Telephone Based work from home, but can lead to face-to-face befriending)

Please get in touch and come and join our amazing Befriending team.

Older persons are at risk of becoming isolated and losing their community connections. As a mainly Telephone Befriender Volunteer, you'll work flexibly from the comfort of your own home and contact older persons to understand their service needs. If you love talking to others, are polite and empathetic, and have access to a phone, we'd love to hear from you. There may also be the opportunity for a physical meeting, but only if relevant and where it is something you want to do.

Gift of Friendship Programme Volunteer Befriender  

Background

Age UK Croydon has received a generous donation from The Julia Rausing Trust as part of its wider partnership with Age UK, the national charity, to help fund its crucial friendship services that support older people in the local area.

This ‘Gift of Friendship’ from the Trust aims to help older people experiencing loneliness and isolation. Loneliness often stems from factors like bereavement, living alone and declining health. Loss of mobility or senses can leave many older people feeling disconnected, while financial worries can increase existing feelings of isolation. This can have serious consequences, undermining resilience and increasing risk of physical and mental illness.

Volunteers Befrienders are offering support and company to people who may need that extra confidence to attend a local activity in Croydon. You could accompany someone to a local lunch group or activity or even just going with them to a park for a nice walk. They build relationships in the process, which enable meaningful conversations and help to identify support needs and other services and activities that will help maintain their clients’ mental health. A key aim of the role is to support people with achieving their goals to live a happier life, accompany them, and build their confidence back to get out into the community and feel more independent.

Commitment 

Minimum of 6 months from start of the GoF Befriending match, includes:

· 30-minute informal interview.

· Willing to undertake an enhanced DBS check.

· 1-hour core induction.

· Mandatory training sessions.

· Up to 1-2 hours a week engagement with your befriendee

· Weekly accurate records of interactions with your befriendee

· Regular check-in calls with Befriending Coordinator

Purpose of Role

Staff will assess the client and you will be given their profile and a support plan. Core tasks will include:

· Weekly companionship contact in person.

· Encouraging and accompanying to visits to other social events and activities in the local area e.g., a walk, GP, an IT class.

· Spotting additional needs and identifying services and activities to address these.

· Submitting a weekly report on the contact to include contact type, signposting and any concerns.

Support Provided 

• Full remote training and induction provided.
• We will complete the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) application with you.
• Supervision and direct contact with the Befriending

Co-ordinator/Manager.

· Join and participate in peer support groups and meet other volunteers to share experiences and good practice.

Skills and attributes Required

· Good communication with a friendly approachable manner

· Solution focused.

· Comfortable working alone.

· Good record keeping.

· Good listening skills

· Reliable and committed to do at least 1 visit a week for the committed period.

· Applicants must be over the age of 18.

· Basic IT skills may be required depending on client’s needs.

Benefits

· Learn new skills.

· Enhance career prospects.

· Meet people.

· Make a difference.

· Gain confidence

· Travel expenses and hot drinks reimbursed

· Social and celebration events

· Exclusive invites to join and support community projects

Do you enjoy connecting with others? Join us as a Lunch Club Volunteer and help create a warm, welcoming space for older adults in Roehampton!

Treasurer for Age Concern Twyford & District

Do you have an interest in helping our charity that supports older people in our community?

If you have a head for financial matters, you could add to and assist our trustees’ management of our finances.                      

Initially set up in 1988, we are an independent local charity (Charitable Incorporated Organisation No. 11163722) that promotes and maintains independent living for older residents in and around our local community. We are not affiliated with any similar organisations, but work closely with other Wokingham Borough-based charities and support organisations.

We provide a Day Centre with activities, lunches and optional take-home meals, activities including arts, singing and dancing, plus a range of support services including assistance with form-filling, handypersons and a listening ear to support families.

In 2024/25, our income was £250k, a small rise on previous years, and our services and facilities remain well-used and very well-appreciated in our community.

The Role

We are a small and collaborative trustee team, working closely with the staff in the centre to provide a service to our local community. Our Board includes some people with experience and skills in the services we provide to older people or other professions, and we’d expect trustees to have empathy with our cause and our beneficiaries. 

Although we’d welcome your financial qualification, that’s not a requirement, as our finances aren’t complex. An understanding of how charity finance works would be beneficial of course, with the ability to communicate financial information clearly, especially to other trustees, being important. Support from our employees is always available, as they will be dealing with the day-to-day finances.

You don’t necessarily need prior experience of charity trusteeship, as advice from local charity-support organisations is always available. Full induction to our organisation will be provided, plus specialist help as a new trustee, including access to external training.

​We are a charity not a commercial business, but we apply business principles to governing our organisation. We are looking for fresh expertise and experience from a variety of backgrounds to our charity. We want to expand the diversity of our Board and strongly welcome applications from people from less-represented groups. 

​The focus of a trustee role is strategic, and trustees will not be expected to get involved in the organisation’s operations on a day-to-day basis; however, contact and liaison with other trustees and employees is expected.   

​We ask for about five hours per month, which includes all meetings, discussions, etc., although that time commitment will rise at year-end and for our AGM.
You will need access to digital communications, as some our charity’s business is run that way.

This appointment is being assisted for us by involve Community Services, a charity-support organisation, who can supply you with a detailed Role Description and Skills Specification, and offer advice about trusteeship, even assist your application. Click "Apply Now" below to find out more.