Animal Volunteer Roles

Cats Protection is the UK’s leading feline welfare charity and our vision is a world where every cat is treated with kindness and an understanding of its needs. Cats are at the centre of everything we do and our objectives are: homing, neutering and educating people about cats and their care. We help thousands of cats across the UK each year thanks to our network of dedicated volunteers, staff and supporters.

A bit about this role

As a charity we are able to help thousands of cats each year thanks to the generous donations we receive from members of the public. Our fundraising events organisers have the exciting and varied role of helping plan and deliver local fundraising events to raise the vital funds needed to help our feline friends. Our fundraising events organisers use their passion for cats and people to plan cake sales, barn dances, quiz nights and everything in between.

What can you expect to be doing?

• Planning fundraising events and activities like cake sales, quiz nights and barn dances
• Providing the treasurer with information on funds raised from fundraising events
• Encouraging and promoting a professional image of Cats Protection 
• Following policies and guidelines and ensuring licences and permits are obtained for events

What are the benefits to you and the cats?

You will develop new skills, expand your knowledge and make a significant contribution to improving the lives of cats and kittens by helping raise funds through events. You will also meet new people, make new friends and be part of a dedicated group of volunteers.

We’re looking for someone with

• Good organisational skills
• Strong interpersonal skills
• The ability to prioritise and delegate
• An appreciation of the importance of handling money and charity resources responsibly
• Knowledge of your local community

Time expectation

Our fundraising events organisers usually spend two to three hours per week in this role, which is flexible and can be shared by more than one volunteer.

Additional information

At Cats Protection we believe our volunteers should be happy and confident in their roles. To make sure this is the case, we provide support and guidance both remotely from our National Cat Centre and face to face through our regional and local volunteer groups and teams. We also offer varied online and face-to-face training and have wide-ranging policies covering all aspects of volunteering. We hope the support we provide will ensure our volunteers have a great experience with Cats Protection.

We are seeking a new Secretary to undertake administrative duties to support the board of trustees of the African Bird Club in fulfilling its responsibility for the good governance of the charity and in delivering its strategy. You will be one of five executive officers and as such, have a key role in helping to progress ABC’s status and mission.

The African Bird Club is dedicated to conserving birds and their habitats across the continent of Africa and related islands and furthering ornithology in this region. We raise funds to make grants to support local conservation projects, produce a peer-reviewed journal and are developing a free birding app. ABC currently has over 1100 members from 70 countries and is governed by a board of twelve trustees.

The Secretary is expected to attend three board meetings a year and the annual general meeting of members of the charity, as well as ad hoc meetings of the executive officers and provide administrative support for the running of the charity, as required, with other trustees and contractors.

You must be eligible to be a trustee of a charity, have sufficient time to devote to the role and be committed to achieving ABC's objectives. You must also have strong communication and interpersonal skills, maintain constructive relationships (with other executive officers, trustees and the charity’s contractors) and deal with routine correspondence. Previous experience as a secretary or trustee of a charity would be advantageous but is not necessary.

A bit about this role

At Cats Protection we help thousands of cats each year thanks to our dedicated and passionate volunteer groups and teams, all of which help our feline friends in a different ways. They take in stray and abandoned cats and ensure they receive the veterinary care and attention they deserve, help raise funds, promote neutering and help spread cat welfare messages. Our volunteer treasurers maintain the finances of local groups and teams, ensuring they hold the funds needed to continue their vital work. Cats Protection relies solely on donations from generous members of the public, and our volunteer treasurers help make sure these funds are spent in the most effective way.  

What can you expect to be doing?

• Preparing budgets
• Keeping accurate financial records
• Reporting financial records via ‘Cashlog’ (Cats Protection supplied software)
• Paying invoices and volunteer expenses
• Being part of a team which ensures there are sufficient funds to meet expenditure
• Updating and advising others on income received, expenditure and available funds
• Managing and monitoring donations made to the group
• Following financial procedures e.g. Gift Aid returns and VAT claims

A bit more information about this role and the team

What are the benefits to you and the cats?

You will develop new skills, expand your knowledge and make a significant contribution to improving the lives of cats and kittens by overseeing the finances of a local volunteer groups or team. You will meet new people, make new friends and be part of a dedicated team of volunteers.

We’re looking for someone with

• Experience or knowledge of accounting, book keeping and/or good numeracy skills
• The ability to collect and present information clearly and logically
• Good communication skills
• Willingness to be part of a team
• Basic IT skills to use Cats Protection systems - training and support can be provided
• Good written and verbal communication skills
• The ability to use own initiative  
• Committee volunteers need to be aged 18+

Are you looking to volunteer in a small and friendly office team? We're looking for someone to help us with our membership admin, including assembling membership packs, preparing resources for mailings, helping us prepare for membership events and lots more - no admin day will be the same and there is always plenty of tea and coffee on tap and biscuits available!

Yorkshire Wildlife Trust is one the region’s largest and oldest charities managing over 100 nature reserves and works with many other land managers assisting them to improve wildlife. The Trust works to involve people in nature conservation through events, environmental education and community involvement.

The supporter services team is part of the Fundraising and Engagement Directorate which includes the Membership, Events, Communications and Fundraising team.  As part of their work, the Supporter Services team process all new membership and are looking for a volunteer to help pack our mailing of welcome packs and other post.  Ideally our volunteer will also help keep both our literature and events storeroom tidy.

What you'll be supporting us with:

• Assembling membership welcome packs for new Yorkshire Wildlife Trust members
• Packing membership packs ready for the Friday mailing
• Putting together other regular mailings to new and existing members
• Filing of confidential information
• Keeping the storeroom tidy and in order.
• Discarding any out-of-date literature.
• Putting away stock after events.
• Informing staff of low supplies.
• Help gather equipment for events.
• Help take in deliveries.
• Helping with other tasks as required.

What's in it for you?

This is a great opportunity to volunteer for a successful wildlife and environmental charity with a friendly team.  Our team is very busy and we greatly value the help of our volunteers.  Hot drinks and biscuits are always available!

**Please Note** - Applicants will need to live in our Branch area East Norfolk.

Registered Charity No.206296

Could you be an RSPCA Trustee?

We are seeking a Finance Trustee/ Retail and Fundraising Trustee/ Marketing Trustee/Health & Safety and a Veterinary Trustee

Are you passionate about animal welfare?
Do you have professional experience that could help shape a local charity?

Here at RSPCA East Norfolk it is our vision to live in a world where all animals are respected and treated with compassion. As a trustee you will have the chance to influence how we care for and prevent cruelty to animals in our county. Could you join us?

We need your help...
RSPCA East Norfolk is seeking new trustees to join our Board. 

We welcome applications from anyone who has the desire to make a difference to animals in our county.

We are particularly keen to hear from those who have experience in one of the following areas:

Finance / Investments / Retail /Marketing / Fundraising /Health & Safety / HR
Veterinary 

Trustees are incredible volunteers and play an essential role in helping us carry out our vital animal welfare work every day by managing the affairs of your local RSPCA Branch to promote and provide animal welfare within the branch area.

Being a Trustee is an excellent opportunity to give back and gain skills and experience. As a Trustee of an independent local charity, you’ll have the chance to influence our strategy and development at a time that sees significant growth for us following a recent merger.

We meet on the second Tuesday evening once a month , currently virtually, and have opportunities to be involved in additional projects and committees if you wish. You’ll need to be committed to ensuring good governance, give some time to read papers prior to meetings and keep up-to-date with correspondence about important matters.

If you think you can help, we'd love to hear from you.

Job Types: Part-time, Permanent, Volunteer

Web Editor Volunteer Role Description

Are you passionate about changing the way we treat animals? Do you want to help reduce damage to our environment? Do you want to get people to enjoy healthy vegan food that looks good and tastes great? 

The Vegan Society makes veganism more accessible and an easily adopted approach by supporting individuals, policy and decision makers, caterers, manufacturers, health care professionals and the media. 

Why do we need you? 

Our website covers a huge range of topics, aimed to support people in becoming, and staying, vegan. Keeping all of these up to date takes a lot of hours and many hands, especially when it comes to pages that need regular updates involving sourcing and editing images, improving accessibility, and updating content.

What does the role involve? 

The role will involve a variety of different tasks in updating the website such as: 

• Assisting the web team with content migration for the society’s new website.
• Adding and updating the events page, which will include editing images and proofreading content for the page. 
• Reviewing and fixing pages with broken links. 
• Publishing and updating recipes on our recipes page. 
• Supporting with accessibility improvements to the site such as adding alt tags to images. 
• Undertaking search engine optimisation tasks, such as identifying key search terms and popular pages we could develop. 
• More advanced web editing and development tasks may be offered to volunteers depending on their skillset and level of experience. 

We expect that tasks will be assigned based on your experience and confidence in the area, with full support from the Web Officer. This would all happen in software we provide. Our website CMS currently is Drupal; however, we will be moving over to Umbraco soon, so you would become familiar with this.

What training and development is available? 

Each task will be introduced in a phased way, with a full induction and training session on each area. We will provide training for specific areas, based on your existing experience. There are opportunities for all our roles to develop and to take on more responsibility.

What skills would be useful in doing this role? 

• Familiarity with content management systems such as WordPress, Drupal or Umbraco would be an ideal foundation for this role. 
• Experience with web editing. 
• Ability to use digital systems and processes. 
• Knowledge and experience of image editing to specific dimensions. 
• Ability to work independently. 
• Willingness to learn and develop in the role. 

 What does my availability have to be? 

This role will require four to six hours a week. For the first month of volunteering, you will need to commit to these hours between 9:am-5:pm (GMT) so that staff support is directly available to you. After this we will have a review and, if you are comfortable, your hours can be completed more flexibly around your schedule. To keep up contact with staff and help you to manage your tasks, we will schedule a weekly check-in video call with you during weeks that you are volunteering for us. 

 Who can I contact to find out more? 

You can contact Kaya (Senior Volunteering and Engagement Officer) and Emma (Web Officer).

A bit about this role

At Cats Protection we help thousands of cats every year and the majority of these success stories are thanks to the dedication and effort of our passionate volunteers. Our volunteer champion team leaders support local volunteer groups by leading a team of others that provide recruitment, induction and recognition support to wider volunteer groups and teams. 

What can you expect to be doing?

• Recruiting the volunteer champions team of volunteers
• Allocating tasks and activities to other members of the volunteer champions team
• Identifying ways to involve volunteers
• Providing support, encouragement, and leadership
• Promoting a culture of volunteering best practice
• Encouraging volunteer feedback 

A bit more information about this role and the team

What are the benefits to you and the cats?

You will develop new skills, expand your knowledge and make a significant contribution to improving the lives of cats and kittens by supporting the volunteer champion’s team to recruit, induct and recognise volunteers. You will also meet new people, make new friends and be part of a dedicated team of volunteers.

We’re looking for someone with

• Good written and verbal communication skills
• The ability to use own initiative 
• Willingness to be part of a team
• Good knowledge of IT
• Experience in managing people
• The ability to delegate
• Knowledge and experience of volunteering and volunteer management 

Time expectation 

Our volunteer champion team leaders usually spend 3 to 4 hours per week in this role, which is flexible and can be shared by more than one volunteer if needed. 

Support, guidance and keeping you safe

At Cats Protection we believe our volunteers should be happy and confident in their roles. We provide support and guidance from our National Cat Centre and through our regional and local volunteer groups and teams. We offer engaging online and face-to-face training, expenses and have policies and processes to help volunteers get the most out of their time with us.

The wellbeing of our people is important and at Cats Protection we are committed to safeguarding children, adults at risk and all those that we come into contact with as part of our activities.

A bit about this role

At Cats Protection we help thousands of cats every year and the majority of these success stories are thanks to the dedication and effort of our passionate volunteers. Our volunteer champion team leaders support local volunteer groups by leading a team of others that provide recruitment, induction and recognition support to wider volunteer groups and teams. 

What can you expect to be doing?

• Recruiting the volunteer champions team of volunteers
• Allocating tasks and activities to other members of the volunteer champions team
• Identifying ways to involve volunteers
• Providing support, encouragement, and leadership
• Promoting a culture of volunteering best practice
• Encouraging volunteer feedback 

A bit more information about this role and the team

What are the benefits to you and the cats?

You will develop new skills, expand your knowledge and make a significant contribution to improving the lives of cats and kittens by supporting the volunteer champion’s team to recruit, induct and recognise volunteers. You will also meet new people, make new friends and be part of a dedicated team of volunteers.

We’re looking for someone with

• Good written and verbal communication skills
• The ability to use own initiative 
• Willingness to be part of a team
• Good knowledge of IT
• Experience in managing people
• The ability to delegate
• Knowledge and experience of volunteering and volunteer management 

Time expectation 

Our volunteer champion team leaders usually spend 3 to 4 hours per week in this role, which is flexible and can be shared by more than one volunteer if needed. 

Support, guidance and keeping you safe

At Cats Protection we believe our volunteers should be happy and confident in their roles. We provide support and guidance from our National Cat Centre and through our regional and local volunteer groups and teams. We offer engaging online and face-to-face training, expenses and have policies and processes to help volunteers get the most out of their time with us.

The wellbeing of our people is important and at Cats Protection we are committed to safeguarding children, adults at risk and all those that we come into contact with as part of our activities.

A bit about this role

At Cats Protection we help thousands of cats every year and the majority of these success stories are thanks to the dedication and effort of our passionate volunteers. Our volunteer champion team leaders support local volunteer groups by leading a team of others that provide recruitment, induction and recognition support to wider volunteer groups and teams. 

What can you expect to be doing?

• Recruiting the volunteer champions team of volunteers
• Allocating tasks and activities to other members of the volunteer champions team
• Identifying ways to involve volunteers
• Providing support, encouragement, and leadership
• Promoting a culture of volunteering best practice
• Encouraging volunteer feedback 

A bit more information about this role and the team

What are the benefits to you and the cats?

You will develop new skills, expand your knowledge and make a significant contribution to improving the lives of cats and kittens by supporting the volunteer champion’s team to recruit, induct and recognise volunteers. You will also meet new people, make new friends and be part of a dedicated team of volunteers.

We’re looking for someone with

• Good written and verbal communication skills
• The ability to use own initiative 
• Willingness to be part of a team
• Good knowledge of IT
• Experience in managing people
• The ability to delegate
• Knowledge and experience of volunteering and volunteer management 

Time expectation 

Our volunteer champion team leaders usually spend 3 to 4 hours per week in this role, which is flexible and can be shared by more than one volunteer if needed. 

Support, guidance and keeping you safe

At Cats Protection we believe our volunteers should be happy and confident in their roles. We provide support and guidance from our National Cat Centre and through our regional and local volunteer groups and teams. We offer engaging online and face-to-face training, expenses and have policies and processes to help volunteers get the most out of their time with us.

The wellbeing of our people is important and at Cats Protection we are committed to safeguarding children, adults at risk and all those that we come into contact with as part of our activities.

A bit about this role

If you enjoy driving and would love to use those skills to help our cats, this could be the role for you. Our transport volunteers provide vital assistance to our teams and volunteer groups in the local area by transporting equipment, litter, food– and even cats! They have the essential role of connecting our network of volunteers, sites, vets and supporters.

Without the passionate and committed teams of volunteers across Cats Protection, we wouldn’t be able to help the thousands of cats and kittens each year that rely on us for help.

What can you expect to be doing?

• Arranging and transporting equipment, litter and cat food
• Transporting cats to and from vets, foster homes and centres
• Transporting equipment to and from events

A bit about this role

At Cats Protection we help thousands of cats and kittens each year thanks to our dedicated and passionate volunteer groups. We have over 250 branches across the UK, all of which help our feline friends in different ways. Branches take in stray and abandoned cats and ensure they receive the veterinary care and attention they deserve, help raise funds, promote neutering and help spread cat welfare messages. Our branch team leader volunteers lead their local team by supporting and managing volunteers within their group, maintaining communications with both volunteers and staff, and helping promote a positive and professional image of Cats Protection.

What can you expect to be doing?

• Supporting your team of volunteers in all aspects of their roles, making sure volunteers are happy and confident
• Making sure the team observes charity best practice and compliance
• Collaborating with your Branch Development Manager (BDM) to plan volunteer activity
• Leading the team to follow Cats Protection policies, procedures and guidelines
• Monitoring expenditure and helping ensure long term financial stability of the volunteer group
• Organising and chairing team meetings
• Acting as an ambassador for Cats Protection

A bit about this role

As a charity we are able to help thousands of cats each year thanks to the generous donations we receive from members of the public. Our fundraising team leaders have the exciting and varied role of inspiring our fundraising volunteers to plan and deliver local fundraising events. Using their passion and imagination, they oversee a small team of fundraising volunteers who come together to raise the vital funds needed to cover costs such as veterinary bills and food. Our fundraising team leaders support their team of volunteers in all aspects of their roles, making sure our volunteers are happy, confident and supported.

What can you expect to be doing?

• Supporting and encouraging a team of fundraising volunteers
• Planning fundraising events and activities with your team
• Allocating tasks before and during fundraising events
• Keeping financial records from fundraising events
• Encouraging and promoting a professional image of Cats Protection 
• Following policies and guidelines and ensuring licences and permits are obtained for events

A bit more information about this role and the team

What are the benefits to you and the cats?

You will develop new skills, expand your knowledge and make a significant contribution to improving the lives of cats and kittens by helping raise funds and awareness through organising local events. You will also meet new people, make new friends and be part of a dedicated team of volunteers.

We’re looking for someone with

• Great people skills and the ability to bring out the best in others
• Excellent organisational skills
• The ability to prioritise and delegate
• An appreciation of the importance of handling money and charity resources responsibly
• Fine-tuned communication skills and a passion for engaging with people within your local community
• Basic IT skills to use Cats Protection systems - training and support can be provided
• Committee volunteers need to be aged 18+

Time expectation

Our fundraising team leaders usually spend three to four hours per week in this role, which is flexible and can be shared by more than one volunteer if needed.

Support, guidance and keeping you safe

At Cats Protection we believe our volunteers should be happy and confident in their roles. We provide support and guidance from our National Cat Centre and through our regional and local volunteer groups and teams. We offer engaging online and face-to-face training, expenses and have policies and processes to help volunteers get the most out of their time with us.

The wellbeing of our people is important and at Cats Protection we are committed to safeguarding children, adults at risk and all those that we come into contact with as part of our activities.

A bit about this role

If you enjoy driving and would love to use those skills to help our cats, this could be the role for you. Our transport volunteers provide vital assistance to our teams and volunteer groups in the local area by transporting equipment, litter, food– and even cats! They have the essential role of connecting our network of volunteers, sites, vets and supporters.

Without the passionate and committed teams of volunteers across Cats Protection, we wouldn’t be able to help the thousands of cats and kittens each year that rely on us for help.

What can you expect to be doing?

• Arranging and transporting equipment, litter and cat food
• Transporting cats to and from vets, foster homes and centres
• Transporting equipment to and from events

Cats Protection is the UK’s leading feline welfare charity and our vision is a world where every cat is treated with kindness and an understanding of its needs. Cats are at the centre of everything we do and our objectives are: homing, neutering and educating people about cats and their care. We help thousands of cats across the UK each year thanks to our network of dedicated volunteers, staff and supporters.

A bit about this role

Without the passionate and committed teams of volunteers across Cats Protection we wouldn’t be able to help the thousands of cats and kittens each year that rely on us for help. Our Cat Welfare Team Leaders have the important role of coordinating, encouraging and supporting teams of fosterer volunteers and cat care volunteers. They help make sure volunteers with direct cat care roles are happy and confident and provide advice and guidance when needed. This incredible teamwork means we are able to help more cats and kittens in need.

What can you expect to be doing?

• Volunteering alongside colleagues including the Branch Coordinator, Cat Welfare team, Branch Development Manager and Vet team to ensure that CP cat care policies, procedures and standards are applied in branch
• Support fosterers to follow Cats Protection cat welfare policies and procedures
• Acting as the main point of contact within the branch for cat welfare and ensuring that welfare updates are shared and implemented effectively
• Supporting the branch by ensuring that accurate and up to date records of all cats helped are maintained, using specified Cats Protection systems
• Attending relevant Cats Protection volunteer training sessions and encouraging other volunteers to do likewise
• With the other volunteers, recruit, induct and support all branch fosterers and cat care volunteers using Cats Protection processes
• Represent the branch at relevant meetings
• Play an active part in the branch committee, being part of the branch team leading on cat adoption information and updates
• Collaborating with the Cats Protection Cat Adoption Team Leader to ensure the highest standards of cat care are applied in line with Cats Protection policy and procedures

A bit more information about this role and the team

What are the benefits to you and the cats?

You will make a significant contribution to improving the lives of cats and kittens by leading and supporting other volunteers in direct cat care roles. You will develop new skills, expand your knowledge and will also meet new people, make new friends and be part of a dedicated team of volunteers.

We’re looking for someone with

• A willingness to follow Cats Protection policies and procedures
• Basic knowledge and experience of cat welfare
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to engage with people on all levels, to build strong and effective relationships
• A willingness to develop themselves and others and to update knowledge and skills as necessary
• Good administration and organisational skills
• Basic IT skills to use Cats Protection systems - training and support can be provided
• The ability to handle sensitive issues with objectivity and pragmatism
• Committee volunteers need to be aged 18+

Time expectation

The time expectation for this role will vary depending on the number of volunteers and cats in care. Our Cat Welfare Team Leaders usually spend between 10 to 12 hours per week in this role which is flexible and can be shared by more than one volunteer if needed. 

Support, guidance and keeping you safe

At Cats Protection we believe our volunteers should be happy and confident in their roles. We provide support and guidance from our National Cat Centre and through our regional and local volunteer groups and teams. We offer engaging online and face-to-face training, expenses and have policies and processes to help volunteers get the most out of their time with us.

The wellbeing of our people is important and at Cats Protection we are committed to safeguarding children, adults at risk and all those that we come into contact with as part of our activities.