Volunteer roles

CHARITY SHOP VOLUNTEER – CUSTOMER SERVICE - LEWES

PURPOSE

To assist the Shop Manger in the running of an Age UK East Sussex Charity Shop with a focus on serving customers, driving sales and store presentation.

We are currently looking for volunteers on weekdays and weekends.

Please get in touch if you would like to become part of our amazing Volunteer Team!

ROLE OF THE VOLUNTEER

· Greet and thank customers in a polite and friendly manner

· Assist customers in choosing items and actively promote sales

· Replenish and display stock in the shop throughout the day

· Receive donations and complete Gift Aid paperwork

· Handle cash and operate the till following correct procedure

· Take credit card payments using the Streamline system

· Assist in keeping the shop clean and tidy following the cleaning rota

· Undertake other tasks as required by the Shop Manager

SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES NEEDED

· Great communication and interpersonal skills

· A pleasant and friendly manner

· Basic numeracy skills

· An eye for detail

· Enjoy working as part of a team

· Trustworthy and reliable

AS A VOLUNTEER WE WOULD ASK YOU TO

· Support the Mission and Vision of Age UK East Sussex by helping us to ensure that our county is a place where people in later life flourish

· Be available to volunteer for at least one regular shift each week. This could be a morning, afternoon or whole day. Depending on the store we open Monday – Sunday.

· Adhere to Age UK East Sussex confidentiality and equal opportunities policies maintaining discretion and confidentiality at all times

· Be reliable and conscientious

· Attend all training and information days, group meetings and supervision

· Exercise patience and understanding when dealing with customers

AS A VOLUNTEER WE WILL OFFER YOU

· An induction and ongoing training with support sessions if required

· Reimbursement of out of pocket travelling expenses

· Full recognition of the time, energy and skills volunteers freely give - for

example long service and merit awards

· The opportunity to be part of a friendly team

· Respect for volunteer’s limitations, both in time and emotional involvement

· The opportunity to meet other volunteers and attend occasional social events

· The opportunity to be involved in the planning and development of Age UK East

Sussex

· Appropriate insurance cover - to protect you whilst you are acting on behalf of

Age UK East Sussex

· The opportunity to enhance your skills in a retail environment.

We place great value on our volunteers - who bring so much to the organisation. Their time, energy and commitment are recognised and greatly appreciated.

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 to find out more about how we help older people in the local area.

Our Stock Preparation Volunteers always enjoy being part of our shop teams; making new friends and helping the charity to maximise the income from the amazing items people donate to us.

In this role you will usually be working in our donation sorting area, which is off the shop floor. Here you will help the team process, prepare and price the items people donate.

We receive hundreds of bags of clothing, bric-a-brac, toys, games and all sorts of items every week. You will help us to turn these into vital funds to support our work.

After full training you will be part of our processing team; sorting through the donated items, identifying those which we should sell, preparing them and pricing before they are put onto the shop floor.

You may have a particular area of experience, such as clothing, books or antiques. Your skills and knowledge will help us to gain the best value for each item and some of our volunteers even coordinate entire sections, such as a book rooms within our stores.

When people come in to donate their items you will be helping to thank them for their support. Many items are Gift Aided so when processing the items you will ensure that Gift Aid labels are attached so that we can gain this additional vital income.

You will help to make our products look amazing; steaming clothes (if this is your area) and helping to clean and make every item look great and ready for sale.

It would be ideal if you could volunteer at least one shift a week, which is about three 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!

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.

Become a Cadet Unit Leader – Inspire. Support. Lead.
Opportunity in Basingstoke: Volunteer Police Cadet Unit Leader

Are you looking for a role where you can make a real and lasting difference to young people in your community? We are currently recruiting Volunteer Police Cadet Unit Leaders for our Basingstoke unit.

This is a unique opportunity to guide and inspire young people while developing your own leadership, communication and organisational skills.

Why Become a Unit Leader?

As a Unit Leader, you will play a vital part in supporting young people during some of the most important years of their development.

You will help cadets to:
• Build confidence and resilience
• Develop transferable life skills
• Feel supported by consistent, positive adult role models
• Understand and contribute to their community
• Explore future opportunities, including potential careers in policing

The role also makes a meaningful contribution to community safety by supporting engagement events, crime‑prevention activities and early‑intervention opportunities.

What the Role Involves

You will be responsible for:
• Planning and coordinating weekly cadet sessions
• Delivering an engaging, inclusive curriculum
• Organising and supporting community safety and engagement events
• Acting as the main point of contact for parents and guardians
• Promoting the cadet unit within the local area
• Managing records, budgets, and risk assessments
• Ensuring the welfare, safety, and development of all cadets and volunteers

This is a varied and rewarding role where you can genuinely shape the experiences of young people and fellow volunteers.

Who We Are Looking For

We welcome volunteers from all backgrounds, prior cadet or youth‑work experience is not required. What matters most is your ability to:
• Communicate effectively
• Motivate and support young people
• Demonstrate patience, empathy, and commitment
• Uphold the constabulary’s values of respect, empathy, courage, and public service

Training and Support

All volunteers receive:
• Safeguarding training
• A full induction
• Ongoing CPD and skills development (e.g., first aid, conflict management)
• Support from the wider Cadet Team and fellow leaders

Help us support young people as they grow, learn, and contribute to their communities.

Across the UK, our volunteer groups play a vital part in supporting people affected by MS, bringing people together and connecting our local MS communities.

As an Activities Organiser, you'll bring your skills, energy and enthusiasm to lead, develop and plan activities and events with your local group. You’ll get involved in creating and coordinating an annual calendar of events, making sure they’re run safely and effectively, to be accessible to our MS community. You’ll take a lead role at events on the day, inspiring your fellow volunteers to get involved.  

Across the UK, our volunteer groups play a vital part in supporting people affected by MS, bringing people together and connecting our local MS communities.

As an Administration Volunteer you’ll play an essential role in your local group.

You’ll act as the first point of contact for the group and circulate information to other volunteers and members. You’ll ensure that data and details are kept up to date, to comply with data protection legislation.

In this role you’ll develop your administration and organisation skills. 

Across the UK, our volunteer groups play a vital part in supporting people affected by MS, bringing people together and connecting our local MS communities.

As a Group Coordinator, you’ll take the lead in making sure your local group reaches out to people affected by MS.

The role is varied, and will enable you to further develop your leadership, management, communication, organisation and motivation skills.

Across the UK, our volunteer groups play a vital part in supporting people affected by MS, bringing people together and connecting our local MS communities.

As our local group Lead Support Volunteer you’ll help recruit a team of Support Volunteers. You’ll support them to deliver telephone, face-to-face and online assistance to people affected by MS.

In this role you’ll develop your leadership, communication, organisation and team building skills.

Across the UK, our volunteer groups play a vital part in supporting people affected by MS, bringing people together and connecting our local MS communities.

As a Health and Safety Volunteer you’ll make sure all local group volunteers are aware of their health and safety responsibilities. You’ll help them understand and follow guidelines and procedures to coordinate safe activities.

In this role you’ll gain experience of health and safety, as well as develop your organisation, admin and communication skills.

Across the UK, our volunteer groups play a vital part in supporting people affected by MS, bringing people together and connecting our local MS communities.

As a Communications Volunteer you’ll play a key role in promoting your group to people in your area affected by MS, and helping them feel connected. You could be editing newsletters, responding to information requests, or developing engaging content for social media — depending on what the group needs.

In this role you’ll develop your writing skills, and gain experience of communicating across a range of digital channels.

Most importantly you’ll be helping us engage with lots of people and get the word out to people with MS about support to help them live their lives to the full.

Across the UK, our volunteer groups play a vital part in supporting people affected by MS, bringing people together and connecting our local MS communities.

As a Fundraising Volunteer, you’ll provide much-needed help looking after fundraising relationships, and with fundraising activities and events. You’ll help us look after the supporters who are fundraising for us — to make sure they’re happy and feel part of what we do. You’ll also support us with planning and running events, including preparation and making sure everything runs smoothly on the day.

In this role you’ll develop your organisation, communication and team working skills.

Become a fundraising volunteer team leader!

Help make a difference to cats and people.

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.

You can expect us to

• make you feel welcome, included and respected in line with our values and behaviours
• support you in having a positive and impactful experience at Cats Protection
• cover agreed out-of-pocket expenses in line with our Expenses Policy
• provide you with access to learning, development and engagement opportunities

What we need from you

You'll be:

• 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

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.

You may be just the volunteer we've been looking for!

We are committed to building a diverse, compassionate and inclusive organisation where everyone can be themselves and do their best. We are courageous and compassionate in our purpose of helping people see the world through cats’ eyes. Together, we can make a difference. Together, we are all for cats. Join the UK’s leading cat welfare charity and help make a better life for cats, because life is better with cats.

Become a Fundraising Volunteer!

Help make a better life for cats – because life is better with cats

Our vision for volunteering

Volunteering is, and always will be, at the heart of Cats Protection. It’s joyful, inclusive, and driven by people working together to transform the lives of cats, people, and communities. When you volunteer with us, you become part of something truly meaningful.

The difference you’ll make

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, Cats Protection helps thousands of cats every year. Our fundraising volunteers play a vital role in making this possible. By using your passion for cats and people, you’ll help raise the funds needed to support more cats and kittens in need.

As a fundraising volunteer, we’ll support you to get involved in a way that suits you best. Whether you enjoy organising events, fundraising online, promoting activities on social media, helping with administration, or coming up with fresh ideas — there’s a place for you here. Whatever your skills or interests, this could be the perfect role.

What you can expect from us

• A warm, welcoming, and inclusive environment in line with our values and behaviours
• Support to help you have a positive and impactful volunteering experience
• Agreed out-of-pocket expenses covered in line with our Expenses Policy
• Access to learning, development, and engagement opportunities

What we need from you

This is a highly flexible role, and you can choose how you’d like to get involved. Opportunities include:

• Face-to-face fundraising – organising or helping at fundraising events, running supermarket collections and fundraising stands, and monitoring collection tins
• Online fundraising – setting up online appeals and writing engaging cat case studies to maximise donations
• Marketing and promotion – spreading the word about fundraising activities via social media and local press
• Administration – processing donations, sorting and recording donated goods, and completing Gift Aid paperwork
• Championing our work – helping to develop new fundraising ideas and increasing community engagement
• Photography – capturing images of cats in care, cats we’re helping, fundraising events, and all things Cats Protection

Time commitment

This role is flexible and designed to fit around your other commitments. You’ll be part of a friendly team raising vital funds — and having fun along the way.

You could be just the volunteer we’re looking for

We’re committed to building a diverse, compassionate, and inclusive organisation where everyone can be themselves and do their best. Together, we’re courageous and compassionate in helping people see the world through cats’ eyes.

Join the UK’s leading cat welfare charity and help make a better life for cats. Together, we are all for cats.