Operations Volunteer Roles

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 should:

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).

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

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.

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

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. 

Driver 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.

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:

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

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

• Ability to follow procedures and instructions

• Good verbal communication skills

• High respect for Health & Safety procedures and standards

• Reliability and ability to commit to pre-agreed volunteer shifts

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 4pm. 

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.

About the Donated Stock Team

The Donated Stock Team is responsible for driving stock donations across the whole of retail and stimulating partnerships that will lead to stock donations. We also work on for brand awareness through social media to encourage more people to donate stock.

The team is incredibly passionate about the work they do and are proud of their achievements, including increasing stock donations by +50% year-to-date and winning the Sense Team Award for Professional excellence. This role provides our team the support to help raise income through our shops with a focus on helping us coordinate our stock and by providing administrative support.

Key duties

· Answering queries from the Sense shops.

· Supporting with donated stock campaigns.

· Carry out activities to promote stock generation.

· Data administration tasks.

· Promote volunteering and fundraising opportunities within local communities.

Skills & qualities

· Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

· Passionate about Sense’s mission and the positive impact recycling and reusing pre-loved clothing can have on our world.

· Able to engage with people from all backgrounds.

· Able to create and maintain and accurate records.

· Self-motivated and supportive of other team members.

· Organised and able to prioritise effectively.

· Creative, able to innovate to find new ways to generate stock.

· Good level of IT literacy.

· Experience of working/volunteering in a similar environment is helpful, but not essential.

What Sense offers

· A full induction with ongoing support and guidance from the Donated Stock team.

· The chance to be involved in a wide range of exciting activities and events.

· The opportunity to make an invaluable contribution to Sense and the people we support.

· A reference for other paid or voluntary work (available on request).

· A way to put your skills and experience to practice, helping reduce waste to landfill and helping Sense achieve our mission.

· Our site has free parking available to our volunteers.

Our values

Everything we do is underpinned by five core values. These values shape the way we work as we pursue our vision of a world where no one, no matter how complex their disabilities, is isolated, left out, or unable to fulfil their potential.

· We include

· We collaborate

· We find a way

· We challenge

· We celebrate

About the Donated Stock Team

The Donated Stock Team is responsible for driving stock donations across the whole of retail and stimulating partnerships that will lead to stock donations. We also work on for brand awareness through social media.

The team is incredibly passionate about the work they do and are proud of their achievements, including increasing stock donations by +50% year to date and winning the Sense Team Award for Professional Excellence. This role provides our team the support to help raise income through our shops with a focus organisation administrative support.

Key duties

· Supporting Sense Shops to grow their social media presence with a focus on encouraging people to donate their stock.

· Creating support material to encourage people to recycle, reuse and declutter pre-loved clothing and items within local communities around our shops.

· Plan activities to increase growth through targeted outreach.

· Collate and manage data to measure impact.

· Connect with community groups, local schools, and other organisations.

Skills & qualities

· Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

· Experience of working with Instagram and Facebook.

· Passionate about Sense’s mission and the positive impact recycling and reusing pre-loved clothing can have on our world.

· Able to engage professionally with people from all backgrounds.

· Able to create and maintain and accurate records.

· Self-motivated and supportive of other team members.

· Organised and able to prioritise effectively.

· Creative, able to innovate to find new ways to generate stock.

· Good level of IT literacy.

· Experience of social media and marketing would is preferred, but not essential.

What Sense offers

· A full induction with ongoing support and guidance from the Donated Stock team.

· The chance to be involved in a wide range of exciting activities and events.

· The opportunity to make an invaluable contribution to Sense and the people we support.

· A reference for other paid or voluntary work (available on request).

· A way to put your skills and experience to practice, helping reduce waste to landfill and helping Sense achieve our mission.

· Our site has free parking available to our volunteers.

Our values

Everything we do is underpinned by five core values. These values shape the way we work as we pursue our vision of a world where no one, no matter how complex their disabilities, is isolated, left out, or unable to fulfil their potential.

· We include

· We collaborate

· We find a way

· We challenge

· We celebrate

Would you like to help end food poverty and tackle climate change and CO2 emissions in Greater Manchester, whilst at the same time gaining valuable CV-enhancing experience and skills?

What we offer you

• Induction, training and support from the staff of FareShare and its parent charity, EMERGE 3Rs.

• Practical experience and transferable skills in warehousing and food redistribution.

• Reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses  – up to £5.80 for travel and up to £3 for lunch, upon completion of a 4 hour shift. (We can also provide you with lunch if you don't bring your own).

• A reference after 2 months with us.

• An understanding of warehousing and logistics, and the importance of food surplus and recycling initiatives to both the community and the environment.

As a sustainability charity, we take surplus food that's donated to us by manufacturers and retailers and redistribute it to people in need across the city region. The front line initiatives we support include food banks, schools, community groups and charities who, in turn, help people who are disadvantaged by poverty.

Our vital work supports people experiencing extreme hardship and prevents perfectly good food going to landfill, where it would otherwise contribute to climate warming. 

We need helping hands in our busy warehouse to receive and catalogue supplies, to load and unload vans, and to prepare orders for delivery. In return we offer training and support to help you obtain skills and experience to boost your CV if you are seeking work. If you're not aiming for employment, volunteering with is is rewarding in many other ways; offering an opportunity to make new friends, keep physically active and 

This role is vital to the work of FareShare, ensuring that the food delivered to our warehouse is correctly sorted, labelled and organised into orders placed by our charities and community groups, (who we call Community Food Members).

It is perfect for someone who is:

a) Looking for a practical activity.

b) Looking for experience and skills to gain employment in the food industry, warehousing and customer service.

c) Wanting to help their community and/or help tackle global warming.

d) Wanting to make new friends.

e) Wanting to keep busy and/or physically fit.

Our volunteer opportunities 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 for one day a week.

What will I be doing?

Receiving, sorting, cataloguing and storing chilled and ambient surplus food in a warehouse, and preparing orders for delivery. You’ll also assist customers when they come to pick up their orders.

• Ensuring food quality and safety by checking ‘use by’ and ‘best before’ dates.

• Sorting and unpacking deliveries, categorising and recording food.

• Assembling food orders placed by charities and community groups.

• Assisting our Community Food Members with their food order collections. 

• Maintaining health and safety and food hygiene standards. 

• Helping with cleaning and other tasks as identified by warehouse staff.

Person Specification 

• Must be physically fit to carry out tasks including lifting and loading.

• Have a good command of English in order to understand and follow instructions and health and safety rules. 

• Have basic literacy and numeracy skills to record quantities and types of food donated.

• Able to work in a manner that respects Health and Safety standards.

• Be happy to complete tasks independently according to instruction.

• Be positive, friendly and enthusiastic about tackling food waste and food poverty.

Must be reliable and able to commit to an agreed session/day.

We are located in our brand new depot at Maynard House, New Smithfield Market, Openshaw, Manchester M11 2WJ.

Whether you’re a jobseeker interested in a career in construction or woodwork, a student or recent college graduate seeking experience, or just someone with spare time on your hands, wanting to do something positive and meet new people, volunteering with the Touch Wood project at EMERGE 3Rs may be just the ticket!

Touch Wood is a wood recycling and upcycling initiative, which collects surplus and waste wood and timber and gives it a new lease of life.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

* Preparing wood for resale

* Assisting with the construction of wooden products, from small household items to pieces of furniture

Our Touch Wood volunteers are able to gain skills in practical woodworking, as we offer hands-on experience of working with reclaimed timber; from making basic lumber products ready for resale, through to assisting with the creation of bespoke items, such as kitchen equipment and home and garden furniture.

Full training in woodworking and health and safety is provided, along with Personal Protection Equipment.

The UK generates around 5 million tonnes of wood waste every year, but less than 1% is reused. Touch Wood rescues waste timber that would otherwise be landfilled or turned into woodchip; creating jobs and training opportunities for disadvantaged local people at the same time. We collect from construction sites, industrial estates and other commercial sources, reclaiming everything from pallets to indoor cycle tracks – you name it, we take it! Anything we can’t reuse is locally recycled, so nothing goes to waste.  This reduces the carbon emissions associated with disposing of waste wood, offers cost savings for DIY enthusiasts, and provides training and job potential to volunteers in the workshop. Some of the timber we work with comes from high profile sources, including the entire track of the Manchester Velodrome cycling centre and wood removed in the recent refurbishment of Manchester’s historic Town Hall!

Our skilled team of staff and volunteers often use reclaimed timber to create beautiful and practical products, such as home and garden furniture. We regularly create bespoke pieces to order; some of it for famous clients like Olympic cycling champions Jason and Laura Kenny, for whom we made a table from the Manchester Velodrome track.

Please be advised that our volunteers require a fair level of physical fitness and manual dexterity as the role is entirely practical.

Our Touch Wood workshop and wood store is open Mon-Fri, 8.30am - 4pm (or outside of these hours only by arrangement). We occupy a unit at Maynard House, inside New Smithfield Market, in Openshaw, North Manchester, which is accessed from the main entrance on Whitworth Street East (off Ashton Old Road).

We are seeking volunteers to assist in our busy surplus food warehouse, where the role includes:

• Ensuring food quality and safety by checking use by and best before dates.

• Sorting and unpacking deliveries, categorising and recording food quantities.

• Assisting our Community Food Member partners with food order collections during scheduled visits to our base. 

• Maintaining high standards of health and safety and food hygiene during sessions.

• Helping with cleaning and other tasks identified by warehouse staff.

The opportunity provides you with skills and training to boost your employability by gaining experience in the food industry, warehousing and customer service, or just enables you to give back to your community, whilst tackling food waste and climate change. It is also perfect for someone who is looking for a practical activity to help boost or maintain fitness.

FareShare is a national charity that fights food poverty and climate change by tackling food waste.

We source food that is surplus to requirements from food retailers and manufacturers, and engage many volunteers to help redistribute this to local Community Food Members (CFMs), who provide meals to people and families experiencing food poverty.

We operate from our FareShare Greater Manchester regional centre, which is based on New Smithfield Market in Openshaw, and has been run by EMERGE 3Rs since 2008.

This role is vital to the work of FareShare; ensuring that the food delivered to our warehouse is correctly sorted, labelled and organised into the orders placed by our charities and community groups.

You will be required to complete introductory sessions before you are confirmed in the role.

Driver

Do you enjoy driving? Why not combine the good you can do through volunteering with a chance to explore your local area, engaging in good conversation, by driving blind and partially sighted people from their homes to local activities using your own vehicle?

Where?

Chesham

What you will be doing?

Drive to BucksVision social groups and activities; sighted guiding.

What skills and experience are needed?

· Friendly and professional attitude, reliable and punctual

· Willingness to work independently

· Full Driver’s License

· Valid MOT certificate and proof of insurance

What will you gain from the role?

· A chance to make a difference

· Sense of purpose

· Build confidence, and improve wellbeing

· Working with people with sight loss

What support will be given?

· Induction

· Training Day, including sight loss awareness and sighted guiding

· Ongoing training and development opportunities

· Expenses

· Support from your Volunteer Manager and local Divisional volunteers.

Criminal Record Check Information/DBS

This role will require a Disclosure and Barring Check (Enhanced working with adults), as it involves supporting vulnerable people in a 1-2-1 basis.

Role context

The Federation of the Royal Colleges of Physicians, based in the UK and works internationally, is a collaborative partnership between the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow and the Royal College of Physicians of London.

The Federation is seeking to appoint representatives to their Specialty Advisory Committees.

Purpose and scope

Lay involvement in the management and organisation of our work is essential.  Lay representatives act as a ‘critical friend’, contribute experience from outside the professional group, and provide an external, non-medical perspective to the decision making process. They provide input into the external quality assurance of the examinations delivery, support the officers of their board or committee in delivering examinations and meeting the requirements set by the General Medical Council (GMC). Successful applicants will become full members of the respective boards and committees and will actively participate in their work and projects. We are seeking lay representatives for various Specialist Advisory Committees (SACs) and Management and Policy (MaP) Boards. Please note that the format of meetings may be conducted in-person, hybrid or entirely remotely.

Federation lay representatives are non-salaried positions although applicants should note all reasonable expenses and travel costs will be reimbursed in line with the expenses policy.

The Joint Royal College of Physicians Training Board (JRCPTB) improves patient care by setting and maintaining standards for the highest quality of physician training in the UK.

JRCPTB is responsible for:

• The production of specialty curricula, including workplace based assessments, for 32 medical specialties and 2 subspecialties, as well as Internal Medicine Training (IMT)
• Providing external advice to Deaneries on quality management of training in different locations as part of the General Medical Council’s Quality Framework
• Recording and monitoring trainees’ progress and making recommendations for the award of specialty certification
• External stakeholder management through the work of Speciality Advisory Committees
• International Development activities.

Lay representatives for JRCPTB can be non- health care professionals with an interest in medical training who have the ability to represent the interests of the lay public to consultant physicians.

CPD Management and Policy Board:

• The CPD Management and Policy Board are accountable to the Senior Leadership team (SLT), and through them to the Federation Board.

MRCP(UK) are responsible for:

• Developing and delivering postgraduate medical examinations around the world on behalf of the three Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK.

How to apply

If you are interested in a role, please provide a current CV and a brief covering letter outlining your relevant experience and suitability to the role to us or apply online.

Recruitment will close on 28 April 2024, and applicants will be invited to an informal remote meeting with representatives from the Federation to confirm suitability for the role before appointments are confirmed. Should you have a specialist interest or a potential conflict of interest please disclose this within your application.

The RCP positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, transgender status, religion or belief, marital status or pregnancy and maternity.

The RCP is all about our people – our members, staff, volunteers and leaders. We educate, influence and collaborate to improve health and healthcare for everyone and know we can only do this by being inclusive, encouraging and celebrating diverse perspectives. Welcoming into our community people who represent the 21st-century medical workforce and the diverse population of patients we serve is a priority for us.

Wymering Manor Trust

Would you like to join the Wymering Manor Trust? Are you passionate about local heritage and the role it can play in enriching its local communities.We are looking for new trustees to help us restore Portsmouth’s Elizabethan gem. 

Our aim is to repair, restore, and build a sustainable future for the manor, for local people to enjoy as their ‘home from home’, as we manage the building to earn its keep by letting rooms for events, meetings, education and training, putting on plays, ghost hunting, socialising and new activities. Once restored, it will be a centre for the local community and a catalyst for regeneration of this area of the city, offering help in wellbeing, tackling loneliness and isolation, developing personal skills and bringing the community together to shape its future.

We’re are currently aiming to raise the funding we need to repair the main structure of the building.We have consultants’ plans for business development, financial feasibility, design options, audience development, catering and weddings and interpretation.We are also looking to develop the option of becoming a Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Building Conservation.

To make our plans a reality, we are seeking new trustees who recognise the contemporary role of heritage places, spaces and culture, and who value the contribution they make in creating and sustaining social, educational, environmental and economic development, as well as supporting the importance of volunteering to our community. Together, the trustees will shape the next key stages of the manor’s future.We are particularly interested in applications from people with specific expertise or experience in any of the following:

*historic building conservation practice

*fundraising, local, regional and UK wide

*public relations, communications and marketing

*the role of heritage, heritage practices, tangible and intangible cultural heritage 

*commercial and/or property legal experience.

Trustees meet once a month on a Wednesday evening and also attend quarterly meetings with the volunteers.

Cambridge SCA is looking for new trustees to lead and support the charity with their enthusiasm, skills and oversight.

We’re a small charity, but one with a large impact on Cambridge residents and students. 

For almost 50 years we’ve been encouraging the involvement of students in voluntary community work, providing services to disadvantaged groups in the community and giving students a valuable learning experience. 

To do this, we offer a number of our own group and 1-to-1 volunteering projects, promote and support external volunteering opportunities, and offer some one-off volunteering events. We also offer a DBS service to other organisations.

We would like to hear from anyone who would be interested in joining the CARA Board of Trustees.   Please see our CARA Trustee Role Description below for details of what is involved, and the qualities, skills and expertise we are looking for.   If you would be interested in becoming a CARA Trustee, please contact us explaining why you would like to become a CARA Trustee, and providing a brief summary of the skills you would bring to the CARA Board.

Please note that  this is an unpaid role.  Trustees' travel and other expenses will be covered.

Role Description

CARA (Centre for Action on Rape and Abuse) works with victims and survivors of sexual violence and child sexual abuse, providing independent, specialist support and promoting and representing their rights and needs. CARA works with adults of all genders, young people (aged 12-19) and children aged under 12 from across mid and north Essex.

Over the last 8 years, CARA has grown significantly. Our client numbers have more than quadrupled and we now offer a wide range of services to victims and survivors of all ages and genders. We currently have a team of 40 full and part-time staff and over 20 sessional counsellors.

CARA is interested in hearing from people who might like to join our Board. As a CARA Board member, you will have an opportunity to be actively involved in the running of a forward-thinking and fastdeveloping feminist charity. Our Board of trustees provide strategic direction and governance to CARA, supporting the management team and overseeing all aspects of our work. CARA’s Board of Trustees are also registered as our directors for the purposes of company law.

CARA trustees have the following statutory duties and responsibilities:

• To set and maintain vision, mission and values.

• To develop strategy.

• To establish and monitor policies.

• To set up employment procedures.

• To ensure compliance with CARA’s governing document (constitution).

• To ensure accountability.

• To ensure compliance with the law.

• To maintain proper financial oversight.

• To respect the role of staff.

• To maintain effective Trustees performance.

• To promote CARA.

Other duties:

In addition to the above statutory duties, each trustee should use any specific skills, knowledge or experience they have to help the Board reach sound decisions. This may involve:

• Scrutinising board papers.

• Leading and contributing to discussions.

• Focusing on key issues.

• Providing guidance on new initiatives.

A CARA trustee should have the following qualities:

• Integrity

• The skills and experience to make informed decisions on governance of a charity.

• A commitment to CARA and our vision, mission, aims and values.

• Willingness to devote the necessary time and effort.

• Strategic vision.

• Good, independent judgement.

• Ability to think creatively.

• Understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship. Please refer to the Charity Commission guidance 

• Ability to work effectively as a member of a team.

Our current Board have a wide range of skills, and we regularly conduct skills audits to ensure our Board has the expertise needed to ensure CARA’s effective governance. To enhance our existing Board of Trustees, we are particularly seeking applications from people with the following skills and experiences:

• Business acumen

• Income generation

• Knowledge of the Women’s Sector

• Property and premises management.

People from Black and minority ethnic groups are currently under-represented on CARA’s Board of Trustees, and we particularly welcome applications from people from these groups. Applications from survivors of sexual violence or child sexual abuse are always welcome.

All members of CARA’s Board of Trustees are required to make a minimum commitment to the organisation. This includes attendance at Trustees meetings, which are held every other month, starting at 7.30pm. Meetings are usually held on Zoom, but occasional travel to Colchester for face-to-face meetings is also required.

All trustee appointments will be conditional on an enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check, and satisfactory references.

We are looking for an enthusiastic Kitchen Assistant to join the team in our exciting new community space! Plateful Cafe is a recently established charity that seeks to help refugees in the surrounding area into employment within the food and hospitality sector. We are opening a community cafe selling delicious Middle Eastern food such as hummus, falafels, salads, okra stew and much more! Our cafe will be staffed by people with refugee status and experiences of forced migration who are being trained to work in the food industry, as well as dedicated volunteers like you. If you are passionate about being part of a community that celebrates a diversity of cultures and delicious food, this is your opportunity to make a difference and join us on our exciting journey with Plateful Cafe.

Become a Hero on Wheels: Join Our Volunteer Minibus Driver Team!

Are you ready to embark on a rewarding journey where you can make a genuine impact on the lives of others?

As a Volunteer Minibus Driver, you’ll play a vital role in providing essential transportation services to residents in the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead who face mobility challenges.

By joining our team of dedicated volunteers, you’ll enable our buses to hit the road more frequently, ensuring that our service users have the independence they deserve.

Responsibilities

As a Volunteer Minibus Driver, your responsibilities will include:

• Safely driving passengers as scheduled, using our P2P minibuses.
• Displaying empathy and understanding when assisting elderly and disabled individuals.
• Receiving comprehensive training on the use of safety restraints in our fleet of vehicles.
• Following established procedures to ensure the comfort and safety of all passengers under your care.
• Demonstrating confidence in manoeuvring a minibus, even in tight spaces.

But wait, there’s more! Here’s what’s in it for you:

• Experience the joy of making a tangible difference in people’s lives.
• Collaborate with a diverse group of individuals, both independently and as part of a team.
• Leave a positive impact on your community, fostering a sense of belonging and support.
• And you get to claim your mileage back.

Requirements

To be considered for this opportunity, you’ll need to meet the following requirements:

• Hold a D1 category on your license for the vehicle you’ll be driving.
• Maintain a clean driving record, free from criminal or reckless offenses (checked annually by People to Places).
• Undergo an enhanced DBS check organised by People to Places, which will be repeated every three years.
• Familiarise yourself with and understand People to Places’ Safeguarding policy
• Sign the People to Places confidentiality agreement.
• Complete the MIDAS training provided by People to Places, which will be renewed every four years.

Ready to embark on this incredible journey? We’d love to work with you