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Scotland Versus Arthritis is looking for individuals willing to lead short health walks in your area, lead on other physical activities, or facilitate virtual support groups. Full training and on-going support for volunteers will be available. We are also looking for expressions of interest from anyone keen to become an instructor of Tai Chi or Qi Gong for arthritis. The current Covid restrictions have meant that for many the wait for treatment may be a year or more away. Painkilling prescriptions are seldom more than a temporary relief. Support and exercise can however offer a better way to self manage the daily on-going pain and fatigue. In readiness for the eventual lifting of lockdown we are asking, can you spare an hour or two each month to help? Please contact your local Development Officer, Dr. P. Neville, p.neville@versusarthritis.org or phone 07501 501114 for details.

Disability Equality Scotland is a national charity working to make life more accessible, equal and inclusive for disabled people in Scotland. We are the umbrella organisation for all local disability Access Panels in Scotland, providing them with support and guidance to improve the lives of disabled people at a local level throughout Scotland. Our Nairn panel is currently operating in Moray and would welcome new volunteers to support their work. What is an Access Panel? Access Panels are groups of volunteers who work to improve access and inclusion for disabled people in their local community. They do this by raising awareness and helping to change attitudes among the general public about the need for inclusive access. Access Panels are made up of people of all ages and abilities who share a passion for the issues faced by disabled people. With the help of Disability Equality Scotland as the national umbrella body, Access Panels support their communities to become as accessible as possible, particularly in relation to the built environment, healthcare, employment, education, and transport.

Ability Net's network of volunteers provide free tech support to enable older and disabled people to make full use of their home technology. They are seeking volunteers in Moray to join their IT Can Help network to support people with their IT or computer needs. This role involves contacting and supporting clients, feeding back on progress, and supporting the local Co-ordinator with promoting the IT Can Help service in the local area. Volunteers will take all necessary precautions to ensure that both volunteer and client stay as safe as possible, and volunteers and clients will wear face coverings and social distance where possible. If you like to help others, have good IT and computing skills, knowledge of standard operating systems and software and the ability to communicate well, please consider volunteering with our growing in Moray! Roles are flexible and can fit around your schedule, too.

Volunteering with the Forres, Nairn & District RDA is one of the most rewarding things you can do, not only for the children who will benefit enormously from your contribution, but also you personally will gain so much. We need volunteers who can help in any number of ways, not just helping on the rides, or being directly involved with the ponies. From crazy fundraisers to baking cakes, event organising to poo picking, as well as walking with riders, volunteering with us is so rewarding for all involved. No experience of horses necessary as there are so many things that volunteers can do where they don’t need to be in charge of a horse/pony and all training can be provided. Volunteer opportunities will be allocated depending on preferences of the volunteer. The Forres & Nairn group RDA is currently held at Muiryhall near Elgin. Sessions are 9.30- 1pm and are only in term time. The children come by minibus from many of the local primary and secondary schools. They are the ONLY RDA group to not charge anything to the riders and they receive no central funding so everything has to be fundraised. To operate safely they need many volunteers as they often need 3 volunteers/pony depending on the disability.

The Ladybird Development Group is a small local nursery and charity based in Lossiemouth which cares for pre-school children with disabilities. The Group would like to welcome some new faces onto their committee, to help oversee the management of the nursery and to help with fundraising. They would be delighted to hear from anyone with an interest in assisting the Group to continue providing this wonderful service to such brave small children, who often experience disadvantage through no fault of their own. Fund-raising can also be great fun, and new ideas are always welcome. Visit https://www.theladybirdgroup.com/ and get in touch for a chat!

Seagull Trust Cruises provide free canal cruises for the elderly, infirm, and those with special needs. Founded back in 1978, and operating from 4 Scottish bases, we are wholly run by volunteers, and 100% funded by grants and donations. Our Ratho team are currently looking for a fundraising coordinator, who working with others in the team, can source grant opportunities, liaise with potential funders, prepare quality application forms, and process through to successful completions. Liaison with our Executive Board will be required to ensure a consistency and avoid duplication in applications. You will be an excellent written communicator to identify and apply for trust and corporate grants. You will be researching funding opportunities and writing grant applications for the charity, keeping records on appropriate grant giving bodies, (application closing dates and processes), and reporting back to donors the difference their grant has made. You will also keep in touch with the team at local and executive level about the progress of applications. This is an exciting opportunity to work with one of the most respected charities operating on the Scottish Canal network.

We are currently looking for additional crew members to join our team of enthusiastic volunteers based in Ratho, to assist with welcoming our passengers onto our boats for their canal cruising experience. You will then cruise with other members of the team ensuring an enjoyable, safe and comfortable experience for all on board. Cruises run in the mornings and afternoons (occasional evenings) and normally last 2 - 3 hours max. Many members only crew for one of the sessions, and only on their preferred day(s) for volunteering. Full training will be given ~ you may even be given the opportunity to drive the boats (under supervision of course !!!)

SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity is a trusted source of support for serving personnel, veterans and their families in their time of need. As part of this we have great volunteer opportunities for people to help. This includes assisting as a Volunteer Branch Publicity Coordinator for SSAFA Grampian: *Role – Volunteer Branch Publicity Coordinator for SSAFA Grampian Could you raise SSAFA’s profile in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray? You don’t need a military background, just the ability to get on with all kinds of people, some basic I.T skills and good written and spoken English. If so, this role could be for you! *What is a Publicity Coordinator? As Publicity Coordinator you would work with SSAFA Grampian to develop a Publicity Plan. You would be central to delivering this local plan to raise awareness of SSAFA to potential clients, volunteers and funders. *Why do we need you in SSAFA Grampian? We’ve been supporting the Armed Forces community for more than 130 years. We’d love the general public to understand what we do and how they can help us. We need to recruit volunteers that reflect our local communities and raise money to fund our work. We need you to help us get the SSAFA message out! *When would you be needed and where would you be based? This role would suit someone looking to give a regular time commitment to SSAFA, although when and where would be flexible to suit you. *What would you be doing? • Working with the Branch Chair to develop a Publicity Plan to keep SSAFA Grampian’s profile high in the local area • Publicising SSAFA events and those where SSAFA will be represented • Work with Marketing/PR staff at central office to develop case studies of clients and volunteers • Developing and maintaining networks with local press, TV and radio outlets through providing press releases, interviews, case studies etc • Working with the Digital Team at Central Office and Grampian’s Digital Marketing Manager to develop and maintain a local on-line presence for the branch via a website and social media channels *What can you gain from this volunteering role? • Use your skills, knowledge and life experience to benefit others • Support from your local SSAFA branch and the wider SSAFA community • Experience, training and skills that you can highlight on your CV and in job interviews • Better physical and mental health – studies show that volunteers live longer and experience lower levels of stress and depression! A great opportunity to help. All help makes a real difference and is greatly appreciated. If you wish to volunteer/for further details please contact Julie Silva (Branch Secretary, Grampian) at email: Julie.Silva@grampian.ssafa.org.uk or telephone: 07879846200.

Become a Volunteer Befriender Want to make a difference to the lives of disabled people in your community? Discover new interests? Meet new people? Look no further than our fantastic volunteer befriending opportunity! Equal Futures creates connections for people with a learning disability or Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) and their family carers through Circles of Support, befriending and social events. By joining our caring and knowledgeable team you will support someone to build their confidence and access opportunities they might previously have been isolated from. You will benefit from training and on-going skills development. You will also receive friendly and professional support from our Project Coordinators. Our Befrienders play a crucial role within society. They can improve the self-esteem of someone with a learning disability who is lonely and isolated within their community. Befrienders also take the burden off other community services by simply providing someone with a friend to connect with. What will you do as a Volunteer Befriender? As part of the Circle of Support, Befrienders help a person we support build their confidence and participate in social activities within their community. This may include going for walks, participating in clubs or classes together, or attending Equal Future’s social events. Befrienders meet one-on-one with the person we support weekly or fortnightly. As a volunteer you may sometimes also offer kind and friendly support to not only the individual, but their family as well, depending on the circumstance. An Equal Futures Project Co-ordinator will be there for you throughout your entire volunteering experience. You’ll enjoy lots of benefits being a Volunteer Befriender, such as: • Learning from an experienced and knowledgeable team • Meeting new people and sharing insights • Volunteering on a flexible basis that fits in with your life • Access to free training and regular support • Social opportunities with other volunteers • Improved self-esteem and confidence • Improved communication skills • Advantageous for relevant careers • Reduced loneliness and better mental health • Feeling valued in our friendly team • Seeing the difference that you’re making We welcome applicants from all sections of the community. We will work flexibly with you to ensure your volunteering journey is a positive and satisfying experience. To apply, please contact: Donna.McCallum@equalfutures.org.uk | 0792 139 7615

The Trust provides free holidays with one-to-one care for over 140 children aged 4-16 every summer in various locations around the United Kingdom. The holidays are provided at no cost to the children’s families. Due to the high level of skilled care they require or financial circumstances, the children selected for these breaks would not otherwise receive a holiday. The holidays provide a range of fun activities in a safe and supported environment and use a care ratio of one helper to one child at all times. Each holiday includes at least one fully qualified nurse whose sole task is to take care of the children’s medical needs. The Trust is an entirely voluntary organisation and owes its success to over 200 people who dedicate their free time to helping these children. This voluntary structure ensures that every penny raised goes directly towards a child’s holiday. Being a volunteer helper on a Newman Trust holiday is a wonderfully rewarding experience. You will enable deserving children to have a holiday of a lifetime and contribute to a unique experience for all involved. The holidays are FUN, FULFILLING and strangely ADDICTIVE! That said, the holidays are tiring and sometimes emotionally demanding. Real commitment is required before the holiday and on the week. All new helpers are required to attend a recruitment session to meet a representative from the holiday so we can complete background checks. On the holiday itself it can be tough work looking after someone with additional needs and you'll need to put every effort into helping your child and working within the group. However, there's a lot of support, it’s great fun, and incredibly rewarding. No prior training is needed - just a strong will to help others, lots of energy, and a sense of humour. There is also a very supportive and friendly environment with the more experienced helpers actively helping those newer to the role.