Volunteer Centre Newsletter

Welcome to our Volunteer Centre newsletter.



We are grateful 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 

We have lots of training opportunities available here for anyone who would like to expand their skill set or try something new!

Shopping on a Budget helps you understand the benefit of shopping on a budget. It will look at current shopping habits and highlight areas where savings can be made. Register here

Juli Riley 

Head of Volunteer Centre and Skills  

Communities 1st  

Treasurer for St Albans Folk at the Festival

St Albans Folk at the Festival is a small organisation made up entirely of volunteers. It was set up to work with local folk music and dance groups to organise the annual St Albans Folk Festival. They are looking for a hands-on treasurer who enjoys folk music and dance and will join the organising group to take responsibility for their finances and prepare annual accounts. .

Apply here.

Cake & Coffee Morning Assistant with LeeAnna’s Wish CIC                                                                         

Leeannas Wish are looking for an outgoing friendly volunteer to help our coffee mornings between 9.30am-12pm every Tuesday. The role will be in person at the cottonmill community centre. Tasks include making hot drinks and serving cake, cleaning up, helping with cash tin.

Apply here.

Handyperson for Communities1st.        

Communities 1st deliver a Handy Person Service designed to help those 60+ or on benefits, living in Hertsmere and St Albans & District to help with tasks they are unable to carry out themselves. We are looking for Handy Person Volunteers to help us help our community. We ask volunteers to undertake various light practical duties that may include changing lightbulbs, moving furniture and shopping for materials etc. We are a busy service and are looking for some friendly and caring volunteers to help fulfil demand. We can offer flexible hours, which suit both you and our clients’ needs. If you have a few hours to spare and would enjoy doing a bit of DIY whilst helping people who would really struggle to manage it themselves, please give us a call to discuss this opportunity further.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Volunteers for Canoe World Championship.                                                                                                       We’re looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help in showcasing the world's best canoe slalom athletes competing at the Lee Valley White Water Centre, Waltham Cross, between 18 - 24 September 2023. There are a range of volunteer roles available across the event, both pre-event and during competition. You don’t need to be an expert about canoe slalom, or have even volunteered before, there will be a role to suit you. Lee Valley White Water Centre is renowned across the globe as one of the best white-water courses in the world and in 2023 will play host to around 300 of the world's best athletes from across 50 countries as they battle it out across a week of high-octane competition.

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

Service Volunteer with St Albans and District Shopmobility    

Shopmobility is a service that provides manual wheelchairs and electric mobility scooters to help people, who may have limited mobility, to get around in St Albans City Centre. Their aim is to support people with limited mobility to improve their quality of life and reduce social isolation. The service has a stock of manual wheelchairs which can be hired out to Shopmobility members for a small charge per day. They are looking for volunteers to work 3- or 4-hour shifts. These shifts are currently 10am – 2pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Fridays. 9.30am – 1.00pm and 1.00pm - 4pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Shopmobility would like to open for more hours, should we have more volunteers, so these hours may change.

Apply here.

Volunteer Shopper with St Albans Good Neighbour Scheme

St Albans Good Neighbour Scheme provide a shopping service for their clients with that have no one to shop for them are no longer able to shop by themselves.

What the role requires: 

• The shop is done once a fortnight, at a mutually convenient time, by the allocated volunteer. 
• To only one supermarket. 
• For general food items only. 
• A clear and precise shopping list (size, brand etc) to be ready, with enough cash to pay for the requested items. 
• The receipt and change will be left with the shopping 
• It may be possible to provide a temporary shopper, when the regular shopper is on holiday.                                                        

Apply here.

 

 

Caseworker with Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association Hertfordshire (SSAFA)             

Caseworkers provide friendly support and advice to eligible individuals. The role of the Caseworker is to assess the needs of clients and access appropriate assistance. This could include obtaining financial assistance or accessing special equipment for clients with disabilities. Caseworkers are supported by the Divisional Secretary, or where there is no Division, the Branch Secretary. They'll monitor the progress of a case, keeping the client informed and advising referral agencies of the outcome.

Apply here.

Winter Bed Project Volunteer for Open Door               

The Open Door night shelter, run by Hightown, on Bricket Road accommodates 12 people experiencing homelessness all year round, but over the bitter winter months extra bed spaces are needed to ensure no one has to sleep on the streets in St Albans. The Winter Beds Project works to prevent people dying on the streets when the temperatures plummet by providing them with self contained accommodation and access to support services that address their housing and support needs. They are looking for volunteers to help out with the project again this year. Volunteers support the project by welcoming guests in the evening, checking them out of cabins in the morning and helping to organise supplies and laundry. Guests take comfort in the support of their volunteers.

Apply here.

 

Borehamwood Seniors Volunteer with Carers in Herts 

The Borehamwood Seniors Club is an activities/lunch club for the over 60s within the community of Borehamwood and the surrounding area. Currently the Club runs from 10am-3pm every Wednesday. Carers in Herts are looking to recruit volunteers to help with aspects of the day.   

• Primarily helping with activities but also giving some support in the kitchen.   

• Plan and prepare activities.   

• Set up activities in the room.   

• Planning daily activities for morning and afternoon.  

Apply here.

Digital Champion with Communities 1st                        

A 'Digital Champion' is someone who supports family, friends, colleagues, customers or people in their community to enjoy all the benefits that Basic Online Skills can bring. Want to help your local community with Computers and a Cuppa - a project that gives older people the opportunity to explore Information Technology through fun learning from each other? Communities 1st are looking for people in the Bushey area to train as Digital Champions to support this initiative which provides a social and informal environment for older people to gain confidence on various IT equipment and learn together whilst socialising. Professional skills would be welcomed but are not essential – we are looking for friendly, proactive volunteers who have an interest in supporting people.

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

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.

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

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.

Volunteer Drivers with Barbara Bus Fund

The Barbara Bus Fund provides a wheelchair accessible community transport service for wheelchair users who are unable to transfer and travel in a standard car seat and relies on volunteer drivers to assist their passengers. The only requirements are that you like driving, over 25 years and have no more than 6 penalty points. You will also need to complete a DBS check.

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.