Volunteer Centre Newsletter

Welcome to our Volunteer Centre newsletter.



We are thankful for the ongoing support of volunteers, constituting the backbone of our communities. Volunteering for all the fantastic organisations and community groups in the local areas.



We aim to support all volunteers in their activities. If you are looking for new volunteering opportunities, please look for new opportunities on our website here or get in touch by emailing volunteer@communities1st.org.uk.

We have split volunteering roles into the following sections: 

• Spotlight
• Short Term Roles and Micro Volunteering
• Longer Term Volunteering Roles 
• Trustee Roles 
• Driving Roles 

Click here to go directly to our comprehensive list of Volunteering opportunities

Juli Riley 

Head of Volunteer Centre and Skills  

Communities 1st  

Warm Spaces Volunteer                                             

Churches Together are looking for volunteers who can help with Warm Spaces in 6 venues across the Borough of Broxbourne. Warm Spaces are venues that people can come to which are free, warm, welcoming and safe. Hot drinks will be served, and for those venues which are open over lunchtime, soup and sandwiches will be offered. The role of the volunteers is to help to make the guests feel welcome and comfortable, and to help serving the drinks and refreshments.  

Apply here.

Befriending for Herts Vision Loss                                   Herts Vision Loss is a local charity providing a wide range of support and services to visually impaired people, their families and carers in Herts. There are over 26,000 visually impaired people in Hertfordshire, and in addition there are over 35,000 people with long term eye conditions that may result in them losing their sight further. Befrienders are needed to visit clients in the Bricket Wood area who have a visual impairment. These clients are isolated in their own homes and would like someone to chat, read or carry out small tasks with.

Apply here.

Capital Appeal Chair for MIND in Mid Herts.           

Mind In Mid Herts are looking for an Executive that would like to support them in the role of Chair of their Appeals Board to lead further fundraising activity across the county. The Capital Appeal Chair will be the public face recognised as the senior leader driving the project forward. This position requires attending and chairing all committee meetings and acting as an advocate for our campaign within the community. The role involves providing a pipeline from your network of candidates for a 12-person capital appeal board with additional supporters as well as identifying prospects for donations and managing relationships.

Apply here.

Peer-to-Peer Group Meeting Facilitator                      Do you have experience running meetings? We would love to hear from you. We’re planning to set up peer-to-peer groups to help people with long term illness, and we would like to have someone to help these support groups flow. We’d like to have three people for each group. These groups are set up for the 1st and 3rd Tuesday (Potters Bar), Wednesday (Watford), and Thursday (St. Albans) of the month. If you are interested, please get in touch and let us know.  Apply here.

Handy Person

Welwyn and Hatfield Voluntary Services are looking for a Handy Person to help one of their clients paint their flat. If you have painting and decorating skills and can lend some assistance, please email volunteer@communities1st.org.uk

Business Advisor

Young enterprises are looking for volunteer Business Advisors with Business skills and the ability to impart these skills and communicate well with teenagers.  Most teams have their ‘’Board Meeting’’ once a week either in school time or after (about an hour). Training is given and all Business Advisors to ensure they are aware of what is required. Apply here.

Citizens Advice are looking for a Research & Campaigns                                                            Volunteer to help to identify trends in problems experienced by their clients, raising social policy issues and championing changes for local and national issues. This might involve creating materials, such as newsletters, or presentations, or writing something for social media or newspaper, which could be used to explain the problems to others (such as local councilors, or members of the public). This role will also require the volunteer to update other volunteers about the common problems Citizens Advice clients are facing and how they can raise awareness and promote change.

Apply here.

 Young Achievers Volunteer for DS Achieve                   DS Achieve is looking for volunteers to join their fantastic team to run their Youth Group. The Youth Group, for school-aged children with Down Syndrome, is part of DS Achieve's Young Achievers programme, which aims to help children with Down Syndrome to develop their social communication skills and grow their independence, while taking part in a variety of fun activities in a safe environment. The Youth Group takes place each week during term-time on a Saturday afternoon. Volunteers should have experience of working with children, be warm and friendly, be happy to get involved with the activities and to help encourage the children to join in.

Apply here.

Remote Family Support Volunteer for Family Lives   Family Lives operates a free confidential helpline for anyone experiencing difficulties in their family or relationship. Our volunteers take calls from parents and carers on a wide range of subjects. They are looking for volunteers who have experience of parenting or working with children and young people, are good listeners and are willing to learn.

Apply here.

Health Walk Leaders for Herts health walks             Would you like to walk within a friendly group, make friends and enjoy the health benefits walking has to offer whilst helping others to enjoy walking too? Volunteering is flexible and there is no expectation of time commitment.

Apply here.

Christmas Elf Volunteer for Rennie Grove                      Christmas is a busy time for Rennie Grove. The Retail and Trading team need a group of busy Christmas Elves to help their friendly team pack and dispatch items sold on ebay and other online platforms, and to keep stock moving out to their 25 shops.

Apply here.

Social media assistant for Herts Schools Outreach Herts Schools Outreach is a support service to promote and enhance positive mental health change for children and young people. They are looking for a Social Media Assistant to help support the organisation. A Social Media Assistant will create schedules and post content across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok to help raise awareness of their service and to increase followers and online presence. Keeping up to date on social media trends and researching all relevant additional content is also desired.

Apply here.

Community Connector for Communities 1st

We are looking for community connector to help us with our new our health matters project. The Our Health Matters project focuses on the Borehamwood areas of Cowley Hill and Brook meadow because research has shown us that communities in these areas are not well-supported by existing health services. They often experience health inequalities, especially with early cancer diagnosis, severe mental illness, chronic respiratory disease, and hypertension. We are hoping to recruit volunteer Community Connectors to be the ‘voice’ of these communities, engaging with local people to understand the barriers they face in accessing health services, obtaining the right standard of treatment, and receiving optimal outcomes.

To apply, please email volunteer@communities1st.org.uk

Community Champions for Communities 1st  

Communities 1st are looking for volunteers to become Community Champions in their local area. This will enable us to reach further into local communities and raise awareness of wider health information and signposting for services. What will I be doing? Engaging with people at the vaccination centres and pop-up vaccination centres and listening to any issues they may have with regards to health concerns and giving information on local services that may be able to help. No formal qualifications are needed for this role, we welcome volunteers from all backgrounds and abilities. Volunteers must be 16 or over to apply. 

To apply, please email volunteer@communities1st.org.uk

Hospital Ward Companion                              Communities 1st are looking for Hospital Ward Companions who will be able to commit to consistent regular availability. There will be daytime shifts Monday to Friday when the ward staff team are most active. Some out of hours evening and weekend shifts may be available when required. his role would not be well suited to ad-hoc availability but if a long-term commitment could be made this would be considered. Shifts will generally be approximately 3 hours long but there may occasionally be some variation. You will be asked to help with:

• Answering phones and taking message;
• Answering call bells and taking messages or reassuring patients that staff are coming;
• Talking to confused patients, they often need a little more time and attention so that they stay settled and less anxious;
• Help to dish out meals and drinks;
• Helping patients use i-Pads to video call their families;
• Restocking PPE and other supplies;
• Putting away stock;
• Working as part of the extended hospital team. Apply here

International NHS Buddy

NHS Trusts across Hertfordshire and West Essex are recruiting a number of NHS professionals internationally each month to fill staffing shortages. Communities' 1st is looking for volunteers that can provide wrap-around social support to these professionals. We are looking for volunteers who are sociable, outgoing and have a warm and welcome personality. If you enjoy meeting new people and exploring different places around Hertfordshire, have an open mind, are positive about diversity and are committed to building relationships with people from different backgrounds, this maybe something you will enjoy doing. The role will entail taking the nurses on a tour around the town/area, introducing places of interest, parks, gyms, bus stations, helping with shopping and familiarising with local customs etc. Apply here.

Meeting Speaker                                                      We're looking for speakers who have knowledge on Asthma, COPD, or diabetes to help out with peer-to-peer support groups of those three illnesses. The COPD are diabetes meetings are in Potters Bar and Bushey. The Asthma, COPD, and diabetes are hosted within St. Albans. These groups will happen twice a month. If you are interested, please get in touch and let us know.

Apply here.

Treasurer with DS Achieve

DS Achieve is looking for a new volunteer Treasurer to join our existing Board of five Trustees. Our ideal new Treasurer will have a background in finance with a relevant accountancy qualification. We are a small local charity that prides ourselves on good governance and maintaining robust financial procedures and the Treasurer will take a lead on financial issues for the team. If you enjoy being part of a small, friendly team and want to volunteer some of your time and skills to a great charity this is the role for you.

Apply here.

Treasurer for Borehamwood Foodbank

Borehamwood Foodbank are looking for a person with financial management experience who can take on trustee responsibilities and the tasks of being Treasurer. You will be working with the support of a financial subcommittee and will be responsible for managing a bookkeeper and PAYE specialist. Support with small administrative tasks such as banking or making regular payments will also be available by an administrator.

Apply here.

Trustee with Citizens Advice East Herts

We are looking for three talented volunteer trustees who can give time and commitment to help us run our charity, help us develop our services and secure the vital resources we need to go forward. We are particularly looking for people who have fundraising, marketing or premises management expertise. Committed to working within the aims, principles and policies of Citizens Advice is essential. A willingness to think strategically but to have the time to offer operational support is also important.

Apply here

Volunteer Drivers for Minibuses or own vehicles

Drivers required to drive either their own cars or our MPV’s and Minibuses Volunteers are needed to help people in Borehamwood, Shenley and Potters Bar who are unable to use public transport, attend health appointments, and reduce social isolation. What are they looking for? Driving skills, clean license, roadworthy car, honest and reliable, good timekeeping.We’re always in need of people willing to help us deliver our transport service. Our new scheme supports the NHS locally to fulfil GP and vaccination appointments, as well as hospital visits. If you're willing to drive a larger vehicle, we also run a much-needed shopper bus service, other projects and trips. Expenses can be claimed at 45p/mile. Note, you may be required to travel further afield than your immediate local area. Apply here.

Van Driver/ Crew Member for Emmaus Hertfordshire

Emmaus Hertfordshire source furniture via house clearances and one-off item donations. Driving a van or being part of their van team, moving donations into our warehouse and then into their shops is an essential part of their operations. In their house clearance service, you would be involved in packing goods and loading them to and from the van. You could be involved in both van driving and house clearance packing or just one of these roles.

Apply here.

Volunteer Drivers for Hertsmere Mencap

Hertsmere Mencap support 250 children and adults with learning disabilities and their families and carers. They run a minibus service taking members to regular social clubs in Borehamwood, St Albans and Hatfield on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Friday evenings. You will only be expected to volunteer once every few weeks as part of a rota, an average of 3 hours per month. You will be assisting the driver collecting members, accompanying them to the local clubs, and helping with picking up from the club, taking them to their front door when necessary. Apply here.