About us
The RNLI has a network of local fundraising teams organising a wide range of activities and events, from coffee mornings to reindeer runs, emptying collection boxes to running an online fundraiser, raising vital funds to save lives at sea. Each team is supported by a Community Manager, although the range and frequency of fundraising events is determined by the team themselves.
We are keen to welcome new people with new ideas and skills to help raise vital funds to save lives at sea. By joining us you are you’ll be making a lifesaving difference as the RNLI’s champion in your community.
The impact you will make
You will enable volunteer RNLI lifeboat crews to save lives at sea by leading volunteers in vital fundraising activity in your local community.
What you will be doing
Creating attractive displays of souvenirs and gifts for sale at local events
Stock ordering and completion of relevant financial records
Recording and banking of sales income and completion of annual stock take.
Encouraging and welcoming a diverse group of new members/supporters into the RNLI and helping to drive our One Crew ethos.
What you need for this role
Enthusiasm
Good communication skills and personable manner
Ability to contribute as part of a team
Organisational skills
Customer service-related skills
Access to vehicle for stock transportation (related
expenses reimbursed in line with policy)
Basic numeracy
What’s in it for you
Join an inclusive and diverse organisation
Have fun, meet new people and join a motivated and enthusiastic team who are making a difference
Learn skills and gain experience to enhance your CV
Gain the satisfaction of giving back
Training to fulfil your volunteer role will be provided and reasonable out of pocket expenses reimbursed
Moray Reach Out offers a quality embroidery service with a difference providing excellent quality goods whilst delivering a successful training programme for people with learning disabilities. Moray Reach Out's Embroidery & Fine Gifts is a social enterprise and one of several Moray Reach Out projects, which offers adults with learning disabilities and individuals recovering from health issues a supportive and safe working environment.
Moray Reach Out's Embroidery and Fine Gifts Shop in Elgin is looking for volunteers to help support this project. If you have knowledge of needlework, embroidery or craft work, and would enjoy sharing your skill with our trainees, then please get in touch. We are a friendly and welcoming team and look forward to hearing from you.
Love Wool? Maybe you have a good knowledge of knitting? Fancy helping in our Yarns and Crafts project? Then, Moray Reach Out would love to hear from you. Yarns & Crafts is a fantastic yarn and haberdashery shop. We stock a wide range of quality yarn and our very own hand-spun wool, excellent range of buttons, ribbon and basic items for quilters and patchwork plus many other haberdashery items.
Our trainees have an opportunity to work and learn in the shop within a safe and supportive environment. They are able to learn skills associated with retail, from a training programme aimed at their individual needs, and some specific skills such as health and safety, money skills and window dressing.
We are looking for volunteers who are keen to help others and who are happy to share their knowledge to help our trainees and customers. The shop is open from Monday to Friday 9.30-4, and times are flexible to suit you. Volunteers will receive training on how the shop works, and tasks such as working the till.
From Monday – Friday our friendly and dedicated team of staff, volunteers and trainees steam, organise and label tonnes of items donated by the local community, including second-hand clothing and a range of one-off collectables.
Volunteers not only help in the shop but importantly also help our trainees learn and make the most of their experience in this friendly, supportive retail environment. Volunteering is flexible, please consider joining the team!
Volunteer in our shops
Our shop volunteers are helping us beat cancer right now.
In 2019/20, 14,000 volunteers gave 3.1 million hours of their time and sold items totalling £15million. These funds are helping us start new clinical trials and research treatments as we speak.
If you volunteer at a Cancer Research UK shop, you too could make a real difference to what we can achieve. Nothing we do would be possible without amazing volunteers like you.
You’ll also gain valuable skills to help develop your CV and experience. And you’ll volunteer alongside a wonderful team of passionate, friendly people who will support you every step of the way.
Volunteering is open to everyone and no experience is required. So, if you’re looking for a new challenge, we’d love to hear from you.
What do shop volunteers do?
Volunteering in our shops is varied, exciting and rewarding. No two days are the same and you have the chance to flex different skills regularly. There are always new opportunities to keep you engaged and help you grow and develop in your role.
While this list is not exhaustive, it gives you a flavour of some of the typical tasks in our charity shops:
Serving customers, taking payments and providing good all-round customer service
Sorting through donated items and pricing stock
Working on window and shop displays
Keeping the shop tidy, clean and well organised
Interacting with the general public
Following new health, safety and social distancing measures
You don’t need any experience to volunteer
You just need to be motivated, hardworking and enjoy being part of a team. There’ll be a full induction as well as ongoing training opportunities to make sure you’re fully confident and able to excel in your role.
Why should I volunteer?
Volunteering brings a wealth of benefits, both personal and professional.
Every volunteer hour you donate means we can sell 6 items and make £20 of income. So, if you volunteer for a 7-hour day, this can generate £140. That means that every day you volunteer, you’ll be raising more funds to beat cancer.
You’ll gain important skills that are hugely valued in the workplace such as teamwork, communication and using your initiative.
You can boost your CV by working towards an NVQ in Retail with Derby College, and we'll provide you with a reference.
It will allow you to get involved in your local community and to meet new friends.
Our friendly CRUK team will be there to support you all the way – offering guidance and helping you build your confidence.
It’s fun – you’ll gain real satisfaction from volunteering alongside our warm, friendly shop volunteers who will make you feel right at home.
The minimum age for volunteering in our shops is 18 . If you’re aged between 16 -18 you may still be able to volunteer in our shops, but you must be on a recognised scheme, for example, the Duke of Edinburgh.
Volunteer with us in our Inverurie shop and help make a real difference in your local community!
Our volunteers are vital in helping run our shops and raising funds to help make sure people with chest, heart and stroke conditions get the support they need to live their lives to the full.
This is an exciting role in our new Inverurie shop that would be suitable for someone looking to gain retail or customer service experience, or a friendly individual with a helpful disposition interested in making a contribution to their local community.
One of our wonderful shop volunteers Anne shares why she loves volunteering in store, “I wanted to learn new skills as well as get to know more people locally, so volunteering in the shop was ideal. I enjoy being part of the team! It’s good to feel useful and part of the successful running of the shop.”
Get in touch if you’d like to join our friendly team today!
Our volunteer end of till shoppers would be involved with providing our vital shopping service here at Food Train- a charity organisation which supports and assists local older people. Our end of till shoppers would be required to shop and help out at the end of the till in Morrisons in Dumfries on a Thursday. Our volunteers would be involved with interpreting order forms and shopping lists, packing them into boxes for our customers and completing a delivery sheet for each van.
Aberdeen Arts Centre is an independent arts venue and registered charity in the heart of Aberdeen, Scotland — delivering a varied programme of theatre, dance, music, spoken word, comedy, film and creative learning events.
We are currently looking for volunteers. You can combine all three of the roles below or partake in just one area that interests you.
Opportunities to Volunteer include:
• Front of House
• Café
• Bar
Front of House volunteers are responsible for greeting the audience, showing them to their seats and ensuring their well-being throughout the evening.
Café and Bar volunteers serve customers drinks and snacks before the show and in the interval. The bar may also remain open after the show for customers to stay and relax.
Full training will be provided for each position and you will be supported by our experienced team of current volunteers and staff throughout your time with us. Whether you can commit to several nights a week or only a few nights a month, we'd love to hear from you!
A fantastic opportunity to help at a leading arts, culture, community venue and charity. All volunteers make a real difference and are greatly appreciated.
For more details please contact Tanya Read, Operations Manager at email: info@aberdeenartscentre.com or telephone: 01224 635208.
*Why we need you:
At Social Bite we believe that no one should be hungry, there is enough food and wealth in the city that means we can do something about this. Food is a great way of meeting peoples’ needs as well as offering community, a listening ear, and sign posting people to other services they may need.
*What will you be doing?
As part of a team of volunteers and a Social Bite shop staff member, you will be:
• Preparing hot food, drinks, and setting up the shop to offer this take away service.
• Being a friendly face and talking to people about how they are doing.
• 'Signposting' people to various services provided by our partner charities e.g. housing/benefits advice, courses, drug/alcohol support.
• Inviting them to Social Suppers.
• Cleaning up after the session has finished.
*What support will you be given?
• Induction session with a background to the organisation, role specific training, and information about local services to sign post people towards.
• Regular opportunities to feedback to Volunteer Coordinator.
• Volunteer Calendar of events and Volunteer Bi Monthly Newsletter.
• FLOW Online Food hygiene and healthy & safety training.
• Quarterly refresher training evenings.
• Debrief with on-call staff member when needed. Induction session with a background to the organisation, role specific training, and information about local services to sign post people towards.
*What benefits can you expect?
• To be part of a fun and friendly team.
• Satisfaction of seeing vulnerable people benefit from the food and support we provide.
• The chance to develop skills and experience in a major charity/social enterprise, community work and catering.
A fantastic opportunity and all help makes a real difference for people we support and is greatly appreciated.
For more information please contact Aimee Smith, Social Bite Volunteer Coordinator at email aimee.smith@social-bite.co.uk or telephone 07849082973.
We are looking for volunteers to help in the Rosie's Shop at 45 - 49 Holburn Street.
Responsibilities would include taking framing orders, greeting and helping customers, cleaning and helping with shop displays, meeting sale or return suppliers and taking in and cataloguing stock and other associated tasks including interacting with our service users who are in recovery from mental ill health and acquired brain injury.
The shop hours are:
Monday to Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 9.30 - 4.30pm
Saturday 9.30 - 2.30pm
A variety of shifts are available within these times.
Maybe you are between jobs and looking for a way to fill a career gap or want to do something a bit different and enjoyable while supporting a local charity, please contact us at email: karenrobinson@turningpointscotland.com / alexpenter@turningpointscotland.com