Demelza

South East London – Catering Volunteer

Join our warm and welcoming Catering team at Demelza’s Eltham hospice and help us bring comfort and joy to children and families through nourishing meals and friendly support.

When we need you:

Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (10.30am-1.00pm) – flexibility with timings and duration

What you’ll do:

• Washing up
• Support the catering team with food preparation
• Support family dining experiences
• Help with kitchen clean-up and organisation

No experience needed – full training provided! Your enthusiasm and willingness to help are what matter most.

What you’ll gain:

• New friendships and a sense of community
• Valuable skills and rewarding experiences
• The chance to make a real impact for children with serious or life-limiting conditions

Why volunteer with Demelza?

Demelza provides specialist care 24/7, 365 days a year, children and families across Kent, South East London, and East Sussex. Our volunteers are the heart of our work - over 1,000 people already give their time, energy, and compassion to help us deliver exceptional care.

Join us and be part of something truly special.

Estates Department Volunteers

Role Summary:

We are seeking dedicated and enthusiastic Volunteers to join our very busy Estates Team, who are responsible for maintaining and operating all of the Demelza sites, keeping them clean, safe and well maintained. 

Our sites:

Sittingbourne, Kent

Eltham, SE London

St Leonards, East Sussex

30 shops throughout the South East

Distribution Centre in Aylesford, Kent

If you have previous maintenance experience and can spare a few hours a week to support our friendly team in our Estates Department, please apply or get in contact. Whatever your skills and experience, we will be able to put these to good use. This Volunteer position offers a unique chance to develop your skills while making a positive impact. Each day brings different challenges – from carpentry to plumbing, painting and decorating to changing locks. All levels of skill are appreciated, although some tasks such as electrical repairs will need further qualifications.

Whether you can lend a hand at one of our hospices or are able to help our Estates Trading Team, we would love to hear from you.

Duties could include:

• Helping with practical tasks
• General maintenance and repairs
• Painting and decorating
• Lifting and carrying

Experience:

• General site knowledge is useful, which could include building, plumbing, electrical, construction, mechanical, drainage.
• Previous experience in engineering, site maintenance or project management is advantageous.

What you gain from volunteering:

• A chance to meet new people, make new friends and dedicate yourself to a rewarding role
• The chance to develop new skills, take on new challenges and enjoy new experiences
• Training and support
• The opportunity to make an invaluable contribution to Demelza and support children with terminal conditions and their loved ones

Join Demelza’s team of Practical Support volunteers to decorate rooms for local families.

As a practical support volunteer, you will:

• Use your decorating skills to transform rooms so families can spend time in safe, beautiful spaces.

• Engage with family members and provide a supportive ear for them as an ambassador for Demelza.
• Feedback to the Practical Support team, ensuring any needs of the family are recorded.

Practical support tasks are always arranged to work around you, and there is no minimum or maximum amount of support required.

You do not need to have any professional decorating experience to be able to help, however we do ask that you are experienced and comfortable with basic decorating or DIY to help. We will take you preferences and skills into account to make sure you only undertake tasks you’re comfortable with.

All Practical Support volunteers have an initial interview with a member of the team, followed by a training session for volunteering with Demelza families. You will also receive a face to face induction, as well as ongoing support and supervision from the team.

All volunteers helping with Demelza families are also required to undertake an Enhanced DBS check before starting the role.

If you're ready to use your skills to make a difference, please apply now. If you would like more information and want to speak to a member of the Practical Support team, please call us on 01795 845299 or email practicalsupport@demelza.org.uk.

As a Practical Support Gardening Volunteer, you will:

• Visit families local to you that need help with general garden tasks such as mowing, weeding, pruning and planting, either on your own or as part of a small team of volunteers.
• Engage with family members and provide a supportive ear for them as an ambassador for Demelza.
• Feedback to the Practical Support team on your visits, ensuring any needs of the family are recorded.

Flexible Commitment: We respect your schedule. Enjoy flexible volunteer hours that fit your availability, with no minimum or maximum amount of volunteering time.

All Practical Support volunteers have an initial interview with a member of the team, followed by a training session for volunteering with Demelza families. You will also receive a face to face induction, as well as ongoing support and supervision from the team.

Volunteers helping with Demelza families are also required to undertake an Enhanced DBS check before starting the role.

If you're ready to use your skills to make a meaningful impact, please apply now, or contact us at practicalsupport@demelza.org.uk or call 01795 845299 for more information.

If you enjoy cleaning, organising and helping others, we would love you to join our team of dedicated Practical Support volunteers to help local families with household tasks such as cleaning, tidying and laundry, helping them keep on top of day-to-day pressures, allowing families to focus on what matters most - spending quality time together.

As a Practical Support Volunteer, you will:

• Undertake light housekeeping tasks when they need an extra helping hand, such as cleaning, dusting, vacuuming, and laundry.
• Help families maintain a safe and clean environment at home, helping them to focus on what matters most - spending quality time together.
• Engage with family members and provide a supportive ear for them as an ambassador for Demelza.
• Feedback to the Practical Support team on your visits, ensuring any needs of the family are recorded.

Tasks are arranged to fit around your availability and there is no maximum or minimum - whether it's a few hours a week or a monthly commitment.

All Practical Support volunteers will have an initial interview with a member of the team, followed by a training session for volunteering with Demelza families. You will also receive a face to face induction, as well as ongoing support and supervision from the team.

All volunteers helping with Demelza families are also required to undertake an Enhanced DBS check before starting the role.

Become an essential part of our dedicated team of volunteers and help us create a clean and comforting atmosphere for children and their families in their own homes. Contact us at practicalsupport@demelza.org.uk or call 01795 845299 for more information.

At Demelza, every volunteer makes an extraordinary difference to children with serious or life-limiting conditions, and their families;- our volunteer drivers are no exception. 

By helping families with transport like getting to hospital appointments, hospice visits and special events, you're not just providing a lift - you're offering comfort and care when it matters most. 

Whether you have a few hours to spare or more, you time gives families the freedom to focus on what truly matters; caring for their child. 

Our driving role is flexible:

• No minimum or maximum amount of support required
• Sign up to undertake journeys that fit with your schedule
  
  
• Use your own car, or one of the Demelza cars, wheelchair accessible vehicles and a minibus that volunteers can use.
  
  
• Opportunity to undertake qualifications to drive Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles 
  
  

🤝 Requirements:

• Full valid drivers licence held for 2 years and aged over 21
• Right to work in the UK
• Confident driving for extended periods of time – some of our journeys can be quite a distance
• Enhanced DBS check, references and training course for volunteering with families must be completed with Demelza before starting

Fundraising and Events Volunteer

How you can get involved

Join in with the action by lending a helping hand at our fantastic fundraising events. Becoming a fundraising volunteer is a great way to have fun and meet new people whilst raising vital funds and awareness of Demelza in your local community.

From helping with bucket collections to manning stalls, setting up marquees, putting up banners, serving refreshments to supporting participants at fundraising events; donating your time will be an invaluable contribution to our cause.

Our events are held throughout the year. Whether you can help with one or 2 events a year, or want to make a more regular commitment, we appreciate the help.

If you are looking for a hands-on role, supporting Demelza at one of our events is a brilliant way to get involved whilst having fun at the same time!

What will you gain from volunteering

• A chance to meet new people, make new friends and dedicate yourself to a rewarding role
• The time to develop new skills, take on new challenges and enjoy new experiences
• The opportunity to make an invaluable contribution to Demelza and support children with serious or life-limiting conditions and their families

Housekeeping Volunteers

Demelza Hospice at Eltham, London

We are looking for additional volunteers to join our friendly housekeeping team at our hospice in Eltham, SE London. The housekeeping department are responsible for keeping the hospice clean, tidy, bright and welcoming for the children and families in our care.

We particularly need volunteers on a Saturday and a Wednesday.

We require additional support and help and any time you can give is appreciated so much. Our busiest times are 9am to midday, and we are open 7 days a week. If you can spare a few hours a week to be part of this very important team, we would love to hear from you.

Tasks include:

General tidying and cleaning: dusting and vacuuming, ironing, cleaning the lounge areas, bedrooms and bathrooms.

What you will gain from volunteering:

• A chance to meet new people and make new friends
• The time to develop new skills, take on new challenges and enjoy new experiences
• The opportunity to make an invaluable contribution to Demelza and support children with serious or life-limiting conditions and their families