Volunteering opportunities
Find out about the latest opportunities to help your local community.
Volunteer Uttlesford volunteer opportunities
Help at Saffron Walden Museum
Do you have a passion for history, or just like meeting people? Then maybe you can help out at the museum in Saffron Walden.
The museum currently has over 50 volunteers who give around 3,000 hours of help throughout the year.
Volunteers fulfil a number of different roles such as:
- running the welcome desk
- sorting and cataloguing human history collections
- helping to run the popular learning activities
The museum is always looking for new volunteers to join the team on a regular basis or to just to provide ad-hoc cover.
To find out more, visit the museum website, call 01799 510333 or email museum@uttlesford.gov.uk
Provide technical help to hearing aid wearers
Support service technical volunteers are needed by a local charity, to help new wearers of NHS hearing aids.
Volunteers are given training so that they can provide practical help and advice about hearing aids, including cleaning and re-tubing a hearing aid. (Tubes need replacing every 4-6 months.)
The work will normally take place at the charity's regular hearing aid support service sessions. Volunteers may be asked to make home visits as and when required, but only when they are fully trained and confident to do so.
Volunteers must be good listeners, patient and personable. After training they will:
- have an understanding of hearing loss
- be able to communicate clearly with people living with hearing loss
- know how a hearing aid works
- be able to clean and re-tube, and change hearing aid batteries
- be able to give accurate advice
Collect vital physio equipment needed in developing countries
Volunteer drivers are needed by a local organisation that works with a charity that collects, refurbishes and sends unwanted equipment to developing countries for distribution to those in need. The equipment includes, wheelchairs, Zimmers, crutches, commodes, hospital beds, specialist chairs and support frames.
Using a van with tail-lift, volunteers collect equipment from depots, hospitals, schools and private houses in London, SE England and East Anglia. On other occasions, they transport it to the charity's workshop near York.
The role might involve one or two trips a month by arrangement with driving shared. Trips usually take part of or a whole day, depending on the distance involved and loading/unloading requirements.
Help residents get about
A local a charitable company operates a travel service for people in Uttlesford who are disabled, geographically isolated or elderly, and unable to use public transport. There are several volunteer roles waiting to be filled, including for drivers:
- Volunteers are needed a few days (or just evenings) per month to drive 15-seater minibuses with a tail-lift for wheelchairs. They would take elderly and disabled people on a day out, maybe to the seaside or a garden centre, or for other popular activities that they may not otherwise be able to do. No special driving test is involved, although training will be given. Volunteers must have a clean driving licence and must be fairly fit, as they may be required to wheel/clamp wheelchairs
- Drivers with a clean licence and willing to use their own cars are needed to take people to hospital appointments. There may be some longer journeys to London hospitals or Colchester. The driver collects 45p per mile from the passenger at the end of the journey to cover expenses - no paperwork. Drivers are especially needed in the Saffron Walden area
Help families improve their health and wellbeing
Volunteer mentors are needed to engage and inspire families who need support. They will help families and children (aged 8-19) to take part in new activities, develop new skills and build their confidence.
The aims of this scheme include the following:
- supporting parents, children and families to make positive lifestyle choices
- enabling families to recognise their achievements and positive behaviours, so as to build confidence and skills
- helping those who are having difficulties to access support services and activities
- encouraging families to find solutions to challenges and to be better connected in their local community
Mentors will learn new skills and gain satisfaction from making a difference to families, being part of a team, and supporting their local community.
This role may include evenings and weekends but is fully flexible. Volunteers should provide support for a minimum of once a week for approximately two hours, over a ten-week period.
Skills and qualifications: commitment, reliability and resilience; a desire to help others; empathy and respect for others' situations; confidentiality; interpersonal skills.
Volunteers must adhere to, safeguarding policies.
Our charity shops need YOU!
Post-lock down, charity shops are back in action. Income from these shops is vital to the functioning of many organisations that provide essential services to people in need. Shop customers also appreciate the many bargains on sale, and the shops are an important part of local communities.
Customers are returning to their local charity shops, which are currently very well stocked thanks to the many donations that have been made recently. (Many of us sorted through our possessions during lock down and found things that we no longer needed!)
But the charities badly need more volunteers to staff their shops. Volunteers undertake a variety of tasks. Typically, these include: serving customers on the till, keeping the shop looking clean and tidy, creating window displays, promoting gift-aid among donors and customers, stock-taking and administration. Volunteers must be friendly and helpful, enjoy working in a team and have an interest in the charity that they are supporting.
Volunteer Uttlesford is currently recruiting for several of the local charity shops. Please contact us for more information.
Additional information
Email: volunteer@volunteeruttlesford.org.uk
Tel. 01799 510525.
The office is open Monday to Thursday 9.00 am to 2.00 PM.